Mary Landrieu facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mary Landrieu
Official portrait, 2009
United States Senator from Louisiana
In office January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2015
Preceded by	J. Bennett Johnston
Succeeded by	Bill Cassidy
Senate positions Chair of the Senate Energy Committee In office February 12, 2014 – January 3, 2015 Preceded by Ron Wyden Succeeded by Lisa Murkowski Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee In office January 3, 2009 – February 12, 2014 Preceded by John Kerry Succeeded by Maria Cantwell
Treasurer of Louisiana
In office January 1, 1988 – January 8, 1996
Governor	Edwin Edwards Buddy Roemer
Preceded by	Mary Evelyn Parker
Succeeded by	Ken Duncan
Member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from the 90th district
In office 1980–1988
Preceded by	Clyde F. Bel Jr.
Succeeded by	Mitch Landrieu
Personal details
Born	Mary Loretta Landrieu (1955-11-23) November 23, 1955 (age 69) Arlington County, Virginia, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Frank Snellings ​ (m. 1988)​
Relations	Mitch Landrieu (brother)
Children	2
Parent	Moon Landrieu (father)
Education	Louisiana State University (BA)
Signature

Mary Loretta Landrieu (born November 23, 1955) is an American politician and businessperson. She served as a United States Senator for the state of Louisiana from 1997 to 2015. As a member of the Democratic Party, she was known for working with both Democrats and Republicans.

Before becoming a senator, Landrieu was the Louisiana State Treasurer, where she managed the state's money. She also served in the Louisiana House of Representatives.

Landrieu became well-known across the country after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. She spoke out about the government's slow response to the disaster. She was also a key figure in the creation of the 2010 Affordable Care Act, a major law about health insurance. As of 2025, she is the last Democrat to have represented Louisiana in the U.S. Senate.

Early Life and Family

Mary Landrieu was born in Arlington County, Virginia, but she grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana. Politics was a big part of her family. Her father, Moon Landrieu, was the mayor of New Orleans and also served as a secretary in the U.S. government. Her brother, Mitch Landrieu, later became the mayor of New Orleans too.

She went to Ursuline Academy, a Catholic school in New Orleans. In 1977, she graduated from Louisiana State University (LSU) with a degree in sociology.

Start of Her Political Career

Louisiana State Government

After college, Landrieu was elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives in 1979. She represented a district in New Orleans for eight years, from 1980 to 1988.

In 1987, she ran for State Treasurer. The treasurer is in charge of managing the state's money. She won the election and was re-elected in 1991 without anyone running against her.

Running for Governor

In 1995, Landrieu decided to run for governor instead of running for treasurer again. In Louisiana's special primary election, many candidates from different parties run against each other. Landrieu finished in third place and did not make it to the final runoff election. Murphy J. Foster, Jr. went on to win and become governor.

Serving in the U.S. Senate

Landrieu during her time as a U.S. Senator from Louisiana.

A U.S. Senator is one of two people elected to represent their state in Washington, D.C. They help create and vote on laws for the entire country.

Senate Elections

Landrieu was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1996 after a very close race against Woody Jenkins. She won re-election two more times. In 2002, she defeated Suzanne Haik Terrell. In 2008, she won against John Neely Kennedy.

In 2014, she ran for a fourth term but lost to her Republican opponent, Bill Cassidy.

Important Work in the Senate

As a senator, Landrieu was involved in many important issues. She was known as a "conservative Democrat," which means that while she was a member of the Democratic Party, she sometimes voted with the Republican Party.

Hurricane Katrina Response

U.S. Senator Landrieu (center) with the "Women of the Storm" group, who advocated for rebuilding the Gulf Coast.

After Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and the Gulf Coast in 2005, Landrieu became a strong voice for the victims. She appeared on national television to criticize the slow response from the federal government, especially the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). She worked with other leaders to get billions of dollars in aid to help rebuild the region.

Apology for Lynching

In 2005, Landrieu sponsored a resolution for the Senate to officially apologize for something in its past. In the early 1900s, the Senate had failed to pass laws to stop lynching, a form of racist violence. Landrieu's resolution was a way for the Senate to admit this failure was wrong.

Health Care Law

Landrieu played a big role in passing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in 2009, often called "Obamacare." She was one of the last senators to agree to vote for the bill. Before she agreed, she made sure the bill included extra money to help Louisiana's Medicaid program, which provides health care for low-income residents. This deal was sometimes called the "Louisiana Purchase" by critics.

"Air Mary" Questions

During her 2014 campaign, people raised questions about how Landrieu paid for flights. They wanted to know if she had used government money for campaign-related travel, which is against the rules. Landrieu's campaign launched an investigation and found that her Senate office had been wrongly charged for some flights. She paid back about $33,700 to the government.

Political Views

Landrieu speaking at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver.

• Energy: Landrieu supported increasing the production of oil and natural gas. She was a strong supporter of the Keystone Pipeline, a project to transport oil from Canada to the U.S.
• Guns: Her views on gun laws were seen as moderate. The NRA, a group that supports gun rights, gave her mixed ratings over the years.
• Same-Sex Marriage: Landrieu said she personally supported same-sex marriage. However, she also said she respected that a majority of voters in Louisiana had passed a state law banning it.

Life After the Senate

After leaving the Senate in 2015, Mary Landrieu began working as a senior policy advisor for a law firm in Washington, D.C. She also advises the Walton Family Foundation and is a member of the pro-Israel group American Israel Public Affairs Committee. She continues to be involved in public discussions, especially about energy and politics.

Landrieu is married to Frank Snellings, and they have two children.

See also

• Women in the United States Senate
• Conservative Democrat