Mike Foster (American politician) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mike Foster
53rd Governor of Louisiana
In office January 8, 1996 – January 12, 2004
Lieutenant	Kathleen Blanco
Preceded by	Edwin Edwards
Succeeded by	Kathleen Blanco
Member of the Louisiana Senate from the 21st district
In office January 1988 – January 1996
Preceded by	Anthony Guarisco Jr.
Succeeded by	John Siracusa
Personal details
Born	Murphy James Foster Jr. (1930-07-11)July 11, 1930 Franklin, Louisiana, U.S.
Died	October 4, 2020(2020-10-04) (aged 90) Franklin, Louisiana, U.S.
Political party	Republican (from 1995)
Other political affiliations	Democratic (before 1995)
Spouse	Alice Foster
Education	Virginia Military Institute Louisiana State University (BS) Southern University (JD)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Air Force
Years of service	1952–1956
Rank	Captain
Unit	United States Air Force Reserve
Battles/wars	Korean War

Murphy James Foster Jr. (born July 11, 1930 – died October 4, 2020), known as Mike Foster, was an American businessman and politician. He served as the 53rd governor of Louisiana from 1996 to 2004.

Early Life and Start in Politics

Mike Foster was born in Franklin, Louisiana, which is the main town of St. Mary Parish, Louisiana. His father was a sugar planter and owned land with oil and natural gas. Mike Foster's grandfather, Murphy J. Foster Sr., was also a governor of Louisiana from 1892 to 1900 and later a U.S. Senator.

Mike Foster went to public high school in Franklin. He graduated from Louisiana State University in 1952 with a degree in chemistry. Later, he earned a law degree from Southern University Law Center in 2004. He was an Eagle Scout and served in the United States Air Force during the Korean War. Before becoming a politician, he was a successful sugar planter and owned a construction company.

Foster started his political career at age 57. In 1987, he was a Democrat and won a seat in the state Senate. He defeated the current state Senator, Anthony Guarisco Jr.. Foster served two terms in the state Senate before deciding to run for governor.

Becoming Governor in 1995

When Mike Foster first entered the 1995 governor's race, many people didn't think he had a good chance to win. But in September 1995, he announced that he was changing his political party to Republican. This change helped him gain a lot of support and become a serious candidate.

Foster strongly spoke out against the spread of casino gambling, which had become popular under the previous governor. He promised to run Louisiana "like a business." His main ideas included stopping misuse of welfare, supporting gun rights, and fighting political corruption.

He made it to the final round of the election against Cleo Fields, a well-known Democratic politician. Other strong candidates, like Mary Landrieu and former Governor Buddy Roemer, did not make it to the runoff. Foster's decision to become a Republican and his conservative ideas helped him win.

Mike Foster became governor on January 8, 1996, at the Old Louisiana State Capitol. He spoke briefly about the special occasion. He won his second term as governor in 1999, defeating William Jefferson with a large number of votes. His second inauguration was on January 10, 2000.

Mike Foster as Governor

Foster watches as President George W. Bush speaks during a ceremony held to honor the gift of a new firetruck for the city of New York in 2001

As governor, Mike Foster was known for supporting businesses. He worked to make it easier for businesses to operate in Louisiana. He also ended some state programs that set aside certain jobs or contracts, aiming to create a fair playing field for all businesses. He worked closely with the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI), a group that supports businesses.

Foster made many important appointments. He named Bobby Jindal, who later became governor, to lead the state's health department. He also appointed Paul Pastorek, an education reformer, to the state's education board. In 2000, he chose Terry Landry, an African-American officer, to be the head of the Louisiana State Police.

One of Foster's big goals was to improve education. He helped create the Louisiana Community and Technical College System to offer more training programs. He also expanded the Tuition Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS), which helps students pay for college based on their grades, not their family's income. He also started mandatory tests for students to move up grades, hoping to make public schools more responsible. He also worked to increase teacher salaries.

Foster was a fan of motorcycles. While governor, he supported a law to remove the requirement for motorcyclists to wear helmets. However, this law was later changed back by the next governor, Kathleen Babineaux Blanco.

In 2000, Foster led the campaign in Louisiana for the Bush-Cheney presidential ticket. Even though he had run on an anti-gambling platform, he later supported the gambling industry while in office.

Atchafalaya Basin Program

In 1996, Governor Foster chose the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources to lead the state's part in the Atchafalaya Basin Project. This project is very important for protecting the environment of the Atchafalaya Basin, which is a huge area of swamps and wetlands. This led to the creation of the Atchafalaya Basin Master Plan and the Sherburne Complex Wildlife Management Area, which helps protect wildlife.

After Being Governor

After leaving office, Mike Foster lived with his wife, Alice C. Foster, near Franklin. They were married for over 50 years.

In 2003, Foster was recognized for his political career and was added to the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame.

Mike Foster passed away on October 4, 2020, at the age of 90.

Electoral History

State Senator, 21st Senatorial District, 1987

State Senator, 21st Senatorial District, 1991

Governor of Louisiana, 1995 First Ballot, October 21, 1995

Second Ballot, November 18, 1995

Governor of Louisiana, 1999 First Ballot, October 23, 1999

Videos

• (1) Foster's Inauguration as Louisiana's 53rd Governor on January 8, 1996, at the Old State Capitol Grounds [1]
• (2) Second Inauguration on the State Capitol Grounds on January 10, 2000 [2]
• (3) State of the State Address on April 29, 1996 [3]
• (4) Joint Session of the Louisiana State Legislature from May 30, 1996 [4]
• (5) Opening Address to the Louisiana State Legislature on March 31, 1997 [5]
• (6) Special Session of the Louisiana State Legislature from March 23, 1998 [6]
• (7) Opening Address to Fiscal Session of the Louisiana State Legislature from April 27, 1998 [7]
• (8) Opening Address to the Louisiana State Legislature from March 29, 1999 [8]
• (9) Gubernatorial Debate Forum from October 8, 1999 [9]
• (10) Opening Address to the Louisiana State Legislature from March 19, 2000 [10]
• (11) Fiscal Session from April 24, 2000 [11]
• (12) Special Session from March 11, 2001 [12]
• (13) Opening Address to the Louisiana State Legislature from March 26, 2001 [13]
• (14) Press conference on the September 11th terrorist attacks on September 12, 2001 [14]
• (15) Opening Address to the Louisiana State Legislature from April 29, 2002 [15]
• (16) Final State of the State Address from March 31, 2003 [16]

See also

In Spanish: Mike Foster para niños