Edwin Edwards | |
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50th Governor of Louisiana | |
In office January 13, 1992 – January 8, 1996 |
|
Lieutenant | Melinda Schwegmann |
Preceded by | Buddy Roemer |
Succeeded by | Mike Foster |
In office March 12, 1984 – March 14, 1988 |
|
Lieutenant | Bobby Freeman |
Preceded by | Dave Treen |
Succeeded by | Buddy Roemer |
In office May 9, 1972 – March 10, 1980 |
|
Lieutenant | Jimmy Fitzmorris |
Preceded by | John McKeithen |
Succeeded by | Dave Treen |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Louisiana's 7th district |
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In office October 2, 1965 – May 9, 1972 |
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Preceded by | Ashton Thompson |
Succeeded by | John Breaux |
Personal details | |
Born |
Edwin Washington Edwards August 7, 1927 Marksville, Louisiana, U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse(s) |
Elaine Schwartzenburg 1949–1989 Candace Picou (1994–2004) Trina Grimes Scott (2011–present) |
Children | Anna Victoria Stephen David Eli |
Alma mater | Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge |
Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Military service | |
Allegiance | United States |
Service/branch | United States Navy |
Years of service | 1945–1946 |
Battles/wars | World War II |
Edwin Washington Edwards (born August 7, 1927) is an American politician and member of the Democratic Party who served as the U.S. Representative for Louisiana's 7th congressional district from 1965 to 1972 and as the 50th Governor of Louisiana for four terms (1972–1980, 1984–1988 and 1992–1996), twice as many elected terms as any other Louisiana chief executive. He served a total of sixteen years in office, the sixth-longest serving gubernatorial tenure in post-Constitutional U.S. history at 5,784 days.
A colorful, powerful and legendary figure in Louisiana politics, Edwards, who has been dubbed the "very last of the line of New Deal Southern Democrats", was long dogged by charges of corruption. In 2001, he was found guilty of racketeering charges and sentenced to ten years in Federal prison. Edwards began serving his sentence in October 2002 in Fort Worth, Texas, and was later transferred to the federal facility in Oakdale, Louisiana. Edwards was released from federal prison in January 2011, after serving eight years. He entered into home confinement at his daughter's Denham Springs, Louisiana home through the supervision of a halfway house, on January 13, 2011. Following that, Edwards was placed on parole. In February 2013, Edwards was granted early release from parole. His wife Trina made the announcement on her Facebook page.
Without a pardon, Edwards remains ineligible to seek the governorship until 15 years have passed from the end of his sentence. In 2013, Edwards co-starred, alongside his third wife Trina, in an A&E reality show, The Governor's Wife based on their life together. In 2014, Edwards ran in the 2014 election to represent Louisiana's 6th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. He placed first in the jungle primary, but was defeated by nearly 25 points in the runoff election.