John Bel Edwards
| John Bel Edwards | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| 56th Governor of Louisiana | |
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Assumed office January 11, 2016 |
|
| Lieutenant | Billy Nungesser |
| Preceded by | Bobby Jindal |
| Minority Leader of the Louisiana House of Representatives | |
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In office January 9, 2012 – December 10, 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Jane Smith |
| Succeeded by | Gene Reynolds |
| Member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from the 72nd district |
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In office January 14, 2008 – December 10, 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Robby Carter |
| Succeeded by | Robby Carter |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
September 16, 1966 Amite, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Donna Hutto |
| Children | 3 |
| Residence | Governor's Mansion |
| Education |
U.S. Military Academy (BS) Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge (JD) |
| Website | Government website |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 United States
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Army
|
| Years of service | 1988–1996 |
| Unit |
25th Infantry Division 82nd Airborne Division |
John Bel Edwards (born September 16, 1966) is an American attorney and politician who is the 56th and current Governor of Louisiana, having assumed office on January 11, 2016. He is a United States Army veteran, having served with the 82nd Airborne Division. He was formerly the Minority Leader of the Louisiana House of Representatives, when he represented the 72nd District for two terms. He left the state legislature to run for governor in 2015. A member of the Democratic Party, he defeated Republican U.S. Senator David Vitter in the second round of the 2015 election.
Edwards was born and raised in Amite, Louisiana, the son of Dora Jean Miller and Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Frank M. Edwards, Jr., a member of the administration of Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards (no known family relation). Edwards graduated from Amite High School in 1984 as valedictorian. In 1988, Edwards received a bachelor's degree in engineering from the United States Military Academy, where he was on the Dean's List and served as vice chairman of the panel that enforced the West Point honor code.
Edwards completed Airborne School in 1986, while he was a student at West Point. After receiving his commission, he completed the Infantry Officer Basic Course at Fort Benning (1988), Ranger School (1989), and the Infantry Officer Advanced Course (1992). Edwards served in the Army for eight years, mostly in the 25th Infantry Division and 82nd Airborne Division, including commanding a company in the 82nd's 3rd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment. He ended his military career to return to Louisiana because of family considerations. Edwards earned a law degree from the Louisiana State University's Paul M. Hebert Law Center in 1999, and he was a practicing attorney with the Edwards & Associates Law Firm in Amite. As an attorney, Edwards handled a variety of cases, though he did not practice criminal law because of his brother's status as the local sheriff.
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