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'''Garret Neal Graves''' (born January 31, 1972) is the [[U.S. Representative]] for [[Louisiana]]'s 6th congressional district]]. On December 6, 2014, Graves, a [[Republican Party|Republican]], handily defeated the [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] candidate, former [[Governor]] [[Edwin Edwards]]. A native of the capital city of [[Baton Rouge]], Graves received 139,194 votes (62.4 percent) to Edwards's 83,773 (37.6 percent). In 1965, Edwards entered the U.S. Congress to represent Louisiana's former 7th congressional district and had been a fixture in state politics for nearly a half century.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Graphical|title=General election returns|date=December 6, 2014|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=April 10, 2018}}</ref>

'''Garret Neal Graves''' (born January 31, 1972) is the [[U.S. Representative]] for [[Louisiana]]'s 6th congressional district]]. On December 6, 2014, Graves, a [[Republican Party|Republican]], handily defeated the [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] candidate, former [[Governor]] [[Edwin Edwards]]. A native of the capital city of [[Baton Rouge]], Graves received 139,194 votes (62.4 percent) to Edwards's 83,773 (37.6 percent). In 1965, Edwards entered the U.S. Congress to represent Louisiana's former 7th congressional district and had been a fixture in state politics for nearly a half century.<ref name=ereturns>{{cite web|url=https://voterportal.sos.la.gov/Graphical|title=General election returns|date=December 6, 2014|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=April 10, 2018}}</ref>

Edwards and Graves had led in the primary with 30 and 27 percent, respectively. Among those eliminated in a bid for Congress was the strongly [[conservative]] former Louisiana state representative [[Lenar Whitney]].

Edwards and Graves had led in the primary with 30 and 27 percent, respectively. Among those eliminated in a bid for Congress was the strongly [[conservative]] former Louisiana state representative [[Lenar Whitney]].

In 2008, Republican Governor [[Bobby Jindal]] appointed Graves to manage the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority. In the position, he negotiated on behalf of the state with [[British Petroleum]] over the [[Deepwater Horizon oil spill]].<ref name=nov4>{{cite web|url=http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/11/edwin_edwards_garret_graves_he.html|title=Edwin Edwards, Garret Graves headed for runoff in 6th Congressional District|publisher=''The New Orleans Times-Picayune''|accessdate=November 24, 2014}}</ref> He resigned from the authority effective February 17, 2014 to prepare to make his race for Congress.<ref name=resign>{{cite web|url=http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2014/02/jindal_coastal_adviser_garret.html|title=Jindal coastal adviser Garret Graves resigns, effective Feb. 17|work=NOLA.com|accessdate=November 24, 2014}}</ref>

In 2008, Republican Governor [[Bobby Jindal]] appointed Graves to manage the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority. In the position, he negotiated on behalf of the state with [[British Petroleum]] over the [[Deepwater Horizon oil spill]].<ref name=nov4>{{cite web|url=http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/11/edwin_edwards_garret_graves_he.html|title=Edwin Edwards, Garret Graves headed for runoff in 6th Congressional District|publisher=''The New Orleans Times-Picayune''|accessdate=November 24, 2014}}</ref> He resigned from the authority effective February 17, 2014 to prepare to make his race for Congress.<ref name=resign>{{cite web|url=http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2014/02/jindal_coastal_adviser_garret.html|title=Jindal coastal adviser Garret Graves resigns, effective Feb. 17|work=NOLA.com|accessdate=November 24, 2014}}</ref>

Graves succeeded the [[physician]] [[Bill Cassidy]] in the House; Cassidy instead unseated Democratic U.S. Senator [[Mary Landrieu]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://theadvocate.com/news/politics/8485305-123/former-jindal-adviser-running-for|title=Former Jindal adviser running for Congress|work=theadvocate.com|accessdate=November 24, 2014}}</ref> In the 2014 nonpartisan blanket primary, Edwin Edwards finished in first place with 30 percent of the vote; Graves was the runner-up with 27 percent. Graves and Edwards then met in the December 6 runoff election, called the [[general election]] in Louisiana.<ref name=nov4/>

Graves succeeded the [[physician]] [[Bill Cassidy]] in the House; Cassidy instead unseated Democratic U.S. Senator [[Mary Landrieu]].<ref name=ereturns/> In the 2014 nonpartisan blanket primary, Edwin Edwards finished in first place with 30 percent of the vote; Graves was the runner-up with 27 percent. Graves and Edwards then met in the December 6 runoff election, called the [[general election]] in Louisiana.<ref name=nov4/>

Representative Graves has been mentioned, along with colleague [[Ralph Abraham]] of Louisiana's 5th congressional district, as a potential opponent of Governor [[John Bel Edwards]] (no relation to Edwin Edwards) in the 2019 state elections.  Neither congressman would have to  by-pass House reelection in order to run for governor. In 2017, Graves questioned the second Governor Edwards regarding the disbursement of federal assistance for victims of flooding from the previous year. Graves said that he is "focused on flood recovery ... none of the governor's talk is helping flood victims."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/2017/04/21/who-challenge-gov-edwards-2019/100695606/|title=Who will challenge Gov. Edwards in 2019?|publisher=''The Monroe News-Star''|date=April 21, 2017|author=[[Greg Hilburn]]|accessdate=April 22, 2017}}</ref>

Representative Graves has been mentioned, along with colleague [[Ralph Abraham]] of Louisiana's 5th congressional district, as a potential opponent of Governor [[John Bel Edwards]] (no relation to Edwin Edwards) in the 2019 state elections.  Neither congressman would have to  by-pass House reelection in order to run for governor. In 2017, Graves questioned the second Governor Edwards regarding the disbursement of federal assistance for victims of flooding from the previous year. Graves said that he is "focused on flood recovery ... none of the governor's talk is helping flood victims."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/2017/04/21/who-challenge-gov-edwards-2019/100695606/|title=Who will challenge Gov. Edwards in 2019?|publisher=''The Monroe News-Star''|date=April 21, 2017|author=[[Greg Hilburn]]|accessdate=April 22, 2017}}</ref>