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'''John Bel Edwards''' (born September 16, 1966) is the [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] [[governor]] of his native [[Louisiana]]. In the general election held on November 21, 2015, he defeated the [[Republican Party|Republican]] candidate, [[conservative]] [[U.S. Senator]] [[David Vitter]], 646, 865 (56.1 percent) to 505,933 (43.9 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/11212015/11212015_Statewide.html|title=Results for Election Date: 11/21/2015|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=November 29, 2015}}</ref> On January 11, 2016, Edwards succeeded the term-limited Governor [[Bobby Jindal]], who had failed in a bid for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.

'''John Bel Edwards''' (born September 16, 1966) is the [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] [[governor]] of his native [[Louisiana]], who is  engaged in a current bid for reelection in the November 16, 2019 runoff election.

 

In the general election held on November 21, 2015, Edwards defeated the [[Republican Party|Republican]] candidate, [[conservative]] [[U.S. Senator]] [[David Vitter]], 646, 865 (56.1 percent) to 505,933 (43.9 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/11212015/11212015_Statewide.html|title=Results for Election Date: 11/21/2015|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=November 29, 2015}}</ref> On January 11, 2016, Edwards succeeded the term-limited Governor [[Bobby Jindal]], who had dropped his bid for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.

A graduate of the [[United States Military Academy]] at [[West Point]], [[New York]] and a [[lawyer]], Edwards was state representative for District 72 in Tangipahoa Parish, one of the Florida Parishes east of [[Baton Rouge]]. He is a long-term supporter and former delegate of [[U.S. President]] [[Barack H. Obama]] though Edwards proclaims a [[pro-life]] position on [[abortion]]. Vitter failed to make Edwards' connection to Obama and subsequently [[Hillary Rodham Clinton]] register with a majority of voters. After his crushing defeat for governor, Vitter announced that he would not seek a third term in the Senate in 2016, and the position went to Republican [[John Neely Kennedy]], the former state treasurer.

A graduate of the [[United States Military Academy]] at [[West Point]], [[New York]] and a [[lawyer]], Edwards was state representative for District 72 in Tangipahoa Parish, one of the Florida Parishes east of [[Baton Rouge]]. He is a long-term supporter and former delegate of [[U.S. President]] [[Barack H. Obama]] though Edwards proclaims a [[pro-life]] position on [[abortion]]. Vitter failed to make Edwards' connection to Obama and subsequently [[Hillary Rodham Clinton]] register with a majority of voters. After his crushing defeat for governor, Vitter announced that he would not seek a third term in the Senate in 2016, and the position went to Republican [[John Neely Kennedy]], the former state treasurer.

Ultimately after seven special sessions since 2016, enough Republican members of the House, such as [[Rob Shadoin]] of [[Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]] and Frank Hoffmann of [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]], capitulated to approve a .45 percent of the expiring one-cent sales tax. When rounded, the .45 becomes the same .5 percent presented as Edwards' final offer.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/politics/legislature/article_8424e9a0-7630-11e8-9da8-67b9c39c5df5.html|title=Deal brokered: Louisiana House advances sales tax bill; here are next steps|author=Elizabeth Crisp|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|date=June 22, 2018|accessdate=June 23, 2018}}</ref> The measure heads for certain passage in the state Senate, which though nominally Republican is run by [[Moderate Republican]] and former long-term Democrat [[John Alario]], the Senate president who has long advocated for tax increases as well. Edwards will also get additional energy revenues in 2019 and funds from the taxation of goods and services sold on-line, as permitted through a [[United States Supreme Court]] ruling.

Ultimately after seven special sessions since 2016, enough Republican members of the House, such as [[Rob Shadoin]] of [[Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]] and Frank Hoffmann of [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]], capitulated to approve a .45 percent of the expiring one-cent sales tax. When rounded, the .45 becomes the same .5 percent presented as Edwards' final offer.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/politics/legislature/article_8424e9a0-7630-11e8-9da8-67b9c39c5df5.html|title=Deal brokered: Louisiana House advances sales tax bill; here are next steps|author=Elizabeth Crisp|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|date=June 22, 2018|accessdate=June 23, 2018}}</ref> The measure heads for certain passage in the state Senate, which though nominally Republican is run by [[Moderate Republican]] and former long-term Democrat [[John Alario]], the Senate president who has long advocated for tax increases as well. Edwards will also get additional energy revenues in 2019 and funds from the taxation of goods and services sold on-line, as permitted through a [[United States Supreme Court]] ruling.

Two Republicans, Baton Rouge [[business]]man [[Eddie Rispone]] and [[U.S. Representative]] [[Ralph Abraham]] of Louisiana's 5th congressional district are challenging Edwards in the nonpartisan blanket primary scheduled for November 16, 2019, when the governor seeks his second term in offce.

Two Republicans, Baton Rouge [[business]]man [[Eddie Rispone]] and [[U.S. Representative]] [[Ralph Abraham]] of Louisiana's 5th congressional district challenged Edwards in the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 12, 2019. Rispone edged out Abraham by just over 50,000 votes and will face Edwards in the showdown. Edwards polled exactly 626,000 votes in the 2019 primary,<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, Octobr 12, 2019.</ref> some 20,000 fewer votes than he had received is 2015 runoff contest with Vitter.

==References==

==References==