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Though he was unknown statewide at the beginning of the gubernatorial race, Foster prevailed to become the final successor to Democrat [[Edwin Edwards]] by defeating an array of opponents, including future U.S. Senator [[Mary Landrieu]], former Governor [[Buddy Roemer]], and [[African-American]] [[U.S. Representative]] Cleo Fields, a current state senator. [[David Duke]], the former [[Ku Klux Klan]]sman, endorsed Foster in the gubernatorial race; as it turned out Foster had paid from his personal funds $150,000 to Duke for the use of Duke's mailing list.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://domino.ethics.state.la.us/campopn.nsf/999d109733135c25862567f8006847bf/8f58d9e4d672366e86256848006b83df?OpenDocument&Highlight=0|title=Foster, Duke La. Campaign Finance Opinion No. 99-360|publisher=domino.ethics.state.la.us|accessdate=October 4, 2017}}</ref> Term-limited in 2004, he was succeeded by the Democrat [[Kathleen Blanco]] of [[Lafayette]], who defeated Foster's preferred successor, Republican [[Bobby Jindal]], who subsequently won the 2007 nonpartisan blanket primary to succeed Blanco.

Though he was unknown statewide at the beginning of the gubernatorial race, Foster prevailed to become the final successor to Democrat [[Edwin Edwards]] by defeating an array of opponents, including future U.S. Senator [[Mary Landrieu]], former Governor [[Buddy Roemer]], and [[African-American]] [[U.S. Representative]] Cleo Fields, a current state senator. [[David Duke]], the former [[Ku Klux Klan]]sman, endorsed Foster in the gubernatorial race; as it turned out Foster had paid from his personal funds $150,000 to Duke for the use of Duke's mailing list.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://domino.ethics.state.la.us/campopn.nsf/999d109733135c25862567f8006847bf/8f58d9e4d672366e86256848006b83df?OpenDocument&Highlight=0|title=Foster, Duke La. Campaign Finance Opinion No. 99-360|publisher=domino.ethics.state.la.us|accessdate=October 4, 2017}}</ref> Term-limited in 2004, he was succeeded by the Democrat [[Kathleen Blanco]] of [[Lafayette]], who defeated Foster's preferred successor, Republican [[Bobby Jindal]], who subsequently won the 2007 nonpartisan blanket primary to succeed Blanco.

Though elected on an anti-[[gambling]] platform, once in office Foster became a quiet ally of the industry. His support for a  bailout bill for Harrah's [[casino]] in [[New Orleans]] secured passage of the measure. Prior to leaving office, Foster quarreled with fellow Republican U.S. Representative and subsequent Senator [[David Vitter]] over expanded gambling on Indian reservations. He ran against [[affirmative action]], racial quotas, corruption, welfare fraud, and gun control. He was considered closer to business interests than most other Louisiana governors of his generation. Though he had endorsed conservative [[Pat Buchanan]] for the Republican presidential nomination in 1996, he was back with the [[establishment]] Republicans in leading the [[George W. Bush]]-[[Dick Cheney]] ticket in 2000. He appointed the then 24-year-old as secretary of the Department of Health and later the University of Louisiana System.<ref name=fosterdies/>

Though elected on an anti-[[gambling]] platform, once in office Foster became a quiet ally of the industry. His support for a  bailout bill for Harrah's [[casino]] in [[New Orleans]] secured passage of the measure. Prior to leaving office, Foster quarreled with fellow Republican U.S. Representative and subsequent Senator [[David Vitter]] over expanded gambling on Indian reservations. He ran against [[affirmative action]], racial quotas, corruption, welfare fraud, and gun control. He was considered closer to business interests than most other Louisiana governors of his generation. Though he had endorsed conservative [[Pat Buchanan]] for the Republican presidential nomination in 1996, he was aligned again in 2000 with the [[establishment]] Republicans in leading the [[George W. Bush]]-[[Dick Cheney]] ticket. He appointed the then 24-year-old as secretary of the Department of Health and later the University of Louisiana System.<ref name=fosterdies/>

He is an inductee of the [[Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame]] in Winnfield.<ref name=fosterdies/>  

He is an inductee of the [[Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame]] in Winnfield.<ref name=fosterdies/>