Changes

|resting_place=Franklin Cemetery

|resting_place=Franklin Cemetery

|spouse=(1) Divorced

|spouse=(1) Divorced

(2) Alice C. Foster

(2) Alice C. Foster<br>(married 1995-2020, his death)

|children=From first marriage:<br>

|children=From first marriage:<br>

Murphy Foster, III<br>

Murphy Foster, III<br>

[[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]] [[Mayor]] [[Jasper Goodwill]] (cousin)

[[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]] [[Mayor]] [[Jasper Goodwill]] (cousin)

|profession=[[Business]]man; rancher<br>

|profession=[[Business]]man; rancher<br>

[[United States Air Force]] in [[Korean War]] (1952-1956)

|branch=[[United States Air Force]]

|wars=[[Korean War]]

|service_dates=1952-1956

|party=[[Democratic Party|Democrat]]-turned-[[Republican Party|Republican]] (1995)

|party=[[Democratic Party|Democrat]]-turned-[[Republican Party|Republican]] (1995)

|religion=[[Episcopalian]]

|religion=[[Episcopalian]]

|alma_mater=[[Louisiana State University]]<br>

|alma_mater=[[Louisiana State University]]<br>

Southern University School of Law  

Southern University School of Law<br>

}}

}}

'''Murphy James Foster, Jr.''', known as '''Mike Foster''' (July 11, 1930 &ndash; October 4, 2020), served as the 53rd [[governor]] of [[Louisiana]] from 1996 to 2004. Previously a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], Foster switched to [[Republican Party|Republican]] affiliation in his 1995 campaign for the state's highest office. He was considered a [[conservative]] but "not an ideologue."<ref name=fosterdies>{{cite web|url= https://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/2020/10/04/mike-foster-former-louisiana-governor-dies-age-90/3566420001/|author=[[Greg Hilburn]]|title=Mike Foster, former Louisiana Governor diesx at 90|publiser=''[[Monroe News Star]]''|date=October 4, 2020|accessdate=October 5, 2020}}</ref>

'''Murphy James Foster, Jr.''', known as '''Mike Foster''' (July 11, 1930 &ndash; October 4, 2020), served as the 53rd [[governor]] of [[Louisiana]] from 1996 to 2004. Previously a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], Foster switched to [[Republican Party|Republican]] affiliation in his 1995 campaign for the state's highest office. He was considered a [[conservative]] but "not an ideologue."<ref name=fosterdies>{{cite web|url= https://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/2020/10/04/mike-foster-former-louisiana-governor-dies-age-90/3566420001/|author=[[Greg Hilburn]]|title=Mike Foster, former Louisiana Governor diesx at 90|publiser=''[[Monroe News Star]]''|date=October 4, 2020|accessdate=October 5, 2020}}</ref>

Foster resided at his family's Oaklawn Manor sugar plantation near Franklin in St. Mary Parish in the southern portion of his state. Foster's grandfather, Murphy, Sr. (1849-1921), was a Louisiana governor and [[U.S. Senator]] from Louisiana; technically Murphy Foster, III, he used the Roman numeral "II" because his grandfather died nine years before Foster was born. After his divorce, he married Alice C. Foster, formerly Alice West from her first marriage (November 6, 1940 &ndash; March 6, 2025). She was a native of Portsmouth, [[Virginia]]. As First Lady of Louisina, she Project Clean-Up (The Governor's state-wide Litter Eradication program),Breast Cancer Awareness programs, the United States Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program, of which she served as the 1996, 1997, and 1998 campaign spokesperson. She was the author of an educational children's book, ''You Are Sunshine.''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://obituaries.theadvocate.com/obituary/alice-foster-1092744060|title=Alice Foster obituary|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate|date=March 8, 2025}}</ref>

Foster resided at his family's Oaklawn Manor sugar plantation near Franklin in St. Mary Parish in the southern portion of his state. Foster's grandfather, Murphy, Sr. (1849-1921), was a Louisiana governor and [[U.S. Senator]] from Louisiana; technically Murphy Foster, III, he used the Roman numeral "II" because his grandfather died nine years before Foster was born.  

After his divorce, he married Alice C. Foster, formerly Alice West from her first marriage (November 6, 1940 &ndash; March 6, 2025). She was a native of Portsmouth, [[Virginia]]. As First Lady of Louisina, she Project Clean-Up (The Governor's state-wide Litter Eradication program),Breast Cancer Awareness programs, the United States Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program, of which she served as the 1996, 1997, and 1998 campaign spokesperson. She was the author of an educational children's book, ''You Are Sunshine.''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://obituaries.theadvocate.com/obituary/alice-foster-1092744060|title=Alice Foster obituary|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate|date=March 8, 2025}}</ref>

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]] Cleo Fields, a current U.S. representative and a former 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]] Cleo Fields, a current U.S. representative and a former 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 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/>

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/>  

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

In September 2020, Foster at the age of ninety, entered [[hospice]] care.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/politics/article_05f0b3b4-01d6-11eb-8c43-0bbe57f5600b.html

In September 2020, Foster at the age of ninety, entered [[hospice]] care.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/politics/article_05f0b3b4-01d6-11eb-8c43-0bbe57f5600b.html