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|birth_date=July 11, 1930

|birth_date=July 11, 1930

|birth_place=Franklin, Louisiana

|birth_place=Franklin, Louisiana

|death_date=

|death_date=October 4, 2020 (aged 90)

|death_place=

|death_place=

|resting_place=

|resting_place=

Southern University School of Law  

Southern University School of Law  

}}

}}

'''Murphy James Foster, Jr.''', known as '''Mike Foster''' (born July 11, 1930), 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.  

'''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=''The Monroe News-Star''|date=October 4, 2020|accessdate=October 5, 2020}}</ref>

Foster resides 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; Foster is technically Murphy Foster, III, but he uses the Roman numeral "II" because his grandfather died nine years before Foster's birth.

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; Foster is technically Murphy Foster, III, but he uses the Roman numeral "II" because his grandfather died nine years before Foster's birth.

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 Field. [[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 Field. [[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 gambling 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.

Though elected on an anti-[[gambling]] platform, once in office Foster became a quiet ally of the gambling 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 is an inductee of the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame in Winnfield.  

He is an inductee of the [[Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame]] in Winnfield.  

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

|title=Former Louisiana Governor Mike Foster is in hospice care; [[John Bel Edwards]] asks for prayers.|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|date=September 28, 2020|accessdate=September 29, 2020}}</ref>

|title=Former Louisiana Governor Mike Foster is in hospice care; [[John Bel Edwards]] asks for prayers.|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|date=September 28, 2020|accessdate=September 29, 2020}}</ref> He died a few days later at the age of ninety.

==References==

==References==

[[Category:Republicans]]

[[Category:Republicans]]

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[[Category:Episcopalians]]

[[Category:Lawyers]]

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[[Category:Business People]]

[[Category:Business People]]

[[Category:United States Air Force]]

[[Category:United States Air Force]]

[[Category:Inductees of the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame]]

[[Category:Inductees of the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame]]

[[Category:Eagle Scouts]]

[[Category:Eagle Scouts]]