John Bel Edwards
John Bel Edwards (born September 16, 1966) is the Democratic incoming governor of Louisiana. In the general election held on November 21, 2015, he defeated the Republican candidate, U.S. Senator David Vitter, 646, 865 (56.1 percent) to 505,933 (43.9 percent).[1] On January 11, 2016, Edwards will succeed the term-limited Governor Bobby Jindal, who failed in a bid for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.
Edwards is an outgoing state representative for District 72 in Tangipahoa Parish, one of the Florida Parishes east of Baton Rouge. He is a long-term supporter of U.S. President Barack H. Obama though Edwards proclaims a pro-life position on abortion. Vitter failed to make Edwards' connection to Obama register with a majority of voters. After his crushing defeat for governor, Vitter announced that he will not seek a third term in the Senate in 2016.
Edwards has named term-limited Democratic state Senator Ben Nevers of Bogalusa as his chief of staff. Laura Leach of Lake Charles, wife of former U.S. Representative Claude "Buddy" Leach, and African-American Mayor Jamie Mayo of Monroe have joined the Edwards transition team.
References
- ↑ {{cite web|url=http://staticresults.sos.la.gov/11212015/11212015_Statewide.html%7Ctitle=Results for Election Date: 11/21/2015|publisher=Louisiana Secretary of State|accessdate=November 29, 2015}]