Legislative Career
John Bel Edwards faced tough criticism from the local NAACP President Pat Morris, when she thought that, as a district which had been gerrymandered to have an African-American majority, the 72nd district would best be represented by an African American. (As of 2008 the ethnic demographics of the district have existed since the 1970s, but the district has never been represented by an African American.)
Edwards was the only freshman lawmaker to chair a committee in the legislature. Edwards chairs the Veterans Affairs Committee in the House. Edwards also chairs the Democratic house caucus and did so as a rarity during his freshman term.
In the 2008 election Edwards was forced into a general election run-off with fellow trial lawyer George Tucker, Tucker campaigned primarily on the fact that he defended a Jena Six member. Edwards was overwhelmingly elected, winning every parish in the district.
Cities/towns that Edwards represents include Amite, Greensburg, and Kentwood as well as parts of Saint Francisville and Hammond, Louisiana.
In 2010 Edwards became a critic of governor Bobby Jindal for the governor's frequent trips away from Louisiana to raise political funds for Republicans elsewhere while cutting funding for Louisiana's public institutions of higher education.
In 2011 Edwards was re-elected to the State House of Representatives. Edwards claimed a strong win against opponent Johnny Duncan, taking 83% to Duncan's 17%. Nonetheless, Edwards indicated disinterest in being a candidate to unseat Jindal in the Louisiana gubernatorial elections during 2011. Edwards serves as chairman of the Louisiana House Democratic Caucus, making him the Louisiana House Minority Leader.
On 21 February 2013, Edwards announced that he would run for Governor of Louisiana in 2015. He said that the state needs "a healthy dose of common sense and compassion for ordinary people".
Read more about this topic: John Bel Edwards
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