Louisiana

A look back at Louisiana Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards' eight years in office

Published

2 years ago

January 6, 2024

A look back at Louisiana Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards' eight years in office

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards talks at the governor’s mansion in Baton Rouge, La., Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. Edwards, currently the lone Democratic governor in the Deep South, has reached his final days in office after eight years. His tenure, which ends Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, has been marked by successes — expanding Medicaid, joining climate change initiatives, climbing out of a budget deficit and investing in education — while navigating historical crises and facing challenges from a GOP-dominated legislature.Matthew Hinton/AP

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards talks to reporter Associated Press Sara Cline, left, at the governor's mansion in Baton Rouge, La., Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. Edwards, currently the lone Democratic governor in the Deep South, has reached his final days in office after eight years. His tenure, which ends Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, has been marked by successes — expanding Medicaid, joining climate change initiatives, climbing out of a budget deficit and investing in education — while navigating historical crises and facing challenges from a GOP-dominated legislature. — Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards talks to reporter Associated Press Sara Cline, left, at the governor’s mansion in Baton Rouge, La., Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. Edwards, currently the lone Democratic governor in the Deep South, has reached his final days in office after eight years. His tenure, which ends Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, has been marked by successes — expanding Medicaid, joining climate change initiatives, climbing out of a budget deficit and investing in education — while navigating historical crises and facing challenges from a GOP-dominated legislature.Matthew Hinton/AP

FILE - Gov. John Bel Edwards, right, and State Police Superintendent Mike Edmonson, speak at a news conference regarding the shooting of police officers, in Baton Rouge, La., July 18, 2016. Edwards, currently the lone Democratic governor in the Deep South, has reached his final days in office after eight years. His tenure, which ends Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, has been marked by successes — expanding Medicaid, joining climate change initiatives, climbing out of a budget deficit and investing in education — while navigating historical crises and facing challenges from a GOP-dominated legislature. — FILE – Gov. John Bel Edwards, right, and State Police Superintendent Mike Edmonson, speak at a news conference regarding the shooting of police officers, in Baton Rouge, La., July 18, 2016. Edwards, currently the lone Democratic governor in the Deep South, has reached his final days in office after eight years. His tenure, which ends Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, has been marked by successes — expanding Medicaid, joining climate change initiatives, climbing out of a budget deficit and investing in education — while navigating historical crises and facing challenges from a GOP-dominated legislature.Gerald Herbert/AP

FILE - Gov. John Bel Edwards, front right, looks out at the flooded streets of Golden Meadows Estates in Bossier City, La., March 11, 2016, while touring the area. Edwards, currently the lone Democratic governor in the Deep South, has reached his final days in office after eight years. His tenure, which ends Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, has been marked by successes — expanding Medicaid, joining climate change initiatives, climbing out of a budget deficit and investing in education — while navigating historical crises and facing challenges from a GOP-dominated legislature. (Douglas Collier/The Shreveport Times via AP, File) — FILE – Gov. John Bel Edwards, front right, looks out at the flooded streets of Golden Meadows Estates in Bossier City, La., March 11, 2016, while touring the area. Edwards, currently the lone Democratic governor in the Deep South, has reached his final days in office after eight years. His tenure, which ends Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, has been marked by successes — expanding Medicaid, joining climate change initiatives, climbing out of a budget deficit and investing in education — while navigating historical crises and facing challenges from a GOP-dominated legislature. (Douglas Collier/The Shreveport Times via AP, File)Douglas Collier/AP

FILE - Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat seeking a second term in office, criticizes his Republican opponent Eddie Rispone's proposal to — FILE – Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat seeking a second term in office, criticizes his Republican opponent Eddie Rispone’s proposal to “freeze” enrollment in the state’s Medicaid expansion program, Oct. 17, 2019, in Baton Rouge, La. Edwards, currently the lone Democratic governor in the Deep South, has reached his final days in office after eight years. His tenure, which ends Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, has been marked by successes — expanding Medicaid, joining climate change initiatives, climbing out of a budget deficit and investing in education — while navigating historical crises and facing challenges from a GOP-dominated legislature.Melinda Deslatte/AP

FILE - Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards testifies as the Senate Budget holds a hearing to examine the fiscal consequences of climate change on infrastructure, at the Capitol in Washington, July 26, 2023. Edwards, currently the lone Democratic governor in the Deep South, has reached his final days in office after eight years. His tenure, which ends Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, has been marked by successes — expanding Medicaid, joining climate change initiatives, climbing out of a budget deficit and investing in education — while navigating historical crises and facing challenges from a GOP-dominated legislature. — FILE – Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards testifies as the Senate Budget holds a hearing to examine the fiscal consequences of climate change on infrastructure, at the Capitol in Washington, July 26, 2023. Edwards, currently the lone Democratic governor in the Deep South, has reached his final days in office after eight years. His tenure, which ends Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, has been marked by successes — expanding Medicaid, joining climate change initiatives, climbing out of a budget deficit and investing in education — while navigating historical crises and facing challenges from a GOP-dominated legislature.J. Scott Applewhite/AP

The chair of Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards is seen at the governor's mansion in Baton Rouge, La., Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. Edwards, currently the lone Democratic governor in the Deep South, has reached his final days in office after eight years. His tenure, which ends Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, has been marked by successes — expanding Medicaid, joining climate change initiatives, climbing out of a budget deficit and investing in education — while navigating historical crises and facing challenges from a GOP-dominated legislature. — The chair of Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards is seen at the governor’s mansion in Baton Rouge, La., Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. Edwards, currently the lone Democratic governor in the Deep South, has reached his final days in office after eight years. His tenure, which ends Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, has been marked by successes — expanding Medicaid, joining climate change initiatives, climbing out of a budget deficit and investing in education — while navigating historical crises and facing challenges from a GOP-dominated legislature.Matthew Hinton/AP

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — It was 2012 and Louisiana was spiraling toward a historic budget crisis, with public colleges bracing for another round of cuts that campus leaders said were chasing away students and shuttering programs.

John Bel Edwards, then-a rural state representative, had had enough. He turned to a fellow lawmaker and said, “I’m running for governor.”

The Democrat went on to shock the country, defying near-universal predictions and winning Louisiana’s gubernatorial election in the reliably red state twice.

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Edwards, currently the lone Democratic governor in the Deep South, has reached his final two days in office after eight years. His tenure has been marked by successes — expanding Medicaid, joining climate change initiatives, climbing out of a budget deficit and investing in education — while navigating historical crises and facing challenges from a GOP-dominated legislature.

A decade ago, Edwards, a lawyer from a 4,000-person town in eastern Louisiana, had little name recognition as he campaigned for governor with a bare-bones team. Campaign strategists say a number of factors led to the longshot candidate’s victories: A scandal-ridden Republican opponent, Edwards’ military background and religious conservatism that attracted GOP voters, and a strong Democratic turnout from Black voters.

Edwards’ first act as governor — which he has described as the “easiest big decision” he made in office — was to expand Medicaid. More than 440,000 working poor and nonelderly adults enrolled within the first budget year, and Louisiana’s uninsured rate dropped from 22.7% to 9.4%.

Edwards entered office in crisis mode, inheriting a financial mess that included more than a $1 billion budget shortfall. The state has vastly improved financially, with an estimated $2.2 billion in extra revenue during last year’s legislative session.

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Financial woes weren’t the only crisis Edwards faced his first year: There were fatal floods, the shooting of Alton Sterling — a Black man killed by police — that triggered unrest and an ambush-style attack that left three officers dead.

During Edwards’ time in office there were around 50 state disaster declarations and 21 federal — from hurricanes, wildfires, threats to New Orleans’ drinking water supply to COVID-19. The West Point graduate says his Army experience influenced the way he managed crises, utilizing timely and accurate information to formulate a strategy and employ tactics.

During the start of the pandemic, Edwards and Republicans — including Gov.-elect Jeff Landry — came together in a bipartisan plea for people to do their part to avoid spreading the virus. It was a rare truce during a time of deep political divides nationwide.

Although a Democrat, Edwards’ stances on abortion and moderate pro-gun views appealed to some Republicans. Edwards said ahead of his reelection in 2019 former President Donald Trump urged the governor to switch parties.

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Edwards remained a Democrat, and in return Trump traveled to Louisiana to rally against him. Edwards won reelection.

Working across the aisle with a GOP supermajority also proved challenging and, at times, unsuccessful. Edwards wielded his veto powers — at one point blocking a bill prohibiting transgender athletes from competing on girls’ sports teams. In a rarity, lawmakers overrode two of the governor’s vetoes — passing into law a ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors and overturning Edwards’ blockage of a new congressional map that lacked a second majority-Black district.

Lawmakers also halted a slew of Edwards’ goals, including increasing the minimum age and eliminating the state’s death penalty.

Perhaps one of the biggest moments of scrutiny of Edwards came following the deadly arrest of Black motorist Ronald Greene in 2019. The legislature put together a committee probing the death and to see if the governor was complicit in a cover-up of troopers. However, lawmakers abandoned their work in June without issuing any finding or hearing from the governor, despite Edwards saying he was willing to testify.

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Throughout his time in office, Edwards has maintained strong approval ratings among the public, continuously vowing to put people before politics.

In the Deep South state, which has had a front-row seat to the effects of climate change, Edwards put Louisiana on a path to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050.

While Louisiana has tens of thousands of jobs tied to the oil and gas industry, efforts to expand Louisiana’s renewable energy industry have come to the forefront during Edwards’ administration.

Unable to run for reelection because of consecutive term limits, Edwards leaves office Monday and will join a New Orleans-based law firm where he will focus on bringing renewable energy deals to the state.

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Edwards says he has “no intention” to run for political office in the future, but he hasn’t outright ruled it out. For now, the governor said he is optimistic about Louisiana’s future and ready to go home.

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Louisiana

Thinking of retiring in Louisiana? These are 5 best places to do so

Published

12 hours ago

April 18, 2026

Press Room

Thinking of retiring in Louisiana? These are 5 best places to do so

When it comes to retiring, the best places to do so often are affordable, have a high quality of life and access to quality healthcare.

If you’re looking for a place to retire, Niche has identified the best places for retirees in Louisiana.

In its list, Niche has taken into account factors like weather, crime rates, housing costs and access to amenities.

The 5 best places to retire in Louisiana according to Niche

These are the top five best places to retire in Louisiana, according to Niche.

1. Oak Hills Place

Oak Hills Place is a suburb of Baton Rouge and is the overall best place to retire in Louisiana. This suburb, located in East Baton Rouge Parish, has a population of 9,038 and offers residents an urban suburban mix feel. The area is highly rated for families, diversity, as well as health and fitness. Here, the median home value is $437,900 and the median rent is $1,422, according to Niche.

2. Westminster

Westminster is another suburb of Baton Rouge and is the second-best place to retire in Louisiana. Located in East Baton Rouge Parish, this suburb has a population of 2,559 and offers residents an urban suburban mix feel. This area is highly rated for nightlife, diversity, families, health and fitness, as well as commute. The median home value here is $266,100 and the median rent is $1,482, says Niche.

3. River Ridge

River Ridge is a suburb of New Orleans, located in Jefferson Parish, and is the third-best place to retire in Louisiana. This suburb has a population of 13,312 and offers residents a dense suburban feel. The area is highly rated for public schools, family, nightlife and diversity. The median home value is $357,400 and the median rent is $1,127, according to Niche.

4. Westlake

Westlake is a town in Calcasieu Parish that is among the best places to retire in Louisiana. With a population of 4,743, this town offers residents a rural feel. The town is highly rated for public schools, housing, families, jobs, cost of living, nightlife and weather. Here, the median home value is $166,100 and the median rent is $1,049, says Niche.

5. Prien

Prien is another town in Calcasieu Parish that is among the best places to retire in Louisiana. This town has a population of 7,119 and offers residents a suburban rural mix feel. The town is highly rated for public schools, housing, families, nightlife and weather. The median home value here is $278,000 and the median rent is $1,292, according to Niche.

Presley Bo Tyler is the Louisiana Deep South Connect Team reporter for USA Today Network. Find her on X @PresleyTyler02 and email at PTyler@Gannett.com

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Louisiana

Louisiana Tech seeks partnership with Lincoln Parish Library to help students

Published

24 hours ago

April 18, 2026

Press Room

Louisiana Tech seeks partnership with Lincoln Parish Library to help students

A motorcyclist is recovering after a West Monroe crash involving an 18-wheeler, while Chevron won a Louisiana Supreme Court ruling shifting a major coastal lawsuit back to lower courts. Ouachita deputies arrested a suspect and recovered more than a dozen guns, Mississippi passed a new school social-media safety requirement, and Louisiana’s House advanced a unanimous state budget. A new recovery center opened, and multiple weekend events are underway across northeast Louisiana, plus national updates include stock-market stress guidance, a Ford F-150 recall, Spirit Airlines uncertainty, and tax-refund tips.

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Louisiana

Supreme court sides with oil and gas firms in Louisiana coastal damage fight

Published

2 days ago

April 17, 2026

Press Room

Supreme court sides with oil and gas firms in Louisiana coastal damage fight

The supreme court handed a win on Friday to oil and gas companies fighting lawsuits over coastal land loss and environmental degradation in Louisiana.

The 8-0 procedural decision gives the companies a new day in federal court after a state jury ordered Chevron to pay upward of $740m to clean up damage to the state’s coastline, one of multiple similar lawsuits.

Backed by the Trump administration, the companies argued the case belongs in federal court because they began oil production and refining during the second world war as US contractors. They deny responsibility for land loss in Louisiana and say it is wrong to sue them for what they did before state environmental regulations were in place.

Louisiana’s coastal parishes have lost more than 2,000 sq miles (5,180 sq km) of land over the past century, according to the US Geological Survey, which has also identified oil and gas infrastructure as a significant cause. The state could lose an additional 3,000 sq miles (7,770 sq km) in the coming decades, its coastal protection agency has warned.

The Republican governor, Jeff Landry, backed the lawsuits when he was attorney general, despite being a longtime oil and gas industry supporter. Attorneys for local Louisiana leaders say the supreme court appeal was a stalling tactic.

The companies appealed to the high court after jurors in Plaquemines parish – a sliver of land straddling the Mississippi River into the Gulf – found that energy giant Texaco, acquired by Chevron in 2001, had for decades violated Louisiana regulations governing coastal resources by failing to restore wetlands affected by dredging canals, drilling wells and billions of gallons of wastewater dumped into the marsh.

The case is one of dozens of lawsuits filed in 2013 alleging oil giants including Chevron and Exxon violated state environmental laws for decades.

The companies asked the justices to overturn a 2024 decision from the US court of appeals for the fifth circuit that allowed the suit to stay in state court.

Justice Samuel Alito recused himself from the case, saying he had financial ties to ConocoPhillips. He had recused himself from other cases due to his stock holdings.

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