John Bel Edwards

John Bel Edwards (born 1966 in Amite, Louisiana) is a Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives, representing the 72nd District since 2008.

Edwards grew up in Amite, Louisiana, the son of Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff and Edwin Edwards confidant Frank M. Edwards Jr. John Bel Edwards was graduated from Amite High School as Valedictorian and received a bachelor's degree in engineering from the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York, in 1988. After a tour in the U.S. Army Edwards returned to Louisiana to receive a law degree from the Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center in 1999. He is a practicing attorney with the Edwards & Associates Law Firm in Amite. He is the brother of Southeastern Louisiana University mathematician and Independence, Louisiana, chief of police Frank Millard Edwards and Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Daniel H. Edwards, and he is brother-in-law to 21st Judicial District Court Juvenile Judge Blair Edwards (née Downing), a Republican.

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 2013 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".

Personal life
Edwards and his wife, Donna Hutto Edwards, have two daughters (Sarah Edwards and Samantha Edwards) and one son (John Miller Edwards). He is a faithful parishioner of Saint Helena Roman Catholic Church in Amite.