Edwin Edwards

**Edwin Washington Edwards** (August 7, 1927 – July 12, 2021) was an American politician and member of the Democratic Party. He served as the U.S. Representative from 1965 to 1972 and as the 50th Governor of Louisiana for four terms (1972–1980, 1984–1988 and 1992–1996), twice as many elected terms as any other Louisiana chief executive.

## Political career

He served a total of sixteen years in office, the sixth-longest serving gubernatorial tenure in post-Constitutional U.S. history at 5,784 days. He was a colorful, powerful and legendary figure in Louisiana politics. Edwards, who has been dubbed the "very last of the line of New Deal Southern Democrats", was long dogged by charges of corruption.

## Conviction and imprisonment

In 2001, he was found guilty of racketeering charges and sentenced to ten years in Federal prison. Edwards began serving his sentence in October 2002 in Fort Worth, Texas, and was later transferred to the federal facility in Oakdale, Louisiana. Edwards was released from federal prison in January 2011, after serving eight years.

Without a pardon, Edwards remains ineligible to seek the governorship until 15 years have passed from the end of his sentence. In 2013, Edwards co-starred, alongside his third wife Trina, in an A&E reality show, _The Governor's Wife_ based on their life together. In 2014, Edwards ran in the 2014 election to represent  in the United States House of Representatives. He placed first in the jungle primary, but was crushed by nearly 25 points in the runoff election.

## Personal life

Edwards was born in Marksville, Louisiana. He studied at Louisiana State University. Edwards was married to Elaine Schwartzenburg from 1949 until they divorced in 1989. Then he was married to Candace Picou from 1994 until they divorced in 2004. Then he married his current wife, Trina Grimes Scott in 2011. Edwards has four children with Elaine and one with Trina.

In 2015, Edwards was hospitalized for pneumonia. On December 13, 2016, Edwards was hospitalized under stable condition again for pneumonia in Baton Rouge.

Edwards was sent to hospice care for pain in his lungs in Gonzales, Louisiana on July 6, 2021. He died six days later on July 12 at the age of 93. The cause of death was respiratory failure caused by pneumonia.

## Other websites

- Edwards' greatest quotes
- _New York Magazine_ profile
- Larry King interview

## Infobox (officeholder)

- **name**: Edwin Edwards
- **image**: Edwin Edwards.jpg
- **order**: 50th List of Governors of Louisiana, Governor of Louisiana
- **lieutenant**: Melinda Schwegmann
- **term start**: January 13, 1992
- **term end**: January 8, 1996
- **predecessor**: Buddy Roemer
- **successor**: Murphy J. Foster, Jr., Mike Foster
- **lieutenant1**: Bobby Freeman (politician), Bobby Freeman
- **term start1**: March 12, 1984
- **term end1**: March 14, 1988
- **predecessor1**: Dave Treen
- **successor1**: Buddy Roemer
- **lieutenant2**: Jimmy Fitzmorris
- **term start2**: May 9, 1972
- **term end2**: March 10, 1980
- **predecessor2**: John McKeithen
- **successor2**: Dave Treen
- **state3**: Louisiana
- **term start3**: October 2, 1965
- **term end3**: May 9, 1972
- **predecessor3**: T. Ashton Thompson, Ashton Thompson
- **successor3**: John Breaux
- **birthname**: Edwin Washington Edwards
- **birth place**: Marksville, Louisiana, Marksville, Louisiana, United States, U.S.
- **death place**: Gonzales, Louisiana, Gonzales, Louisiana, U.S.
- **party**: Democratic Party (United States), Democratic
- **spouse**: Elaine S. Edwards, Elaine Schwartzenburg
Candace Picou
Trina Grimes Scott
- **children**: Anna
Victoria
Stephen
David
Eli
- **alma mater**: Louisiana State University, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge
- **serviceyears**: 1945–1946
- **battles**: World War II