Governors of Louisiana

History of Louisiana Governors

Louisiana was admitted to the United States in 1812, and the first governor of the state was William C. C. Claiborne. Representing the Democratic-Republican Party, Claiborne served as governor for four years before being replaced by a fellow Democratic-Republican Party official. Many political parties have held office in Louisiana as governor, including the Democratic-Republican Party, Whig Party, National Republican Party, and the Military Party.

It is easy to see that Democratic political parties have a stronghold in Louisiana politics, serving as governor. A long line of Democratic governors served office between 1877 and 1980, without a single interruption in power. Breaking the line of succession was Dave Treen, a Republican, who served as governor from 1980 until 1984. Although Republicans occasionally hold the governor's office position in Louisiana, Democratic governors are the norm.

Current Louisiana Governor

John Bel Edwards currently serves as the governor for Louisiana. He represents the Democratic Party, continuing the long line of Democrats to help manage this state. Edwards was elected in 2016 but previously served as a member of the House of Representatives for Louisiana. Currently, Edwards is the only elected Democratic official in the entire state of Louisiana. He is a veteran, formally serving in the 82nd Airborne Division.

Governors of Louisiana