List of Governors of Louisiana

Governor of the State of Louisiana

Seal of Louisiana
Incumbent
Piyush "Bobby" Jindal
since January 14, 2008
Style The Honorable
Residence Louisiana Governor's Mansion
Term length Four years, renewable once but eligible again after four year respite
Formation Louisiana Constitution

This is a list of the governors of Louisiana, from acquisition by the United States in 1803 to the present day; for earlier governors of Louisiana see List of colonial governors of Louisiana.

Contents

Colonial period (French and Spanish governors)

Further information: List of colonial governors of Louisiana
Number of Governors of Louisiana by party affiliation[1]
Party Governors
Democratic 40
Republican 10
Democratic-Republican 5
Whig 5
Unionist Democrat 2
National Republican 1

United States territorial period

Note: from 1804 to 1812, what would later become the State of Louisiana was known as the "Territory of Orleans". The contemporary "Louisiana Territory" was to the north, and did not include modern Louisiana.

No. Governor Took Office Left Office
1 William C. C. Claiborne December 20, 1803 April 30, 1812

First period of U.S. statehood

# Name Picture Took Office Left Office Party Notes
1 William C. C. Claiborne April 30, 1812 December 16, 1816 Democratic-Republican
2 Jacques Villeré December 16, 1816 December 18, 1820 Democratic-Republican
3 Thomas B. Robertson December 18, 1820 November 15, 1824 Democratic-Republican [2]
4 Henry S. Thibodaux November 15, 1824 December 13, 1824 Democratic-Republican [3]
5 Henry Johnson December 13, 1824 December 15, 1828 Democratic-Republican
6 Pierre Derbigny December 15, 1828 October 6, 1829 National Republican/Anti-Jackson [4]
7 Armand Beauvais October 6, 1829 January 14, 1830 Whig [5]
8 Jacques Dupré January 14, 1830 January 31, 1831 Whig [3]
9 André B. Roman January 31, 1831 February 4, 1835 Whig
10 Edward D. White, Sr. February 4, 1835 February 4, 1839 Whig
André B. Roman February 4, 1839 January 30, 1843 Whig
11 Alexandre Mouton January 30, 1843 February 12, 1846 Democratic
12 Isaac Johnson February 12, 1846 January 28, 1850 Democratic
13 Joseph Marshall Walker January 28, 1850 January 18, 1853 Democratic
14 Paul Octave Hébert January 18, 1853 January 22, 1856 Democratic
15 Robert C. Wickliffe January 22, 1856 January 23, 1860 Democratic
16 Thomas Overton Moore January 23, 1860 April 24, 1862 Democratic

Civil War Era

Governors of Confederate-held territory in Louisiana

No. Name Picture Took Office Left Office Party Notes
16 Thomas Overton Moore April 24, 1862 January 25, 1864 Democratic
17 Henry Watkins Allen January 25, 1864 June 2, 1865 Democratic [6]

Governors of Union-held territory in Louisiana

No. Name Picture Took Office Left Office Party Notes
18 George F. Shepley July 2, 1862 March 4, 1864 Military
19 Michael Hahn March 4, 1864 March 4, 1865 Republican [7]

Reconstruction Era (Governors subordinate to U.S. military rule)

No. Name Picture Took Office Left Office Party Notes
20 James Madison Wells March 4, 1865 June 3, 1867[8] Unionist Democrat [9][10]
21 Benjamin Flanders June 8, 1867[11] January 8, 1868 Republican [12][13]
22 Joshua Baker January 8, 1868 June 27, 1868 Unionist Democrat [12][14]

Post-Reconstruction

No. Name Picture Took Office Left Office Party Notes
23 Henry C. Warmoth June 27, 1868 December 9, 1872 Republican [15]
24 P. B. S. Pinchback December 29, 1872 January 13, 1873 Republican [16]
25 John McEnery January 13, 1873 May 22, 1873 Democratic [17]
26 William P. Kellogg January 13, 1873 January 8, 1877 Republican [17]
27* Stephen B. Packard January 8, 1877 April 24, 1877 Republican [18]
28 Francis T. Nicholls January 8, 1877 January 14, 1880 Democratic [19]
29 Louis A. Wiltz January 14, 1880 October 16, 1881 Democratic [4]
30 Samuel D. McEnery October 16, 1881 May 20, 1888 Democratic [20]
Francis T. Nicholls May 20, 1888 May 10, 1892 Democratic
31 Murphy J. Foster May 10, 1892 May 8, 1900 Democratic [21]
32 William W. Heard May 8, 1900 May 10, 1904 Democratic
33 Newton C. Blanchard May 10, 1904 May 12, 1908 Democratic
34 Jared Y. Sanders, Sr. May 12, 1908 May 14, 1912 Democratic [22]
35 Luther E. Hall May 14, 1912 May 9, 1916 Democratic
36 Ruffin G. Pleasant May 9, 1916 May 11, 1920 Democratic
37 John M. Parker May 11, 1920 May 13, 1924 Democratic
38 Henry L. Fuqua May 13, 1924 October 11, 1926 Democratic [4]
39 Oramel H. Simpson October 11, 1926 May 21, 1928 Democratic [16]
40 Huey Pierce Long May 21, 1928 January 25, 1932 Democratic [23][24]
41 Alvin Olin King January 25, 1932 May 10, 1932 Democratic [16][25]
42 Oscar Kelly (O.K.) Allen May 10, 1932 January 28, 1936 Democratic [4]
43 James A. Noe January 28, 1936 May 12, 1936 Democratic [16]
44 Richard W. Leche May 12, 1936 June 26, 1939 Democratic [26]
45 Earl K. Long June 26, 1939 May 14, 1940 Democratic [16]
46 Sam H. Jones May 14, 1940 May 9, 1944 Democratic
47 Jimmie H. Davis May 9, 1944 May 11, 1948 Democratic
Earl K. Long May 11, 1948 May 13, 1952 Democratic
48 Robert F. Kennon May 13, 1952 May 8, 1956 Democratic
Earl K. Long May 8, 1956 May 10, 1960 Democratic
Jimmie H. Davis May 10, 1960 May 12, 1964 Democratic
49 John J. McKeithen May 12, 1964 May 2, 1972 Democratic [27]
50 Edwin W. Edwards May 9, 1972 March 10, 1980 Democratic
51 David C. Treen March 10, 1980 March 12, 1984 Republican
Edwin W. Edwards March 12, 1984 March 14, 1988 Democratic
52 Charles E. (Buddy) Roemer III March 14, 1988 August 1991 Democratic
Charles E. (Buddy) Roemer III August 1991 January 13, 1992 Republican [28]
Edwin W. Edwards January 13, 1992 January 8, 1996 Democratic
53 Murphy J. (Mike) Foster, Jr. January 8, 1996 January 12, 2004 Republican
54 Kathleen Babineaux Blanco January 12, 2004 January 14, 2008 Democratic
55[29] Piyush "Bobby" Jindal January 14, 2008 Incumbent Republican

Other high offices held

This is a table of congressional, other governorships, and other federal offices held by governors. All representatives and senators mentioned represented Louisiana except where noted. * denotes those offices which the governor resigned to take.

Name Gubernatorial term U.S. Congress Other offices held
House Senate
William Charles Cole Claiborne 1803–1816 S U.S. Representative from Tennessee, Governor of Mississippi Territory
Thomas B. Robertson 1820–1824 H
Henry Johnson 1824–1828 H S
Edward Douglass White Sr. 1835–1839 H
Alexandre Mouton 1843–1846 S
Robert C. Wickliffe 1856–1860 Elected U.S. Representative but was refused his seat
Michael Hahn 1864–1865 H Elected U.S. Senator* but was refused his seat
Benjamin Flanders 1870–1872 H
P. B. S. Pinchback 1872–1873 Elected to both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate but was refused his seat.[30]
William P. Kellogg 1873–1877 H S
Samuel D. McEnery 1881–1888 S
Murphy J. Foster 1892–1900 S
Newton C. Blanchard 1904–1908 H S
Jared Y. Sanders, Sr. 1908–1912 H Elected U.S. Senator but denied the seat, preferring to stay governor
Huey Pierce Long 1928–1932 S* Elected to the Senate in 1930, but did not take the seat until the election of his hand-picked successor was ensured
Edwin W. Edwards 1972–1980, 1984–1988, 1992–1996 H
David C. Treen 1980–1984 H
Buddy Roemer 1988–1992 H
Kathleen Blanco 2004–2008 Louisiana Lieutenant Governor (1996–2004)
Bobby Jindal 2008–Present H

Living former governors

As of October 2009, four former governors were alive, the oldest being Edwin W. Edwards (1972–1980, 1984–1988, 1992–1996, born 1927). The most recent governor to die was David C. Treen (1980–1984), on October 29, 2009.

Name Gubernatorial term Date of birth
Edwin W. Edwards 1972–1980, 1984–1988, 1992–1996 August 7, 1927 (1927-08-07) (age 84)
Buddy Roemer 1988–1992 October 4, 1943 (1943-10-04) (age 68)
Murphy J. Foster, Jr. 1996–2004 July 11, 1930 (1930-07-11) (age 81)
Kathleen Blanco 2004–2008 December 15, 1942 (1942-12-15) (age 69)

Notes

  1. ^ Table includes both Union and Confederate governors.
  2. ^ Resigned to take a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Louisiana.
  3. ^ a b As president of the state senate, acted as governor for unexpired term.
  4. ^ a b c d Died in office.
  5. ^ As president of the state senate, acted as governor until his senate president term expired.
  6. ^ Governor Allen was removed from office and fled to Mexico after the Union took control of Louisiana following the surrender of the Confederacy.
  7. ^ Resigned to take a seat in the United States Senate, but was denied his seat, Louisiana having not yet been readmitted to the Union.
  8. ^ LOUISIANA.; Removal of Gov. Wells and Appointment of THomas J. Durant as Governor of Louisiana--The Levee Commissioners and Gen. Sheridan's Reason's for Removing Them.
  9. ^ As lieutenant governor, acted as governor for unexpired term.
  10. ^ Removed from office by General Phillip Sheridan, who held Wells accountable for the unstable political conditions stemming from the granting of suffrage to blacks.
  11. ^ The Executive documents of the House Of Representatives for the First Session of the Fortieth Congress, 1867
  12. ^ a b Appointed military governor.
  13. ^ Resigned.
  14. ^ Removed from power; when Louisiana was readmitted to the Union, Governor Baker and General Winfield Scott Hancock, who appointed him, were removed from power in the state.
  15. ^ Impeached but never convicted; however, Warmoth was still removed from office with 35 days remaining in his term. All charges were later expunged.
  16. ^ a b c d e As lieutenant governor, acted as governor for unexpired term.
  17. ^ a b The State Returning Board declared John McEnery the winner over William Kellogg in 1872, but a second election board was formed that declared Kellogg the winner. Both men were sworn in to office on the same day by opposing legislatures. After armed skirmishes erupted, President Ulysses S. Grant stepped in, declaring Kellogg the winner on September 20, 1873.
  18. ^ Packard was the Radical Republican candidate for governor in 1876. In a disputed outcome, both Packard and his Democratic opponent, Francis T. Nicholls were inaugurated. Nicholls had led in the balloting by some eight thousand votes, but the Republican-controlled State Returning Board cited fraud and declared Packard the victor. Pinchback, however, refused to support Packard and endorsed Nicholls.
  19. ^ Francis Nicholls won the 1876 election over Stephen B. Packard, but the Republican-controlled State Returning Board declared Packard the winner. Nicholls took office anyway, and assembled a government that was eventually recognized by the federal government as the proper state government.
  20. ^ As lieutenant governor, acted as governor for unexpired term, and was later elected in his own right.
  21. ^ Foster's 1896 reelection was characterized by widespread voting fraud which benefited his candidacy. A temporarilly rejuvenated Republican Party united with the Populists behind the candidacy of John N. Pharr and likely won more than the 43 percent attributed to Pharr in the official returns. Foster quickly maneuvered to adopt the state constitution of 1898, which effectively disenfranchised Blacks and induced several decades of one-party Democratic control via White primaries, the winning of which was tantamount to election. See also Regular Democratic Organization and Solid South.
  22. ^ Elected to the United States Senate but refused the seat, preferring to remain governor.
  23. ^ Impeached on charges of bribery and corruption, but not convicted.
  24. ^ Resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate; Governor Long was elected to the Senate in 1930, but did not take office until 1932, preferring to remain in office as governor.
  25. ^ Paul N. Cyr was lieutenant governor under Governor Huey Long, and stated he would take over for governor after Long left for the Senate, but Long demanded Cyr forfeit his office. Alvin Olin King, as president of the state senate, was elevated to lieutenant governor and later governor.
  26. ^ Resigned due to a fraud scandal; he was later convicted of mail fraud, and served five years in prison. He was pardoned by President Harry S. Truman in 1953.
  27. ^ First Louisiana governor elected to consecutive terms after 1921 constitution was amended in 1966 to allow governors to serve two consecutive terms.
  28. ^ Ibid. Roemer switched from Democrat to Republican several days before the Republicans held a convention in Lafayette to endorse a candidate. Roemer was unable to cancel the convention or to stop its momentum toward U.S. Representative Clyde C. Holloway, who received the endorsement. Both Holloway and Roemer remained in the race, but neither attracted sufficient votes to place in the runoff election.
  29. ^ "Jindal sworn in as governor". Times Picayune. January 14, 2008. http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2008/01/jindal_sworn_in_as_governor.html. Retrieved 2008-01-17. 
  30. ^ Compilation of Senate Election Cases from 1789 to 1885 - Pages 483 - 512

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† - No official residence ‡ - Non residential
 
Governors
State (1812–1861)
Confederate (1861–1865)
Union (1862–1865)
Reconstruction (1865–1868)
State (since 1868)
Warmoth · Pinchback · J. McEnery · Kellogg · Nicholls · Wiltz · S. McEnery · Nicholls · Foster, Sr. · Heard · Blanchard · Sanders · Hall · Pleasant · Parker · Fuqua · Simpson · H. Long · King · O. Allen · Noe · Leche · E. Long · Jones · Davis · E. Long · Kennon · E. Long · Davis · McKeithen · Edwards · Treen · Edwards · Roemer · Edwards · Foster, Jr. · Blanco · Jindal