Q: The manner in which the current presidential race is shaping up, reminds me of an election in Louisiana, where David Duke, who was associated with the KKK, ran against Edwin Edwards, a charmer known for his shady business deals. Is my memory of this correct?
—Suzanne Sports, Peachtree City
A: Edwards, a Democrat, easily defeated Duke in 1991 for his fourth term as governor of Louisiana.
Edwards initially was elected governor in 1972, served two terms until 1980, and won again in 1984, serving to 1988.
Scandals and investigations marked his third term, but Edwards was acquitted of racketeering charges in the mid-1980s.
Duke, his opponent in 1991, was a former leader of the Ku Klux Klan.
The race sparked bumper stickers and campaign slogans, such as “Vote for the crook. It’s important” and “Vote for the Lizard, not the Wizard.”
Edwards received 61 percent to Duke’s 39 percent and served his final term as governor, but was convicted in 2000 on several charges, including racketeering and extortion, and was imprisoned from 2002 to 2011.
Duke also served time in 2003-04 after pleading guilty of mail fraud and filing false tax returns, NOLA.com reported.
Edwards, who is 88, married Trina Grimes Scott, his third wife, in 2011. She was 32 years old at the time and gave birth to a son in 2013.
They were featured in “The Governor’s Wife,” a reality show on A&E, and Edwards also lost a bid for Louisiana’s 6th Congressional District seat that year.
Andy Johnston with Fast Copy News Service wrote this column. Do you have a question? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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