John Bel Edwards touts successes over tenure

56th Louisiana governor ends tenure, touts legacy

Edwards legacy: Gov. John Bel Edwards has declared that when he leaves office in January, Louisiana will be in better shape than when he found it. In many respects, he's right, Tyler Bridges reports.

Ante up: As governor, Edwards regularly played poker with lobbyists and other officials. The games were low-stakes and reflect the chummy relationships lobbyists develop with public officials, Bridges reports.

Juvenile jails: If the state wants to fix its juvenile jails – plagued in recent years by escapes and riots – it should offer jail staffers higher salaries, the state's Office of Juvenile Justice told a legislative panel this week. Meghan Friedmann has the story.

Numbers to Know

Louisiana's unemployment rate was 3.5% in November

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In October, it was 3.3%, the lowest-ever recorded rate

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In January 2016, when Gov. John Bel Edwards took office, the unemployment rate was 6%

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Louisiana's gross domestic product grew by 3.2% in the second quarter of 2023

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The national gross domestic product growth rate over the same period is 2.1%

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Louisiana's per-capita personal income in 2016 was $42,132

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Louisiana's per-capita personal income last year was $54,501

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Source: Gov. John Bel Edwards' office, Louisiana Workforce Commission, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, Bureau of Economic Analysis

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