Edwin W. Edwards recently spent nine years in prison after being convicted for extorting millions of dollars in exchange for riverboat gambling licenses, and now he’s running for office.
The 87-year-old, who served four terms as Lousiana governor and four terms in Congress, is running against nine Republicans in a blood red district for a chance to claim a job in Washington, reports CNN.
In addition to a record and a healthy appetite for power, Edwards also has a 35-year-old wife and, amazingly, a one-year-old child. He met his wife Trina while in prison; she was his pen pal.
“I would be much better off financially if I behaved myself and stayed home with my wife and my baby, but that’s not what turns me on,” Edwards told CNN of his congressional campaign. “It’s not what I was born to do. I was born to serve people.”
He was also born to serve time, evidently.
Responding to those who might question sending an ex-con to represent them in D.C., Edwards said of congressmen, “People say they’re all crooks anyhow, you might as well send an experienced one.”
“Nobody’s ever charged me, accused me of taking money from the taxpayers,” the Louisiana Democrat continued. “It had nothing to do with my career as a public official, nothing.”
Unfortunately for Edwards, his wife — a Republican — doesn’t appear too jazzed about his reach for higher office, characterizing herself as “not particularly” for it.
“I would naturally support him in whatever he chose to do, but it’s really not my thing,” Trina added.
As Quin Hillyer at National Review reported last week, the Republican National Committee has expressed its outrage at the Louisiana Democratic party’s endorsement of Edwards by pointing out the apparent trend off corruptness among Louisiana Democrats.
“Mary Landrieu’s ongoing scandal over potential illegal use of taxpayer dollars for private air travel and the Louisiana Democrat Party’s endorsement of convicted felon Edwin Edwards is a new low for a party that only holds one statewide office,” said RNC Chairman Reince Priebus in a statement.
“The pervasive culture of corruption that has taken hold among Louisiana Democrats is alarming,” he continued. “Three days ago, the former Democrat Mayor of New Orleans began his 10-year prison sentence for public corruption and a former Democrat Congressman is still sitting in prison for taking bribes.”
Priebus was referring to former Mayor Ray Nagin and former Rep. William Jefferson, respectively.
Young Republicans aren’t very happy about Edwards’ bid for Congress, either.
President of the College Republicans at Louisiana State University Destin Sensky told Red Alert Politics that the Louisiana Democratic party’s decision to endorse Edwards “clearly illustrates their desperation.”
“At a time when Americans, specifically Millennials, have such distrust of and frustration with Washington, the notion that a convicted felon will best serve constituents in our nation’s capital is shameful,” Sensky said. “Edwards’ history of backdoor deals and blatant corruption highlight the problems with which Republican candidates in the race are fighting to find solutions for.”
If Edwards doesn’t win, he can always make another reality television show with Trina. The two starred in “The Governor’s Wife” on A&E last year.
