Governor John Bel Edwards is set to be among the esteemed inductees into the Louisiana Political Hall of Fame, a group that comprises several distinguished personalities, including former politician Louis Lambert, ex-chemical association president Dan Borne, radio talk show host Jim Engster, and businessman and political donor Richard Lipsey.
The upcoming induction ceremony, scheduled for April 2024 in Baton Rouge, will also honor former state Rep. Joe Delpit of Baton Rouge, former Times-Picayune Capitol News bureau reporter Ed Anderson, and the Carter political family in St. Helena Parish, which includes state Rep. Robby Carter.
Gov. Edwards, the only Democratic governor in the Deep South, will have completed two terms in office by then, following two terms representing Tangipahoa Parish in the state House. His tenure concludes on January 8, 2024.
Louis Lambert, a Democrat, came close to winning the governorship in 1979, narrowly missing victory in the runoff against David Treen. Lambert had previously served on the Public Service Commission and later served as a state senator representing Prairieville for a decade.
Starting his career at Nicholls State, Dan Borne worked as a Capitol reporter for WAFB-TV before serving three different senators in Washington and becoming a top aide to then-Gov. Edwin Edwards. He spent nearly 30 years as president of the Louisiana Chemical Association before retiring in 2016.
Jim Engster began his journalistic journey in 1983, working at the Louisiana Network as a reporter and news director. In 1998, he started hosting a daily talk radio show on politics, which continues to this day on WRKF-FM. Gov. Edwards makes regular appearances on his program.
Richard Lipsey, founder of Lipsey's, a sporting goods and firearms distributor, has also made significant contributions to public affairs. He served as a gubernatorial appointee to the Board of Regents and the Board of Commerce & Industry. Additionally, he is a notable donor through his political action committee, Put Louisiana First.
Joe Delpit holds the distinction of being the first African-American to hold a leadership position in the Legislature since Reconstruction. Serving from 1984 to 1988 as speaker pro tem, he also acted as master of ceremonies at Gov. Edwin Edwards' inaugurations in 1972, 1976, and 1984. Delpit is the owner of Chicken Shack, a renowned Baton Rouge-based restaurant chain with over 80 years of history. Ed Anderson worked as a reporter and editor at The Times-Picayune from 1969 to 1988, after which he covered state politics in Baton Rouge, reporting on six governors and writing thousands of articles until his departure in 2012. Anderson passed away in 2015.
Robby Carter, hailing from Greensburg, served in the House from 1996 to 2008. After Gov. John Bel Edwards vacated the seat in 2015 to run for governor, Carter won the position again. His family's political legacy is evident, with his father Burrell serving as a district and appeals court judge and his mother Helen Bridges Carter serving on the Louisiana Community and Technical College System board.
The Louisiana Political Hall of Fame, located in Winnfield, pays tribute to 196 notable figures since its establishment in 1993. Randy Haynie, a lobbyist, chairs the board, and John Georges, along with his wife Dathel, owns The Advocate, The Acadiana Advocate, The Shreveport-Bossier Advocate, and The Times-Picayune.
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