October 24th, 1987: In the crowded, hotly-contested battle for the LA Governor's Mansion, everyone had assumed it would come down to the November Runoff...
LA Governor Edwin Edwards (D), who had been indicted by the Feds 2 years earlier & was later acquitted last year, was struggling to survive an uphill reelection campaign against multiple challengers: US Rep. Buddy Roemer (D-LA), US Rep. Billy Tauzin (D-LA), US Rep. Bob Livingston (R-LA), LA Secretary of State Jim Brown (D) & many others.
Then later that night as election returns were coming in from across the state, some in the Roemer campaign had assumed their candidate would hold on & win outright, but suddenly, they saw some exit polling surveys showing
a runoff between Roemer & Edwards thinking, "I think we've got him (EWE) right where we want him... weakened 12-year incumbent with horrible approval ratings, bad economy, unemployment, etc.,"
All of the nationwide TV networks were covering the Pelican State on whether Edwards would find a way to get out of this troubling situation as he did in the past....
(LA Governor: 82% of the Precincts Reporting)
Buddy Roemer (D) 510,099 (32.6%)
Edwin Edwards (D-Inc) 429,888 (26.9%)
Bob Livingston (R) 279,682 (17.7%)
Bill Tauzin (D) 153,555 (6.6%)
ABC News Weekend Anchor Carole Simpson: "I believe we're getting returns from LA as it's showing the battle of the LA Governor's Mansion will go to a Runoff set for November."
The Runoff Campaign: EWE vs. Roemer
It was assumed that the other candidates would endorse Roemer in the Runoff, which Livingston did, but Tauzin & Brown chose to endorse Edwards in the Runoff despite their disagreements with the controversial 12-year Governor. However, there was the possibility of not underestimating Edwards, who campaigned aggressively in regions in the state that had supported Jesse Jackson in 1984
.
During one of their Gubernatorial debates, Edwards attacked Roemer, accusing him of party-jumping & not being a loyal Dem while Roemer criticized Edwards' corruption scandals as well as the federal indictments & he also attacked the incumbent for not doing enough in improving the state's economy, which had been battered in light of the Oil Boom going bust, Reaganomics hammering small businesses, massive unemployment & tax increases.
Edwards also managed to attack Roemer's voting record in the US House of Representatives, accusing Roemer of voting against the MLK Holiday, extension of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, economic sanctions against South Africa, etc.,
Edwards also used the line, "Would Louisianans want to take the risk of giving the reigns of state government to somebody, who has no relationship with the legislature & no executive experience ? We cannot afford to change coaches in the middle of a football season. If you want to keep the good things we've been doing in hard times, reelect me & I promise all Louisianans that I will keep fighting for you."
This was the election all Louisianans were watching & nobody could make any prediction on who would come out on top.....
November 17th, 1987: Runoff Election Results
(LA Governor: 100% of the Precincts Reporting)
Edwin Edwards (D) 988,873 (56.9%): Declared Winner
Buddy Roemer (D) 737,1000 (42.7%)
The man, who many considered too controversial, too corrupt, etc., who many political analysts had counted out after his 1985 federal indictments, had managed to pull off one of the most amazing, come from behind victories in history.... winning a historic 4th term.
Governor Edwards holding victory rally to his supporters.
Victory Party at EWE Campaign HQ.
Inauguration Day: Monday, March 14th, 1988

Governor & First Lady Edwards during the Inaugural festivities.
It was a windy Monday morning at the LA State Capitol Grounds in Baton Rouge as the 19 Cannon Salute was fired by the 141st Field Artillery Battalion of the LA National Guard in New Orleans as the First Family walked to the inaugural platform. The crowd cheered loudly during the Cannon Salute was going on.
Former Governors Dave Treen (R), John McKeithen (D), Jimmie Davis (D) attended the inaugural festivities as well as former New Orleans, LA Mayor Dutch Morial (D), former United States Senator Russell Long (D-LA).
Edwards was sworn in by his son, Stephen in English & his brother, Marion in French.