John Kennedy (Louisiana politician)
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| John Kennedy (Louisiana politician) | |
|---|---|
| Name | John Kennedy |
| Caption | Official portrait, 2017 |
| State | Louisiana |
| Jr/sr | United States Senator |
| Alongside | Bill Cassidy |
| Term start | January 3, 2017 |
| Predecessor | David Vitter |
| Office1 | 34th Louisiana State Treasurer |
| Governor1 | Mike Foster, Kathleen Blanco, Bobby Jindal |
| Term start1 | January 8, 2000 |
| Term end1 | January 3, 2017 |
| Predecessor1 | Ken Duncan |
| Successor1 | Ron Henson |
| Party | Democratic (before 2007), Republican (2007–present) |
| Birth name | John Neely Kennedy |
| Birth date | 21 November 1951 |
| Birth place | Centreville, Mississippi |
| Spouse | Becky Sandlin, 1987 |
| Education | Vanderbilt University (BA), University of Virginia (JD), Magdalen College, Oxford (BCL) |
John Kennedy (Louisiana politician) is an American politician and attorney serving as the junior United States Senator from Louisiana since 2017. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the Louisiana State Treasurer from 2000 to 2017. Known for his folksy rhetorical style and conservative positions, Kennedy has become a prominent figure in the United States Senate.
Early life and education
John Neely Kennedy was born in Centreville, Mississippi, and grew up in Zachary, Louisiana. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in political philosophy from Vanderbilt University, where he was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa Society. Kennedy then attended the University of Virginia School of Law, receiving a Juris Doctor, and subsequently studied at Magdalen College, Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, earning a Bachelor of Civil Law degree.
Legal and early political career
After completing his education, Kennedy worked as a special assistant to Governor Buddy Roemer and later served as secretary of the Louisiana Department of Revenue. He practiced law with the Baton Rouge firm Chaffe McCall and taught law at the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University. His first foray into electoral politics was an unsuccessful 2004 campaign for the United States Senate against incumbent Mary Landrieu, running as a Democrat. He switched his party affiliation to the Republican Party in 2007.
U.S. Senate
Kennedy was elected to the United States Senate in 2016, winning the seat being vacated by retiring Senator David Vitter. He defeated Foster Campbell in the general election and was re-elected in 2022. In the Senate, he serves on the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on the Judiciary, the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. He is known for his pointed questioning during committee hearings.
Political positions
Kennedy is a staunch conservative, consistently receiving high ratings from organizations like the American Conservative Union and the Heritage Foundation. He is a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, restrictive immigration policies, and anti-abortion legislation. He has been a vocal critic of the Biden administration, particularly on issues of energy policy and federal spending. Kennedy opposed the certification of the 2020 presidential election results from Pennsylvania following the January 6 United States Capitol attack.
Electoral history
In the 2004 Senate election, Kennedy lost the Democratic primary to Chris John, who was then defeated by Mary Landrieu. As a Republican, he ran for Attorney General of Louisiana in 2008, losing to Buddy Caldwell. He was re-elected as Louisiana State Treasurer in 2003, 2007, 2011, and 2015 without opposition. He won the 2016 Senate race with 60.7% of the vote against Foster Campbell and was re-elected in 2022 with 61.6% against Luke Mixon.
Category:1951 births Category:Living people Category:United States senators from Louisiana Category:Louisiana Republicans Category:Louisiana state treasurers