Edward Lee Rispone

Edward Lee Rispone ( ; born January 21, 1949) is an American businessman and politician from the state of Louisiana. He ran as a Republican Party candidate for Governor of Louisiana in the 2019 election, losing to incumbent Democrat John Bel Edwards.

Early life and education Rispone was raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. His father worked as a compressor machinist at an oil refinery owned by Standard Oil, and his mother was a homemaker. He has five brothers and one sister. He graduated from Louisiana State University, with a concentration in construction technology, in 1972. In 2003 he was elected the national chairman of the Associated Builders and Contractors. On October 12, 2019, Rispone finished in second place in the all-candidate election with 27% of the vote, behind incumbent John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, who received 47%, and ahead of Republican congressman Ralph Abraham, who received 24%. Rispone and Edwards advanced to the November 16 runoff election. Edwards defeated Rispone in the runoff election.

Personal life Rispone and his first wife, Phyllis, were married for 35 years. She died in 2005 of cancer. Rispone married his second wife, Linda, in 2007. He and Linda have seven children and 24 grandchildren as of September 2019.

Electoral history