Elaine Edwards, U.S. Senator

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elaine_Edwards

Elaine Schwartzenburg Edwards (born March 8, 1929) is a former interim member of the United States Senate and the first wife of Edwin Washington Edwards, making her a former First Lady of Louisiana.

Edwards was born in Marksville, the seat of Avoyelles Parish, to Errol Schwartzenburg (1909-1999)and Myrl Dupuy Schwartzenburg (1907-2001) She married Edwin Edwards in 1949.

On August 1, 1972, Edwin Edwards appointed Elaine to the U.S. Senate after the death of Allen Ellender. Edwin's reasons for appointing his wife included her willingness to resign after a new senator was elected and her agreement with his political philosophy. However, during the 1976 presidential election campaign, Elaine endorsed Gerald Ford over Jimmy Carter, while her husband first endorsed California governor Jerry Brown, and later endorsed Carter after Brown didn't get the nomination.

An observer said that Elaine Edwards "wanted the opposite of what Edwin wanted. She hated the fishbowl of politics."

Edwin and Elaine Edwards divorced in 1989 after 40 years of marriage. She is the mother of four children, including Stephen Edwards, who was convicted alongside his father in 2000, stemming from a riverboat casino licensing scheme. The other three children are Anna, Victoria and David.

• Updated from 1930 United States Federal Census via mother Myrl Schwartzenburg by SmartCopy: Jun 22 2015, 14:57:31 UTC