Melinda Schwegmann

Melinda Schwegmann
Member of the Louisiana House of Representatives
from the 98th district
In office
March 30, 1998 – March 29, 2004
Preceded byGarey Forster
Succeeded byCheryl Gray
49th Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana
In office
January 13, 1992 – January 8, 1996
GovernorEdwin Edwards
Preceded byPaul Hardy
Succeeded byKathleen Blanco
Personal details
Born (1946-10-25) October 25, 1946 (age 78)
Austin, Texas, U.S.
Political partyRepublican (since 2003)
Democratic (before 2003)
SpouseJohn F. Schwegmann
RelationsJohn G. Schwegmann (father-in-law)
Children3
Residence(s)Metairie, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana

Melinda Burge Schwegmann (born October 25, 1946) is an American politician. In 1991, outspending incumbent Paul Hardy by almost two to one in total and being in a runoff with him with David Duke at the top of the Louisiana GOP ticket, she defeated him overwhelmingly to become the first woman to serve as Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana and was in office from 1992 to 1996.[1] While in office, she was a proponent of the arts and culture in the state.[1]

She ran unsuccessfully in the 1995 Louisiana gubernatorial election. She was, along with her opponent Mary Landrieu, the first woman to have a serious chance of winning the office.[2] She finished in 6th place out of the 15 running in that year's jungle primary.[3]

In 1997, she celebrated her 51st birthday by winning a seat in the Louisiana House of Representatives.[3] She filled the unexpired term of Garey Forster.[3] She served until 2003, when she switched her political party from a Democrat to become a Republican and ran again for Lt. Governor.[4] Spending less than one-fourth of what she spent the year she was elected, she lost, coming in third place.[5]

She is married to John F. Schwegmann.[3] Through marriage, Schwegmann became a member of the family of grocery retailers that owned Schwegmann Brothers Giant Supermarkets.[6]

  1. ^ a b Wall & Rodrigue 2014, p. 443.
  2. ^ Wall & Rodrigue 2014, p. 436.
  3. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference revives was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference lt was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference ville was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Grocery Pioneer Dies At 83 Schwegmann Built Empire". New Orleans Times-Picayune. March 7, 1995. Retrieved 20 February 2021.