Murphy J. "Mike" Foster, Jr. (born 11 July 1930 in Shreveport, Louisiana) is a Louisiana politician. He was Governor of Louisiana, being elected to two four year terms in 1995 and 1999, serving from January of 1996 to 11 January 2004. His grandfather, Murphy J. Foster, was Louisiana governor in the late 19th century.

In his 1995 campaign for governor, Foster paid more than $150,000 for David Duke's mailing list of Ku Klux Klan supporters. While U.S. Attorney Jim Letten says Foster's purchase was not a federal crime, Foster did become the first Louisiana governor to plead guilty to ethics charges - for attempting to conceal his political deal with Duke.

Foster initially supported Duke's run for the Senate in 1996, but under pressure failed to officially endorse him.

Foster was the Louisiana campaign chairman for George W. Bush in 2000.

Foster is a member of the Republican Party.

Foster was succeeded as governor by Kathleen Blanco.

External links

• Biography on sec.state.la.us (http://www.sec.state.la.us/73.htm)