Basic Information
Character Name: Earl Duplantis
Avatar: Richard Tice
Seat: Louisiana (Class 3)
Party: Republican
Major Caucus: Freedom Caucus
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Heterosexual
Special Talent: Bankroller
Talent Level: Level 1 = Fundraiser Grade x 1.1
Race/Ethnicity: Southern Baptist
Date of Birth: 11/23/1966
Place of Birth: Covington, Louisiana
Place of Residence: Covington, Louisiana | Washington D.C.
Family Information
Father: Forrest Duplantis (b. 1932 - d. 2011)
Mother: Georgia Duplantis (b. 1935 - d. 2019)
Siblings: Eliza Duplantis (b. 1968), Beau Duplantis (b. 1971)
Wife: Julia Duplantis (b. 1969 - m. 1992)
Children: Elizabeth Duplantis (b. 1993), Billy Duplantis (b. 1996), Vance Duplantis (b. 1998)
Grandchildren: Daniel Duplantis (b. 2014), Margaret Duplantis (b. 2017), Carly Duplantis (b. 2018), William Duplantis (b. 2021)
Family Occupations
Father: Forrest Duplantis - Senior Pastor of Golgotha Baptist (Deceased)
Mother: Georgia Duplantis - Socialite (Deceased)
Siblings: Eliza Duplantis - Constitutional Law Professor at LSU Law, Beau Duplantis - Senior Pastor of Golgotha Baptist
Wife: Julia Duplantis - Chairwoman of the Duplantis Philanthropic Foundation
Children: Elizabeth Duplantis - Psychologist & Columnist, Billy Duplantis - CEO of GRACE Charter Network, Vance Duplantis - Louisiana State Senator
Educational History
High School Diploma from Benjamin Franklin High School (Class of 1983)
B.S. in Psychology from Louisiana State University (Class of 1987)
M.A. in Education Policy from Vanderbilt Peabody College (Class of 1989)
Occupational History
Education Policy Analyst at the Heritage Foundation (1987 - 1995)
Director of the Center for Education Policy at the Heritage Foundation (1995 - 1998)
Member of the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (1999 - 2007)
Founder and CEO of GRACE Charter Network (2007 - 2017)
U.S. Senator from Louisiana (2017 - Present)
Background Information
Born into wealth as the son of socialite Georgia Duplantis and Pastor Forrest Duplantis, the prominent megachurch senior pastor of Golgotha Baptist.
Golgotha Baptist has been a prominent megachurch operating out of Covington, Louisiana since 1962 with Forrest Duplantis building a business empire out of the ministry while wielding significant influence with conservative members of the Southern Baptist Convention. Golgotha Baptist has been criticized similar to other megachurches due to issues related to transparency and allegations of excess.
A prominent socialite in the community, Georgia Duplantis would become a fixture within Golgotha Baptist. Founding the Golgotha Baptist Women's Ministry in 1974, Georgia was a key supporter of the church's conservative vision for women and was a noted friend of Phyllis Schlafly and actively campaigned against the ERA throughout the 1970s.
The daughter of Forrest and Georgia Duplantis, Eliza Duplantis would dedicate her life to academia and currently works as a Constitutional Law Professor at LSU Law. Youngest son Beau Duplantis would enter the ministry and eventually take on the role as Senior Pastor of Golgotha Baptist following the death of Forrest Duplantis in 2011 due to heart failure. He is also a prominent member of the Conservative Baptist Network within the SBC.
Excelled in track and field at the prestigious charter Benjamin Franklin High School in New Orleans.
Earned a BS in Psychology from Louisiana State University and began work with the Heritage Foundation as an education policy analyst.
Earned an MA in Education Policy from the Vanderbilt Peabody College while working with the Heritage Foundation.
Promoted to Director for the Center for Education Policy at the Heritage Foundation from 1995 to 1998 as a leading conservative voice for charter school, attracting an intellectual following within the Republican Party.
Elected as a Member of the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education in 1999 with a strong majority after rallying conservative voters and pouring significant family wealth into the race. Alleged that volunteers from Golgotha Baptist were actively coordinated to blanket the district in support of Duplantis.
Would serve on the Louisiana BESE from 1999 to 2007 and would spearhead significant education reform in Louisiana allowing for a large expansion of charter networks operating in the state with the support of Democratic Governor Kathleen Blanco in 2005.
Founded GRACE Charter Network in 2007 with the intention of creating a series of charter schools across Louisiana with long-term goals of expanding across the Deep South. Various members of Golgotha Baptist are said to be key investors into GRACE Charter Network.
With the resounding success of GRACE Charter Network, a run for the U.S. Senate in 2016 on a ticket resembling closely to that of then-candidate Donald Trump's MAGA Movement with some noted libertarian tendencies. Would go on to defeat Democrat Foster Campbell in the December runoff by a decisive 60.6% to 39.4%.
Tenure in the Senate would be noted as a strong adherent the right of the Republican Party and seen as an ally of President Donald Trump despite some disagreements related to civil liberties. Noted for focus on conservative education policy by colleagues and the media. Controversy has followed due to various comments throughout career on a range of issues including vaccine safety, government overreach, and education indoctrination.
Won a decisive reelection in 2022 with 61.5% of the vote in the first round against challengers that included community activist Gary Chambers and veteran Luke Mixon, avoiding a runoff. Would go on to publicly support now-Governor Jeff Landry in his 2023 governorship campaign to succeed Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards.
Married Julia Duplantis in 1992 and had three children: Elizabeth Duplantis, Billy Duplantis, and Vince Duplantis. Has four grandchildren: Daniel Duplantis, Margaret Duplantis, Carly Duplantis, and William Duplantis.
Headed by Julia Duplantis, the Duplantis Philanthropic Foundation was created by Forrest Duplantis in 1979 and has provided funding to various educational, cultural, and religious causes and charities. The foundation is tied directly to the Duplantis Family.
Elizabeth Duplantis works as a psychologist operating out of Covington with various columns featured on publications like Fox News and the Washington Times regarding current events related to psychology. Billy Duplantis is the current CEO of GRACE Charter Network following the resignation of his father as he was elected to the U.S. Senate and is noted as a youthful leader within the charter industry. Vance Duplantis serves as a Louisiana State Representative since 2019 as one of the legislature's youngest members and is associated with the creation of a House Freedom Caucus in 2023 with other right-wing members of the lower chamber.
GRACE Charter Network has schools in New Orleans (LA), Baton Rouge (LA), Shreveport (LA), Bossier City (LA), Covington (LA), Jackson (MS), Little Rock (AR), Memphis (TN), Birmingham (AL), Pensacola (FL), Houston (TX), and another expected to open in Savannah (GA) in 2025.
The Duplantis Estate is located in Covington, Louisiana down the road from Golgotha Baptist.
Has a Redbone Coonhound named Rodney and regularly hunts.
Currently has a net worth of $49.2 million.
Key Votes
115th Congress
Health Care Freedom Act of 2017: Yea
Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act: Yea
116th Congress
Trump Impeachment Articles I and II: Nay
United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA): Yea
Points
Gender: Male (0 Points)
Age: 58 (0 Points)
Sexuality: Straight, married with < 3 children (-5 Points)
Race/Ancestry: White/Caucasian (0 Points)
Religion: Southern Baptist (0 Points)
Education:
Bachelor's Degree at Public University (5 Points)
MA at Private University (0 Points)
Socioeconomic History: Top 1% (5 Points)
Career History:
Federal Political Staffer (10 Points)
Entrepreneur/Business Founder: (30 x Well-Known = 60 Points)
Political Experience:
State Row Office (1999 - 2007 = 10 Points)
U.S. Senate (2017 - 2023 = 5 Points)
Published Book - 2013: The GRACE Vision (10 Points)
Total: 100Points
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