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'''Challenging J. Bennett Johnston and John McKeithen'''

'''Challenging J. Bennett Johnston and John McKeithen'''

Toledano's showing for mayor propelled him in 1972 to seek the U.S. Senate seat held by 36-year incumbent Democrat Allen J. Ellender, a native of Houma in Terrebonne Parish in south [[Louisiana]]. However, the late Charles M. McLean of Lafayette was unopposed for the Republican senatorial nomination. When McLean was persuaded to withdraw in favor of a better-known candidate, the Republican State Central Committee tapped Toledano as its nominee for the November general election. Meanwhile, former state senator J. Bennett Johnston, Jr., of Shreveport, who had nearly won the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in December 1971, had challenged Ellender in the Democratic primary. Ellender died on July 27, and Johnston was left as the de facto Democratic nominee. Former Governor John McKeithen filed as an independent because the time had passed for other Democrats to enter the primary. Johnston entered the general election as the prohibitive favorite even though McKeithen had been the only governor until that time to have served two consecutive terms and despite Richard Nixon' apparent likelihood of an easy reelection at the top of the Republican ballot.

Toledano's showing for mayor propelled him in 1972 to seek the U.S. Senate seat held by 36-year incumbent Democrat Allen J. Ellender, a native of Houma in Terrebonne Parish in south [[Louisiana]]. However, the late Charles M. McLean of Lafayette was unopposed for the Republican senatorial nomination. When McLean was persuaded to withdraw in favor of a better-known candidate, the Republican State Central Committee tapped Toledano as its nominee for the November general election. Meanwhile, former state senator [[J. Bennett Johnston, Jr.]], of [[Shreveport]], who had nearly won the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in December 1971, had challenged Ellender in the Democratic primary. Ellender died on July 27, and Johnston was left as the de facto Democratic nominee. Former Governor [[John J. McKeithen]] of Columbia in Caldwell Parish in north Louisiana filed as an [[Independent]] because the time had passed for other Democrats to enter the primary. Johnston entered the general election as the prohibitive favorite even though McKeithen had been the only governor until that time to have served two consecutive terms and despite Richard Nixon' apparent likelihood of an easy reelection at the top of the Republican ballot.

Johnston polled 598,987 votes (55.2 percent); McKeithen drew 250,161 (23.1 percent), and Toledano finished third with 206,846 (19.1 percent), only 42,000 votes behind the former governor. [[Hall M. Lyons]] (1923-1998) of Lafayette, son of Charlton Lyons, the "grand old man of the Louisiana GOP," polled another 28,910 votes, or 2.6 percent, as the nominee of George Wallace's former American Independent Party. Hall Lyons had filed for governor earlier in 1972 on the AIP ticket but was persuaded to withdraw in favor of Republican David C. Treen. Treen was elected to the United States House of Representatives from the Third Congressional District in this same 1972 general election.

Johnston polled 598,987 votes (55.2 percent); McKeithen drew 250,161 (23.1 percent), and Toledano finished third with 206,846 (19.1 percent), only 42,000 votes behind the former governor. [[Hall M. Lyons]] (1923-1998) of Lafayette, son of Charlton Lyons, the "grand old man of the Louisiana GOP," polled another 28,910 votes, or 2.6 percent, as the nominee of George Wallace's former American Independent Party. Hall Lyons had filed for governor earlier in 1972 on the AIP ticket but was persuaded to withdraw in favor of Republican David C. Treen. Treen was elected to the United States House of Representatives from the Third Congressional District in this same 1972 general election.