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'''Benjamin Casanas Toledano''', usually known or '''Ben C. Toledano''' (born September 7, 1932), is a paleoconservative [[author]], activist, and [[attorney]] who was the unsuccessful [[Republican]] nominee for mayor of New Orleans in 1970 and for the U.S. Senate from Louisiana in 1972.

'''Benjamin Casanas Toledano''', usually known or '''Ben C. Toledano''' (born September 7, 1932), is a paleoconservative [[author]], activist, and [[attorney]] who was the unsuccessful [[Republican]] nominee for mayor of New Orleans in 1970 and for the U.S. Senate from Louisiana in 1972.  

==Running for mayor of the Crescent City==

 

'''1 Running for mayor of the Crescent City'''

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prior to filing as the lone Republican candidate for mayor, Toledano had been a member, first, of the [[Democratic Party]], and, then, of the States' Rights Party, not to be confused with the National States Rights Party, a neo-Nazi organization. He sought to succeed the retiring two-term Democratic Mayor Victor H. Schiro in 1970. The Democrats had a slugfest for the office in two primaries held in the fall of 1969. The more liberal candidate, Maurice "Moon" Landrieu was placed in a runoff -- this was before Louisiana had its nonpartisan blanket or jungle primary format -- with the more conservative former City Councilman James Edward "Jimmy" Fitzmorris, Jr., who would be elected lieutenant governor three years later and served from 1972-1980.

Prior to filing as the lone Republican candidate for mayor, Toledano had been a member, first, of the [[Democratic Party]], and, then, of the States' Rights Party, not to be confused with the National States Rights Party, a neo-Nazi organization. He sought to succeed the retiring two-term Democratic Mayor Victor H. Schiro in 1970. The Democrats had a slugfest for the office in two primaries held in the fall of 1969. The more liberal candidate, Maurice "Moon" Landrieu was placed in a runoff -- this was before Louisiana had its nonpartisan blanket or jungle primary format -- with the more conservative former City Councilman James Edward "Jimmy" Fitzmorris, Jr., who would be elected lieutenant governor three years later and served from 1972-1980.

'''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 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.

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.

Toledano's best showing was 30 percent in Jefferson Parish, which also supported Treen for [[Congress]] and Nixon for president. In previously inclined Republican parishes Iberia and Caddo, for instance, Toledano won less than a fourth of the ballots.

Toledano's best showing was 30 percent in Jefferson Parish, which also supported Treen for [[Congress]] and Nixon for president. In previously inclined Republican parishes Iberia and Caddo, for instance, Toledano won less than a fourth of the ballots.

 

==Judicial consideration==

'''Judicial consideration'''

In 1982, President [[Ronald W. Reagan]] considered nominating Toledano to a vacancy on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, based in New Orleans. The civil rights lobby objected to Toledano's previous affiliation with the States' Rights Party, the Republican-majority Senate showed no enthusiasm for the choice, and Reagan never made the nomination. Ironically, in 1987, Reagan tried to place former Governor Treen on the same court, and the then Democratic Senate majority refused to consider his nomination. Toledano and Treen both had past ties to the Louisiana State's Rights Party. Treen had been a State's Rights Party presidential elector in 1960.  

In 1982, President [[Ronald W. Reagan]] considered nominating Toledano to a vacancy on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, based in New Orleans. The civil rights lobby objected to Toledano's previous affiliation with the States' Rights Party, the Republican-majority Senate showed no enthusiasm for the choice, and Reagan never made the nomination. Ironically, in 1987, Reagan tried to place former Governor Treen on the same court, and the then Democratic Senate majority refused to consider his nomination. Toledano and Treen both had past ties to the Louisiana State's Rights Party. Treen had been a State's Rights Party presidential elector in 1960.  

'''Moving temporarily to Virginia'''

==Moving temporarily to Virginia==

In 1983, the Toledanos -- Ben, wife Roulhac, three daughters, and a son -- relocated to Charlottesville, Virginia, where they renovated a $200,000 warehouse building into an elegant home true to cultural tastes in the home city of Thomas Jefferson. Toledano bought five copies of classical books, one for his wife and himself and one for each of their children. He particularly stressed southern Agrarians and classicists such as Walker Percy and Eudora Welty.

In 1983, the Toledanos — Ben, wife Roulhac, three daughters, and a son &Mdash; relocated to [[Charlottesville, Virginia]], where they renovated a $200,000 warehouse building into an elegant home true to cultural tastes in the home city of Thomas Jefferson. Toledano bought five copies of classical books, one for his wife and himself and one for each of their children. He particularly stressed southern Agrarians and classicists such as Walker Percy and Eudora Welty.

In the 1990s, Toledano returned to the New Orleans area. He now resides in Mississippi.  

In the 1990s, Toledano returned to the New Orleans area. He now resides in Mississippi.  

'''Paleoconservative columnist'''

==Paleoconservative columnist==

Toledano emerged as a columnist, author, and political thinker, writing for William F. Buckley's ''National Review'', ''The Wall Street Journal'', the ''Washington Times'', ''Texas Monthly'', and Thomas Fleming's ''Chronicles Magazine'', a paleoconservative publication from Rockford, Illinois. Paleoconservatives generally follow the viewpoints of such individuals as the defeated presidential candidate Patrick J. Buchanan or the columnist Samuel Francis (1947-2005). They believe that "neoconservatives" in national Republican administrations have "sold out" traditional Republican values to keep the United States involved in endless war to promote "democracy" and international trade agreements which lead to outsourcing and decline of American jobs. Toledano hence writes in the Buchanan-Francis mold by taking what the media would call "hard-right" positions on issues.  

Toledano emerged as a columnist, author, and political thinker, writing for William F. Buckley's ''National Review'', ''The Wall Street Journal'', the ''Washington Times'', ''Texas Monthly'', and Thomas Fleming's ''Chronicles Magazine'', a paleoconservative publication from Rockford, Illinois. Paleoconservatives generally follow the viewpoints of such individuals as the defeated presidential candidate Patrick J. Buchanan or the columnist Samuel Francis (1947-2005). They believe that "neoconservatives" in national Republican administrations have "sold out" traditional Republican values to keep the United States involved in endless war to promote "democracy" and international trade agreements which lead to outsourcing and decline of American jobs. Toledano hence writes in the Buchanan-Francis mold by taking what the media would call "hard-right" positions on issues.  

At the time of Hurricane Katrina, Toledano penned a well-known column entitled "New Orleans -- An Autopsy"  about the political implications of Katrina on New Orleans, having concluded that the city was in rampant social decay for a generation before the storm struck so severely in August 2005.

At the time of Hurricane Katrina, Toledano penned a well-known column entitled "New Orleans -- An Autopsy"  about the political implications of Katrina on New Orleans, having concluded that the city was in rampant social decay for a generation before the storm struck so severely in August 2005.

 

==References==

'''References'''

Billy Hathorn, "The Republican Party in Louisiana, 1920-1980", Master's thesis, Northwestern State University at Natchitoches, 1980

Billy Hathorn, "The Republican Party in Louisiana, 1920-1980", Master's thesis, Northwestern State University at Natchitoches, 1980