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A businessman originally from Plain Dealing in Bossier Parish in northwestern Louisiana, Waggonner had an exemplary record in [[World War II]] and graduated from [[Louisiana Tech University]] in [[Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]]. He was long active in Louisiana Tech alumni affairs. In the 1950s, he was a member of the Bossier Parish School Board. In 1961, he served on the elected Louisiana State Board of Education. In 1959, Waggonner was an unsuccessful porimary candidate for the since disbanded position of Louisiana state comptroller. He ran for comptroller on the strongly [[segregation]]is ticket headed by State Senator Willie Rainach of Claiborne Parish.

A businessman originally from Plain Dealing in Bossier Parish in northwestern Louisiana, Waggonner had an exemplary record in [[World War II]] and graduated from [[Louisiana Tech University]] in [[Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]]. He was long active in Louisiana Tech alumni affairs. In the 1950s, he was a member of the Bossier Parish School Board. In 1961, he served on the elected Louisiana State Board of Education. In 1959, Waggonner was an unsuccessful porimary candidate for the since disbanded position of Louisiana state comptroller. He ran for comptroller on the strongly [[segregation]]is ticket headed by State Senator Willie Rainach of Claiborne Parish.

Waggonner was initially elected to Congress in a special election held in December 1961 to succeed Democrat Overton Brooks, who died in office. He won the position by defeating the Republican choice, [[Charlton Lyons]], an oilman from [[Shreveport]], who subsequently ran for governor in 1964 against Democrat [[John J. McKeithen]], who carried Waggonner's backing. Thereafter, Waggonner rarely had opposition. In 1968, he faced an [[African American]] challenger, fellow Democrat Leon Tarver of  Shreveport.

Waggonner was initially elected to Congress in a special election held in December 1961 to succeed Democrat Overton Brooks, who died in office. He defeated the Republican choice, [[Charlton Lyons]], an oilman from [[Shreveport]], who subsequently ran for governor in 1964 against Democrat [[John J. McKeithen]]. Thereafter, Waggonner rarely had opposition. In 1968, he faced an [[African American]] challenger, fellow Democrat Leon Tarver of  Shreveport.

After 1969, Waggonner struck up a friendship with [[U.S. President]] [[Richard M. Nixon]] and served as a liaison between Nixon and the House Democratic majority. Through this relationship, Waggonner was able to procure public works projects for his Fourth District, including the attempt to establish year-round navigation of the [[Red River of the South|Red River]].

After 1969, Waggonner struck up a friendship with [[U.S. President]] [[Richard M. Nixon]] and served as a liaison between Nixon and the House Democratic majority. Through this relationship, Waggonner was able to procure public works projects for his Fourth District, including the attempt to establish year-round navigation of the Red River between Shreveport and [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]].

In 1976, Waggonner was arrested for soliciting an undercover police decoy in [[Washington, D.C.]], for purposes of [[prostitution]]. He was released because at that time lawmakers enjoyed immunity from prosecution for [[misdemeanor]] offenses. After the Waggonner case, the law was changed to allow congressional members to face misdemeanor charges with the exception of parking violations.<ref>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=ppIIbWkftv4C&pg=PA194&lpg=PA194&dq=Joe+D.+Waggonner+arrest&source=bl&ots=WgR2ondm8i&sig=bD9XbjT4DrFQF3ut8Yby-bzeNco&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Y8VCT7aBNISq2QWg6qjdBg&sqi=2&ved=0CEcQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=Joe%20D.%20Waggonner%20arrest&f=false|title=Jeffrey M. Eliot et al, The Congressional-Presidential Political Dictionary (1984), p. 194|publisher=|accessdate=September 21, 2012}}</ref>  

In 1976, Waggonner was arrested for soliciting an undercover police decoy in [[Washington, D.C.]], for purposes of [[prostitution]]. He was released because at that time lawmakers enjoyed immunity from prosecution for [[misdemeanor]] offenses. After the Waggonner case, the law was changed to allow congressional members to face misdemeanor charges with the exception of parking violations.<ref>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=ppIIbWkftv4C&pg=PA194&lpg=PA194&dq=Joe+D.+Waggonner+arrest&source=bl&ots=WgR2ondm8i&sig=bD9XbjT4DrFQF3ut8Yby-bzeNco&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Y8VCT7aBNISq2QWg6qjdBg&sqi=2&ved=0CEcQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=Joe%20D.%20Waggonner%20arrest&f=false|title=Jeffrey M. Eliot et al, The Congressional-Presidential Political Dictionary (1984), p. 194|publisher=|accessdate=September 21, 2012}}</ref>