Changes

Hall Lyons questioned whether the GOP could be the permanent home of conservatives such as himself. He had grown disillusioned with the Nixon administration even before the Watergate affair triggered a collapse in Republican popularity. He also opposed many of the nationally-know Republican senators, such as Minority Leader Hugh Scott of Pennsylvania, Charles H. Percy of Illinois, and Jacob K. Javits of New York, who had voting records only slightly to the "right" of many Democratic senators.

Hall Lyons questioned whether the GOP could be the permanent home of conservatives such as himself. He had grown disillusioned with the Nixon administration even before the Watergate affair triggered a collapse in Republican popularity. He also opposed many of the nationally-know Republican senators, such as Minority Leader Hugh Scott of Pennsylvania, Charles H. Percy of Illinois, and Jacob K. Javits of New York, who had voting records only slightly to the "right" of many Democratic senators.

In the fall of 1972, Hall Lyons emerged as the AIP candidate for the U.S. Senate seat formerly held by Allen J. Ellender. Ellender had died during the Democratic primary campaign, and the nomination, still equivalent to election in Louisiana, went to Shreveport's former state senator [[J. Bennett Johnston, Jr.]], who was initially elected to the Louisiana state House on the same day that McKeithen had topped Charlton Lyons for the governorship. The Republican Senate nominee in 1972 was [[Ben C. Toledano]], who was best known for having lost the mayoral election in 1970 in New Orleans. Moreover, McKeithen, unable to enter the Democratic primary after Ellender's death, filed to run as an [[Independent]] in the general election.

In the fall of 1972, Hall Lyons emerged as the AIP candidate for the U.S. Senate seat formerly held by [[Allen J. Ellender]], who died during the Democratic primary campaign, and the nomination, still equivalent to election in Louisiana, went to Shreveport's former state senator [[J. Bennett Johnston, Jr.]] Johnston had initially been elected to the Louisiana House on the same day that McKeithen had topped Charlton Lyons for the governorship. The Republican Senate nominee in 1972 was [[Ben C. Toledano]], who had lost the mayoral election in 1970 in New Orleans. Moreover, McKeithen, unable to enter the Democratic primary after Ellender's death, filed to run as an [[Independent]] in the general election.

This time, Hall Lyons did not yield to his father but remained in the Senate campaign even though Toledano was arguably as conservative as Hall Lyons himself. Hall Lyons' total vote was meager: 28,910 votes (2.6 percent). Hall Lyons found that voters would not seriously consider "fringe" candidates for major or even minor offices but would restrict themselves to the major parties. Johnston won the seat, with 598,987 votes (55.2 percent); McKeithen drew 250,161 (23.1 percent), and Toledano finished third with 206,846 (19.1 percent). Toledano's vote was not even as strong as that of Taylor W. O'Hearn of Shreveport, who had unsuccessfully challenged Democrat Russell B. Long in 1962.

This time, Hall Lyons did not yield to his father but remained in the Senate campaign even though Toledano was arguably as conservative as Hall Lyons himself. Hall Lyons' total vote was meager: 28,910 votes (2.6 percent). Hall Lyons found that voters would not seriously consider "fringe" candidates for major or even minor offices but would restrict themselves to the major parties. Johnston won the seat, with 598,987 votes (55.2 percent); McKeithen drew 250,161 (23.1 percent), and Toledano finished third with 206,846 (19.1 percent). Toledano's vote was not even as strong as that of Taylor W. O'Hearn of Shreveport, who had unsuccessfully challenged Democrat Russell B. Long in 1962.