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'''Robert Max Ross''' (August 5, 1933 – September 15, 2009) was a small [[business]]man from Mangham in Richland Parish in northeast [[Louisiana]] who ran unsuccessfully as a [[Republican]] candidate for governor, U.S. senator, state senator, and mayor during a time when two-party competition was rare in his state.  

'''Robert Max Ross''' (August 5, 1933 – September 15, 2009) was a small [[business]]man from Mangham in Richland Parish in northeast [[Louisiana]] who ran unsuccessfully as a [[Republican]] candidate for governor, U.S. senator, state senator, and mayor during a time when two-party competition was rare in his state.  

==Background==

==Background==

Ross was born in Baskin, a village in Franklin Parish, to Robert States Ross and the former Ruby Seymour (1911-2002), but he resided in Mangham most of his life. In 1951, he graduated from Mangham High School. In 1956, he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree, with a major in agriculture, from [[Louisiana State University]] in [[Baton Rouge]]. He was commissioned through Reserve Officers Training Corps as a second lieutenant in the [[U.S. Air Force]], served in the [[Vietnam War]], and was a major in the Air Force Reserves. After his military service, he returned to Mangham, where he engaged in a number of businesses, including the ownership of a mobile home park.

Ross was born in Baskin, a village in Franklin Parish, to Robert States Ross and the former Ruby Seymour (1911-2002), but he resided in Mangham most of his life. In 1951, he graduated from Mangham High School. In 1956, he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree, with a major in agriculture, from [[Louisiana State University]] in [[Baton Rouge]]. He was commissioned through Reserve Officers Training Corps as a second lieutenant in the [[U.S. Air Force]], served in the [[Vietnam War]], and was a major in the Air Force Reserves. After his military service, he returned to Mangham, where he engaged in a number of businesses, including the ownership of a mobile home park.

Ross's stepfather was Terry Clingan (March 24,  – December 3, 2007), the Mangham  town barber. After the death of Clingan's first wife, the former Vera Wallace, he married again in 1949—to Ross' mother. The marriage lasted fifty-three years until her death. Clingan was a master Mason and a deacon of the First [[Baptist]] Church of Mangham. Robert States Ross was killed in an accident in a shipyard in Galveston, [[Texas]], when Ross was a boy.

Ross's stepfather was Terry Clingan (March 24,  – December 3, 2007), the Mangham  town barber. After the death of Clingan's first wife, the former Vera Wallace, he married again in 1949 — to Ross' mother. The marriage lasted fifty-three years until her death. Clingan was a master Mason and a deacon of the First [[Baptist]] Church of Mangham. Robert States Ross was killed in an accident in a shipyard in Galveston, [[Texas]], when Ross was a boy.

==Political races==

==Political races==

Ross first ran for office in December 1971 in the only Republican gubernatorial closed primary ever held in the history of Louisiana. He was soundly defeated for the GOP nomination by the Metairie attorney [[David C. Treen]], who had run unsuccessfully for the [[United States House of Representatives]] from suburban [[New Orleans]] in 1962, 1964, and 1968. Treen had the support of the party leadership, including chairman [[Charles and Virginia de Gravelles|Charles C. de Gravelles, Sr.]], of Lafayette. Ross was the "outsider"; party leaders and voters preferred the "insider" Treen.  

Ross first ran for office in December 1971 in the only Republican gubernatorial closed primary ever held in the history of Louisiana. He was soundly defeated for the GOP nomination by the Metairie attorney [[David C. Treen]], who had run unsuccessfully for the [[United States House of Representatives]] from suburban [[New Orleans]] in 1962, 1964, and 1968. Treen had the support of the party leadership, including chairman [[Charles and Virginia de Gravelles|Charles C. de Gravelles, Sr.]], of Lafayette. Ross was the "outsider"; party leaders and voters preferred the "insider" Treen.  

Ross also filed as a candidate for the Louisiana State Senate in the February 1, 1972, general election but was easily defeated, 78-22 percent, by incumbent Democrat Charles M. Brown of Tallulah, the seat of Madison Parish in northeastern Louisiana. While Ross was opposing Charles M. Brown, his stepfather, Terry Clingan waged an unsuccessful Republican campaign against [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] State Representative Lantz Womack of Winnsboro, the seat of neighboring Franklin Parish.

Ross also filed as a candidate for the Louisiana State Senate in the February 1, 1972, general election but was easily defeated, 78-22 percent, by incumbent Democrat Charles M. Brown of Tallulah, the seat of Madison Parish in northeastern Louisiana. While Ross was opposing Charles M. Brown, his stepfather, Terry Clingan waged an unsuccessful Republican campaign against [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] State Representative Lantz Womack of Winnsboro in Ross's native Franklin Parish.

After the 1971-1972 campaigns, little was heard of Ross again for a decade. In 1983, he filed for the nonpartisan blanket primary, also called the jungle primary, for governor and polled a minuscule 7,625 ballots. The other Republican candidate that year was David Treen, by then the embattled incumbent governor, who failed in his bid for a second term. Treen received 588,508 ballots, but the easy winner was the Democratic choice, former Governor [[Edwin Edwards]], with 1,006,561 votes.  

After the 1971-1972 campaigns, little was heard of Ross again for a decade. In 1983, he filed for the nonpartisan blanket primary, also called the jungle primary, for governor and polled a minuscule 7,625 ballots. The other Republican candidate that year was David Treen, by then the embattled incumbent governor, who failed in his bid for a second term. Treen received 588,508 ballots, but the easy winner was the Democratic choice, former Governor [[Edwin Edwards]], with 1,006,561 votes.  

==Death and legacy==

==Death and legacy==

Ross died from a lengthy illness at the home of his daughter, Cathy Ross Mitchell, and her husband, Patrick Mitchell, in Baton Rouge. In addition, he is survived by his wife of fifty-one years, the former Barbara Paul (born 1939) of Simmesport in Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana; a son, Kenneth Ross and wife, Lottie Fields Ross, of Covington, the seat of St. Tammany Parish, and two other daughters, Tricia Ross Guidry and husband, Ricky Guidry, of Lake Charles, Louisiana, and Christy Ross Maier of Montgomery, Alabama; nine grandchildren, two sisters, Maxine Smart of Vidalia, the seat of Concordia Parish, and Terry Jean Agnew and husband, Raymond Agnew, of Monroe. Ross's late brother, Jimmy Dale Ross, was a Republican leader in Jonesville in Catahoula Parish. He also had a third, sister, the late June Ross Rowland of Alto, Louisiana.

Ross died from a lengthy illness at the home of his daughter, Cathy Ross Mitchell, and her husband, Patrick Mitchell, in Baton Rouge. In addition, he was survived by his wife of fifty-one years, the former Barbara Paul (born 1939) of Simmesport in Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana; a son, Kenneth Ross and wife, Lottie Fields Ross, of Covington in St. Tammany Parish, and two other daughters, Tricia Ross Guidry and husband, Ricky Guidry, of Lake Charles, Louisiana, and Christy Ross Maier of Montgomery, Alabama; nine grandchildren, two sisters, Maxine Smart of Vidalia in Concordia Parish, and Terry Jean Agnew and husband, Raymond Agnew, of Monroe. Ross's late brother, Jimmy Dale Ross, was a Republican leader in Jonesville in Catahoula Parish. He also had a third sister, the late June Ross Rowland of Alto, Louisiana.

Ross's graveside services were held on September 18, 2009, at Gwin Cemetery in Mangham under the direction of Mulhearn Funeral Home in Rayville. The Clingans are also interred there.

Ross's graveside services were held on September 18, 2009, at Gwin Cemetery in Mangham under the direction of Mulhearn Funeral Home in Rayville. The Clingans are also interred there.

==References==

==References==

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[[Category:Louisiana People]]

[[Category:Louisiana People]]

[[Category:Republican Party]]

[[Category:Republicans]]

[[Category:Politicians]]

[[Category:Politicians]]

[[Category:Baptists]]

[[Category:Baptists]]