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In 1979, Baker announced that he would challenge the Democrat Jerry Fowler] then a [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]] businessman, in the race for elections commissioner. Fowler (born 1940) was seeking to succeed his ailing father, Douglas Fowler, the former Red River Parish clerk of court and one-time [[mayor]] of Coushatta. Fowler had been appointed to the post by [[Governor]] [[Earl Long|Earl Kemp Long]], after Long had quarreled with Secretary of State Wade O. Martin, Jr., by procuring legislative consent to remove the elections office from the domain of the secretary of state. Douglas Fowler was then elected to his first full term in 1960 and then reelected with minimal opposition in 1964, 1968, 1972, and 1976. (The primaries for the three latter elections were actually held late in 1967, 1971, and 1975.) To Louisiana voters, the name "Fowler" became synonymous with the management of elections – the two won a total of ten consecutive elections.
In 1979, Baker announced that he would challenge the Democrat Jerry Fowler] then a [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]] businessman, in the race for elections commissioner. Fowler (born 1940) was seeking to succeed his ailing father, Douglas Fowler, the former Red River Parish clerk of court and one-time [[mayor]] of Coushatta. Fowler had been appointed to the post by [[Governor]] [[Earl Long|Earl Kemp Long]], after Long had quarreled with Secretary of State Wade O. Martin, Jr., by procuring legislative consent to remove the elections office from the domain of the secretary of state. Douglas Fowler was then elected to his first full term in 1960 and then reelected with minimal opposition in 1964, 1968, 1972, and 1976. (The primaries for the three latter elections were actually held late in 1967, 1971, and 1975.) To Louisiana voters, the name "Fowler" became synonymous with the management of elections – the two won a total of ten consecutive elections.
Baker ran for elections commissioner, basing his campaign on abolishing the "useless" office, which then had a salary of $37,400 per year, and returning its duties to the secretary of state, where they had been before Earl Long punished Martin, who had continued to be reelected secretary of state until his retirement in 1976.<ref>''[[Shreveport Journal]]'', October 11, 1969, p. 9D.</ref>
Baker ran for elections commissioner, basing his campaign on abolishing the "useless" office, which then had a salary of $37,400 per year, and returning its duties to the secretary of state, where they had been before Earl Long punished Martin, who had continued to be reelected secretary of state until his retirement in 1976.<ref>''[[Shreveport Journal]]'', October 11, 1969, p. 9D.</ref>
In 2004, more than four decades after Long's death, the elections division was hence returned to its original administrative home. It was left to Commissioner Terrell to implement Baker's longstanding proposal.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jewishworldreview.com/1001/ehrenhalt083001.asp|title=The most ridiculous elective office in the history of state government is about to pass out of existence|date= August 30, 2001|author=Alan Ehrenhalt|publisher=''Jewish World Review''|accessdate=May 11, 2016}}</ref> Baker never received political credit for his "good government" proposal from 1979.
In 2004, more than four decades after Long's death, the elections division was hence returned to its original administrative home. It was left to Commissioner Terrell to implement Baker's longstanding proposal.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jewishworldreview.com/1001/ehrenhalt083001.asp|title=The most ridiculous elective office in the history of state government is about to pass out of existence|date= August 30, 2001|author=Alan Ehrenhalt|publisher=''Jewish World Review''|accessdate=May 11, 2016}}</ref> Baker never received political credit for his "good government" proposal from 1979.
==Later years==
==Later years==
In 1980, Governor Treen appointed Baker to the Louisiana Athletic Commission, since renamed the Louisiana State Boxing and Wrestling Commission. That same year, Baker was a delegate to the [[Republican National Convention]], which met in [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]], and first nominated the [[Ronald W. Reagan]] and [[George H. W. Bush]] ticket.
In 1980, Governor Treen appointed Baker to the Louisiana Athletic Commission, since renamed the Louisiana State Boxing and Wrestling Commission. That same year, Baker was a delegate to the [[Republican National Convention]], which met in [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]], and first nominated the [[Ronald W. Reagan]] and [[George H. W. Bush]] ticket.
As late as 2009, Baker was still a member of the Franklin Parish Board of Election Supervisors by virtue of his being the parish Republican chairman.
As late as 2009, Baker was still a member of the Franklin Parish Board of Election Supervisors by virtue of his being the parish Republican chairman.
Baker died at the age of eighty early in 2015 at St. Francis Hospital in Monroe. He is interred at Delhi Masonic Cemetery in Delhi.<ref name=findagrave>{{cite web|url=http://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Baker&GSfn=John&GSmn=Henry&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=20&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=141105522&df=all&|title=John Henry Baker, III|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=May 10, 2016}}</ref>
Baker died at the age of eighty early in 2015 at St. Francis Hospital in Monroe. He is interred at Delhi Masonic Cemetery in Delhi.<ref name=findagrave>{{cite web|url=http://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Baker&GSfn=John&GSmn=Henry&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=20&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=141105522&df=all&|title=John Henry Baker, III|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=May 10, 2016}}</ref>
==References==
==References==
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