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Spooner was the first Republican in seventy-six years even to contest the 5th district seat. The previous GOP candidate, Henry Ernest Hardtner (1870-1935) of LaSalle Parish, had polled a mere 628 votes (9.2 percent) in 1900 against the Democrat Joseph Eugene Ransdell (1858-1954) of Lake Providence in East Carroll Parish, who was elected with 6,172 votes (90.8 percent). Hardtner later became a Democrat and served in the Louisiana House of Representatives.<ref>Anna C. Burns, "Henry E. Hardtner (1870–1935): Louisiana's First Conservationist," ''Journal of Forest History'' Vol. 22 No. 2 (April 1978)</ref> Ransdell thereafter served in the [[United States Senate]] until he was unseated in the 1930 primary election by [[Governor]] [[Huey Long|Huey Pierce Long, Jr.]]<ref>''Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections'', 1900–1976, U.S. House races from Louisiana.</ref>​

Spooner was the first Republican in seventy-six years even to contest the 5th district seat. The previous GOP candidate, Henry Ernest Hardtner (1870-1935) of LaSalle Parish, had polled a mere 628 votes (9.2 percent) in 1900 against the Democrat Joseph Eugene Ransdell (1858-1954) of Lake Providence in East Carroll Parish, who was elected with 6,172 votes (90.8 percent). Hardtner later became a Democrat and served in the Louisiana House of Representatives.<ref>Anna C. Burns, "Henry E. Hardtner (1870–1935): Louisiana's First Conservationist," ''Journal of Forest History'' Vol. 22 No. 2 (April 1978)</ref> Ransdell thereafter served in the [[United States Senate]] until he was unseated in the 1930 primary election by [[Governor]] [[Huey Long|Huey Pierce Long, Jr.]]<ref>''Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections'', 1900–1976, U.S. House races from Louisiana.</ref>​

 

In preparation for his race and when he expected to face Passman, Spooner attended a Republican candidate training school in [[Washington, D.C.]] The [[Republican National Committee]] sent John Bruce Hildebrand, former editor of the party's ''First Monday'' newsletter who had written speeches for vice-presidential candidate [[Bob Dole]], to work on Spooner's behalf. Jennie Carroll Casey, a reporter at the time for ''The Monroe News-Star'', worked as an unpaid public relations specialist.<ref>''Louisiana History'', pp. 348–349.</ref>​

In preparation for his race and when he expected to face Passman, Spooner attended a Republican candidate training school in [[Washington, D.C.]] The [[Republican National Committee]] sent John Bruce Hildebrand, former editor of the party's ''First Monday'' newsletter who had written speeches for vice-presidential candidate [[Bob Dole]], to work on Spooner's behalf. Jennie Carroll Casey, a reporter at the time for ''The Monroe News-Star'', worked as an unpaid public relations specialist.<ref>''Louisiana History'', pp. 348–349.</ref>​

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After his primary defeat, Passman "threatened" to endorse Spooner in the general election but never did so. Passman had run mostly without opposition after his initial primary victory in 1946, when he had unseated Charles Edgar McKenzie (1896-1956). He was unopposed in his last successful general election on November 5, 1974. Passman was particularly known as a critic of [[foreign aid]] programs and a supporter of farm subsidies and the recently concluded Vietnam War.<ref>''Louisiana History'', pp. 334, 337, 343.</ref>​

After his primary defeat, Passman "threatened" to endorse Spooner in the general election but never did so. Passman had run mostly without opposition after his initial primary victory in 1946, when he had unseated Charles Edgar McKenzie (1896-1956). He was unopposed in his last successful general election on November 5, 1974. Passman was particularly known as a critic of [[foreign aid]] programs and a supporter of farm subsidies and the recently concluded Vietnam War.<ref>''Louisiana History'', pp. 334, 337, 343.</ref>​

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Carter's statewide victory in Louisiana (and in nine other former [[Confederate States of American|Confederate]] states) worked to Huckaby's advantage. Huckaby received 83,696 votes (52.5 percent); Spooner, 75,574 ballots (47.5 percent). Spooner surpassed Passman's primary showing by 35,000 votes, which translated only into a 0.2 percent gain over Passman's primary share of the vote because of the much larger turnout in the general election. Spooner polled 59 percent in Ouachita Parish and also won in the parishes of Lincoln (Ruston), Morehouse (Bastrop), Union (Farmerville]], and Richland (Rayville), but his strength was insufficient to overcome large Democratic margins stretching from Huckaby's Bienville Parish on the west to Madison Parish (Tallulah) on the northeast, Concordia (Vidalia) on the southeast, and the most northern precincts of Rapides Parish ([[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]]) on the south. Spooner received just 27 percent in Bienville Parish and less than 40 percent in Madison and Winn parishes, the latter the ancestral home of the [[Huey Long|Long]] political faction.<ref>Office of the [[Louisiana Secretary of State]], Congressional Election Returns, 1976</ref><ref>''Louisiana History'', p. 349.</ref>​

Carter's statewide victory in Louisiana (and in nine other former [[Confederate States of American|Confederate]] states) worked to Huckaby's advantage. Huckaby received 83,696 votes (52.5 percent); Spooner, 75,574 ballots (47.5 percent). Spooner surpassed Passman's primary showing by 35,000 votes, which translated only into a 0.2 percent gain over Passman's primary share of the vote because of the much larger turnout in the general election. Spooner polled 59 percent in Ouachita Parish and also won in the parishes of Lincoln (Ruston), Morehouse (Bastrop), Union (Farmerville]], and Richland (Rayville), but his strength was insufficient to overcome large Democratic margins stretching from Huckaby's Bienville Parish on the west to Madison Parish (Tallulah) on the northeast, Concordia (Vidalia) on the southeast, and the most northern precincts of Rapides Parish ([[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]]) on the south. Spooner received just 27 percent in Bienville Parish and less than 40 percent in Madison and Winn parishes, the latter the ancestral home of the [[Huey Long|Long]] political faction.<ref>Office of the [[Louisiana Secretary of State]], Congressional Election Returns, 1976</ref><ref>''Louisiana History'', p. 349.</ref>​

==Later political activities==​

==Later political activities==​