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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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Top-name Republicans, including former Governors [[Ronald W. Reagan]] of California and [[John Connally|John B. Connally, Jr.]], of Texas, later rivals for the party's presidential nomination in 1980, came into the sprawling district, with a large agricultural component, to urge voters to elect Spooner. Connally lashed out at the increased power of the House Democratic Caucus, which he maintained had undermined the influence of the more moderate party members, such as then U.S. Senator [[Russell B. Long]] of Louisiana.<ref>''The Alexandria Town Talk''', October 26, 1976.</ref> Connally did not know Spooner, but he had known Mrs. Spooner, the former Mary Flippo, when she was a child in the Connally neighborhood in [[Fort Worth]] in the 1950s. Reagan and Connally gave the race a high profile and helped to provide critical financial support for Spooner<ref>''Louisiana History'', p. 348.</ref> Reagan appeared in Monroe and Connally in West Monroe and [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]], the oldest city in the state. Huckaby, who like Spooner was a political newcomer, nevertheless developed effective television advertising critical of out-of-state politicians trying to influence voters in an otherwise unnoticed Louisiana district.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/?spot=22703104|title=At Monroe Motel, Reagan Views Debate|last=Spurlock|first=Kathy|date=September 24, 1976|work=''The Monroe News-Star''|access-date=August 12, 2018|author-link2=Photographer Jack Dietle}}</ref><ref>''Louisiana History'', p. 348.</ref>​

Top-name Republicans, including former Governors [[Ronald W. Reagan]] of California and [[John Connally|John B. Connally, Jr.]], of Texas, later rivals for the party's presidential nomination in 1980, came into the sprawling district, with a large agricultural component, to urge voters to elect Spooner. Connally lashed out at the increased power of the House Democratic Caucus, which he maintained had undermined the influence of the more moderate party members, such as then U.S. Senator [[Russell Long]] of Louisiana.<ref>''The Alexandria Town Talk''', October 26, 1976.</ref> Connally did not know Spooner, but he had known Mrs. Spooner, the former Mary Flippo, when she was a child in the Connally neighborhood in [[Fort Worth]] in the 1950s. Reagan and Connally gave the race a high profile and helped to provide critical financial support for Spooner<ref>''Louisiana History'', p. 348.</ref> Reagan appeared in Monroe and Connally in West Monroe and [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]], the oldest city in the state. Huckaby, who like Spooner was a political newcomer, nevertheless developed effective television advertising critical of out-of-state politicians trying to influence voters in an otherwise unnoticed Louisiana district.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/?spot=22703104|title=At Monroe Motel, Reagan Views Debate|last=Spurlock|first=Kathy|date=September 24, 1976|work=''The Monroe News-Star''|access-date=August 12, 2018|author-link2=Photographer Jack Dietle}}

</ref><ref>''Louisiana History'', p. 348.</ref>​

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Spooner hoped to poll convincing majorities in urban areas of the district to offset expected losses in rural regions, where voting Republican was still comparatively rare at the time except for the presidential level on occasion. He aimed particularly at winning in his own Monroe and West Monroe as well as Natchitoches, [[Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]], Bastrop, and Winnfield. The [[general election]] turnout was more than double that of the Passman-Huckaby race because, while Huckaby and Spooner sought the House seat, in the same November 2 election, [[Jimmy Carter]] and the unelected incumbent, [[Gerald Ford]], were the nominees for U.S. President.<ref>''Louisiana History'', p. 349.</ref>​

Spooner hoped to poll convincing majorities in urban areas of the district to offset expected losses in rural regions, where voting Republican was still comparatively rare at the time except for the presidential level on occasion. He aimed particularly at winning in his own Monroe and West Monroe as well as Natchitoches, [[Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]], Bastrop, and Winnfield. The [[general election]] turnout was more than double that of the Passman-Huckaby race because, while Huckaby and Spooner sought the House seat, in the same November 2 election, [[Jimmy Carter]] and the unelected incumbent, [[Gerald Ford]], were the nominees for U.S. President.<ref>''Louisiana History'', p. 349.</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>​

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>​

Over the years, Spooner has supported former Governor [[Bobby Jindal]], former U.S. Senator [[David Vitter]], elected as Breaux's successor in 2004, and former U.S. Representative Rodney Alexander, who held the seat that Spooner contested from 2003 to 2013, by which time the district had expanded far south into Rapides and Avoyelles parishes and even into the Florida Parishes east of Baton Rouge. In 2004, Spooner contributed to Alexander's unsuccessful intraparty rival, former State Representative John Wyeth "Jock" Scott (1947-2009) of Alexandria.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.city-data.com/elec/elec-MONROE-LA.html|title=Monroe, Louisiana (LA) Political Contributions by Individuals|publisher=city-data.com|accessdate=September 17, 2013}}</ref> In 2007, Spooner donated to the presidential campaign of former Governor [[Mike Huckabee]] of Arkansas because he wanted a candidate with executive experience.<ref>''Louisiana History'', p. 353.</ref> ​

Over the years, Spooner has supported former Governor [[Bobby Jindal]], former U.S. Senator [[David Vitter]], elected as Breaux's successor in 2004, and former U.S. Representative Rodney Alexander, who held the seat that Spooner contested from 2003 to 2013, by which time the district had expanded far south into Rapides and Avoyelles parishes and even into the Florida Parishes east of Baton Rouge. In 2004, Spooner contributed to Alexander's unsuccessful intraparty rival, former State Representative John Wyeth "Jock" Scott (1947-2009) of Alexandria.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.city-data.com/elec/elec-MONROE-LA.html|title=Monroe, Louisiana (LA) Political Contributions by Individuals|publisher=city-data.com|accessdate=September 17, 2013}}</ref> In 2007, Spooner donated to the presidential campaign of former Governor [[Mike Huckabee]] of Arkansas because he wanted a candidate with executive experience.<ref>''Louisiana History'', p. 353.</ref> ​

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==Personal life==​

==Personal life==

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Spooner is a [[United Methodist]]<ref>''Louisiana History'', p. 343.</ref> and a donor to the Louisiana Methodist Children's Home orphanage in Monroe.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lmch.org/pathways/v37PathwaysSpring06.pdf|title=Donors: January 1, 2006 – April 30, 2006|publisher=Louisiana Methodist Children's Home|accessdate=September 17, 2013}}</ref>He was a member of the Optimist Club.<ref name=whoswho/>He and his wife have three daughters and eight grandchildren.​<ref>''Louisiana History'', p. 354.</ref>

Spooner is a [[United Methodist]]<ref>''Louisiana History'', p. 343.</ref> and a donor to the Louisiana Methodist Children's Home orphanage in Monroe.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lmch.org/pathways/v37PathwaysSpring06.pdf|title=Donors: January 1, 2006 – April 30, 2006|publisher=Louisiana Methodist Children's Home|accessdate=September 17, 2013}}</ref>He was a member of the Optimist Club.<ref name=whoswho/>He and his wife have three daughters and eight grandchildren.​<ref>''Louisiana History'', p. 354.</ref>