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{{Infobox person

{{Infobox person

(Louisiana attorney and Republican political activist)

(Louisiana attorney and Republican political activist)

|birth_place=[[New Orleans]], [[Louisiana]], USA​

|birth_place=[[New Orleans]], [[Louisiana]], USA​

|birth_date=August 10, 1923​

|birth_date=August 10, 1923​

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'''George Wilson Reese, Jr.''' (August 10, 1923 &ndash; January 22, 1998),<ref name=reeseancestry>{{cite web|url=http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?gl=ROOT_CATEGORY&rank=1&new=1&so=3&MSAV=0&msT=1&gss=ms_f-2_s&gsfn=George+Wilson&gsln=Reese&mswpn__ftp=New+Orleans%2C+LA&msbdy=1924&uidh=upc|title=George Wilson Reese Jr.|publisher=search.ancestry.com|accessdate=January 6, 2015}}</ref> was an [[attorney]] from [[New Orleans]], [[Louisiana]], who was a leading figure in the development of his state's [[Republican Party]]  

'''George Wilson Reese, Jr.''' (August 10, 1923 &ndash; January 22, 1998),<ref name=reeseancestry>{{cite web|url=http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?gl=ROOT_CATEGORY&rank=1&new=1&so=3&MSAV=0&msT=1&gss=ms_f-2_s&gsfn=George+Wilson&gsln=Reese&mswpn__ftp=New+Orleans%2C+LA&msbdy=1924&uidh=upc|title=George Wilson Reese Jr.|publisher=search.ancestry.com|accessdate=January 6, 2015}}</ref> was an [[attorney]] from [[New Orleans]], [[Louisiana]], who was a leading figure in the development of his state's [[Republican Party]]  

during the 1950s and the 1960s. He ran in the 1st congressional district for the [[United States House of Representatives]] against [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] Felix Edward Hébert in 1952 and 1954 and for the [[United States Senate]] in 1960 against incumbent [[Allen J. Ellender]]. He was prior to 1960 the state's [[Republican National Committee|Republican national committeeman]]. ​

during the 1950s and the 1960s. He ran in the 1st congressional district for the [[United States House of Representatives]] against [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] Felix Edward Hébert in 1952 and 1954 and for the [[United States Senate]] in 1960 against incumbent [[Allen J. Ellender]]. He was prior to 1960 the state's [[Republican National Committee|Republican national committeeman]].

 

==Background==​

==Background==

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Reese was the only son of George Reese, Sr. (1886–1952), a native [[California]]n who worked for the ''New Orleans Times-Picayune'' [[newspaper]], and the former Marcelle Josephine Jacquet (1891-1973), who died in Donaldsonville in Ascension Parish.<ref name=genealogy>{{cite web|url=http://louisiana-genealogy.com/Orleans-Parish/R/Reese.htm|title=Reese - Orleans Parish, 1940 Census|publisher=Louisiana.genealogy.com|accessdate=January 6, 2015}}</ref>  He had two sisters, Marcelle Reese LeBlanc Couhig (1916-1985) and Rosemary Reese (1922-2000), who like her mother died in Donaldsonville.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://genforum.genealogy.com/reese/messages/460.html|title=Reeses of the Felicianas in Louisiana|publisher=genforum.genealogy.com|accessdate=January 6, 2015}}</ref>  

Reese was the only son of George Reese, Sr. (1886–1952), a native [[California]]n who worked for the ''New Orleans Times-Picayune'' [[newspaper]], and the former Marcelle Josephine Jacquet (1891-1973), who died in Donaldsonville in Ascension Parish.<ref name=genealogy>{{cite web|url=http://louisiana-genealogy.com/Orleans-Parish/R/Reese.htm|title=Reese - Orleans Parish, 1940 Census|publisher=Louisiana.genealogy.com|accessdate=January 6, 2015}}</ref>  He had two sisters, Marcelle Reese LeBlanc Couhig (1916-1985) and Rosemary Reese (1922-2000), who like her mother died in Donaldsonville.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://genforum.genealogy.com/reese/messages/460.html|title=Reeses of the Felicianas in Louisiana|publisher=genforum.genealogy.com|accessdate=January 6, 2015}}</ref>  

Marcelle Reese was first married to Sam LeBlan, Jr., who was killed during [[World War II]]; the couple had a daughter and a son, Sam A. LeBlanc, III, who served as a Democrat in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1972 to 1980 and practices law in St. Francisville in West Feliciana Parish. From her second marriage to Robert E. Couhig, Sr., Marcelle began working in the hospitality business and wrote ''The Asphodel Plantation Cookbook'', with regional recipes. Robert and Marcelle Couhig had, among several children, two other sons who entered politics as Republicans, Robert E. "Rob" Couhig, Jr., a New Orleans [[business]]man and former candidate for the United States House of Representatives from Louisiana's 2nd congressional district and for [[mayor]] of New Orleans, and Kevin H. Couhig, the first president of West Feliciana Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theadvocate/obituary.aspx?n=robert-e-couhig-bob&pid=171165165#sthash.TKjpLoSb.dpuf|title=Robert E. "Bob" Couhig Sr. Obituary|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|accessdate=May 30, 2014}}</ref> LeBlanc and the Couhigs are hence maternal nephews of George Reese, Jr.​

Marcelle Reese was first married to Sam LeBlan, Jr., who was killed during [[World War II]]; the couple had a daughter and a son, Sam A. LeBlanc, III, who served as a Democrat in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1972 to 1980 and practices law in St. Francisville in West Feliciana Parish. From her second marriage to Robert E. Couhig, Sr., Marcelle began working in the hospitality business and wrote ''The Asphodel Plantation Cookbook'', with regional recipes. Robert and Marcelle Couhig had, among several children, two other sons who entered politics as Republicans, Robert E. "Rob" Couhig, Jr., a New Orleans [[business]]man and former candidate for the United States House of Representatives from Louisiana's 2nd congressional district and for [[mayor]] of New Orleans, and Kevin H. Couhig, the first president of West Feliciana Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theadvocate/obituary.aspx?n=robert-e-couhig-bob&pid=171165165#sthash.TKjpLoSb.dpuf|title=Robert E. "Bob" Couhig Sr. Obituary|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|accessdate=May 30, 2014}}</ref> LeBlanc and the Couhigs are hence maternal nephews of George Reese, Jr.​

 

In the 1940 census, Reese was listed as a resident of 1125 Royal Street in Ward 6 in New Orleans.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ancestry.com/1940-census/usa/Louisiana/Marcelle-Reese_49jxjh|title=Marcelle Reese in the 1940 Census|publisher=ancestry.com|accessdate=January 6, 2015}}</ref> After two years of college, Reese served from 1942 to 1945 during [[World War II]] in the [[United States Army]] Air Corps, the forerunner to the [[United States Air Force|Air Force]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?rank=1&new=1&MSAV=0&msT=1&gss=angs-c&gsfn=George+Wilson&gsln=Reese+Jr.&mswpn__ftp=New+Orleans&msbdy=1923&uidh=upc&pcat=39&h=518570&recoff=5+6+7&db=WWIIenlist&indiv=1&ml_rpos=16|title=George W. Reese Jr.|publisher=search.ancestry.com|accessdate=January 7, 2015}}</ref>​

In the 1940 census, Reese was listed as a resident of 1125 Royal Street in Ward 6 in New Orleans.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ancestry.com/1940-census/usa/Louisiana/Marcelle-Reese_49jxjh|title=Marcelle Reese in the 1940 Census|publisher=ancestry.com|accessdate=January 6, 2015}}</ref> After two years of college, Reese served from 1942 to 1945 during [[World War II]] in the [[United States Army]] Air Corps, the forerunner to the [[United States Air Force|Air Force]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?rank=1&new=1&MSAV=0&msT=1&gss=angs-c&gsfn=George+Wilson&gsln=Reese+Jr.&mswpn__ftp=New+Orleans&msbdy=1923&uidh=upc&pcat=39&h=518570&recoff=5+6+7&db=WWIIenlist&indiv=1&ml_rpos=16|title=George W. Reese Jr.|publisher=search.ancestry.com|accessdate=January 7, 2015}}</ref>​

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He thereafter graduated from [[Tulane University]] and the Tulane Law School of Law in New Orleans. He was a member of Phi Delta Phi.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.phideltaphi.org/person/4615943/-George-Reese.htm|title=George Wilson Reese Jr.|publisher=Phideltaphi.org|accessdate=January 6, 2015}}</ref>

He thereafter graduated from [[Tulane University]] and the Tulane Law School of Law in New Orleans. He was a member of Phi Delta Phi.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.phideltaphi.org/person/4615943/-George-Reese.htm|title=George Wilson Reese, Jr.|publisher=Phideltaphi.org|accessdate=January 6, 2015}}</ref>

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Reese polled 109,698 votes (20.2 percent) in the [[general election]]; Ellender, 432,228 (79.8 percent). Reese polled less than half the vote that Nixon received in Louisiana, whereas Ellender outpolled Kennedy by nearly 25,000. Some 266,000 who voted in the presidential contest skipped the Senate race altogether.<ref name=gopinla/><ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, General election returns, November 8, 1960.</ref> Ellender held the seat from 1936 until his death in office in 1972.​

Reese polled 109,698 votes (20.2 percent) in the [[general election]]; Ellender, 432,228 (79.8 percent). Reese polled less than half the vote that Nixon received in Louisiana, whereas Ellender outpolled Kennedy by nearly 25,000. Some 266,000 who voted in the presidential contest skipped the Senate race altogether.<ref name=gopinla/><ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, General election returns, November 8, 1960.</ref> Ellender held the seat from 1936 until his death in office in 1972.​

 

In the summer of 1977, U.S. Senators [[Russell Long]] and [[J. Bennett Johnston Jr.]], Ellender's long-term successor, submitted Reese's name to [[U.S. President]] [[Jimmy Carter]]  to become the U.S. attorney for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, based in New Orleans. Some [[African-American]]s objected because of Reese's former activities in the Republican Party. The [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] notified Reese of "allegations" that he drank and gambled and once procured a loan from a financial institution with mob ties. A shocked Reese withdrew his nomination, and John Volz was proclaimed the Carter administration's preferred candidate. A Democrat at the time, Volz subsequently switched his registration to Republican and was held over by the  [[Ronald W. Reagan]] administration. Thereafter, Volz prosecuted [[Mafia]] figure Carlos Marcello and a number of Democratic office holders,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thelensnola.org/2012/12/18/with-letten-gone-tis-the-season-for-intrigue-and-wild-rumors/|title=With Letten gone, 'tis the season for intrigue and wild rumors|publisher=thelensnola.org|author=Mark Moseley|date=December 18, 2012|accessdate=January 6, 2015}}</ref> including former Commissioner of Administration [[Charles E. Roemer, II]], Orleans Parish]] District Attorney Harry Connick Sr., state Senate President Michael  H. O'Keefe, Sr], and [[Governor]] [[Edwin Edwards]].<ref>{{cite web​

In the summer of 1977, U.S. Senators [[Russell Long]] and [[J. Bennett Johnston, Jr.]], Ellender's long-term successor, submitted Reese's name to [[U.S. President]] [[Jimmy Carter]]  to become the U.S. attorney for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, based in New Orleans. Some [[African-American]]s objected because of Reese's former activities in the Republican Party. The [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] notified Reese of "allegations" that he drank and gambled and once procured a loan from a financial institution with mob ties. A shocked Reese withdrew his nomination, and John Volz was proclaimed the Carter administration's preferred candidate. A Democrat at the time, Volz subsequently switched his registration to Republican and was held over by the  [[Ronald W. Reagan]] administration. Thereafter, Volz prosecuted [[Mafia]] figure Carlos Marcello and a number of Democratic office holders,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thelensnola.org/2012/12/18/with-letten-gone-tis-the-season-for-intrigue-and-wild-rumors/|title=With Letten gone, 'tis the season for intrigue and wild rumors|publisher=thelensnola.org|author=Mark Moseley|date=December 18, 2012|accessdate=January 6, 2015}}</ref> including former Commissioner of Administration [[Charles E. Roemer, II]], Orleans Parish]] District Attorney Harry Connick Sr., state Senate President Michael  H. O'Keefe, Sr], and [[Governor]] [[Edwin Edwards]].<ref>{{cite web​

|url=http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2011/02/former_us_attorney_john_volz_d.html|author=John Pope|title=John Volz: Prosecutor took on powerful foes|publisher=''New Orleans Times-Picayune''|date=February 13, 2011|accessdate=April 4, 2019}}</ref>

|url=http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2011/02/former_us_attorney_john_volz_d.html|author=John Pope|title=John Volz: Prosecutor took on powerful foes|publisher=''New Orleans Times-Picayune''|date=February 13, 2011|accessdate=April 4, 2019}}</ref>