Changes

In 1959, Reese, as the Louisiana Republican national committeeman, and LeRoy Charles Smallenberger (1912-2002), an attorney in [[Shreveport]] who was elected the state party chairman in 1960, became involved in an intra-party feud with Thomas Eaton "Tom" Stagg, Jr. (1923-2015), another Shreveport lawyer and subsequent judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, and Charles Thomas Beaird (1922-2006), the later publisher of the defunct ''[[Shreveport Journal]]'' and a then Republican member of the  Caddo Parish Police Jury. Stagg and Beaird objected when Reese endorsed, with Smallenberger in agreement, a slate of candidates for party position on both the state and parish committees. Stagg argued that Reese had attempted to assemble a group of "yes-men" and had hence "earned the enmity of a large number of fair-minded Republicans".<ref>"GOP Faction Fight Erupts Over Primary: 4th District Head Charges Attempt to Pack Committee", ''The Shreveport Times'', December 2, 1959, p. 1.</ref> Reese, however, defended his endorsements, most of whom won their primary races, on the premise that he as a statewide party leader was obligated to recommend suitable candidates to the rank-and-file.<ref>"Endorsements Defended by GOP Leader: Reese answers attack by Stagg as Faction Fight", ''The Shreveport Times'', December 3, 1959, pp. 1, 4.</ref> At the time, Reese appointed Smallenberger as the "assistant national committeeman for North Louisiana".<ref>"Attorney Here Appointed to GOP Position", ''The Shreveport Times'', December 2, 1959, p. 4-A.</ref>​

In 1959, Reese, as the Louisiana Republican national committeeman, and LeRoy Charles Smallenberger (1912-2002), an attorney in [[Shreveport]] who was elected the state party chairman in 1960, became involved in an intra-party feud with Thomas Eaton "Tom" Stagg, Jr. (1923-2015), another Shreveport lawyer and subsequent judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, and Charles Thomas Beaird (1922-2006), the later publisher of the defunct ''[[Shreveport Journal]]'' and a then Republican member of the  Caddo Parish Police Jury. Stagg and Beaird objected when Reese endorsed, with Smallenberger in agreement, a slate of candidates for party position on both the state and parish committees. Stagg argued that Reese had attempted to assemble a group of "yes-men" and had hence "earned the enmity of a large number of fair-minded Republicans".<ref>"GOP Faction Fight Erupts Over Primary: 4th District Head Charges Attempt to Pack Committee", ''The Shreveport Times'', December 2, 1959, p. 1.</ref> Reese, however, defended his endorsements, most of whom won their primary races, on the premise that he as a statewide party leader was obligated to recommend suitable candidates to the rank-and-file.<ref>"Endorsements Defended by GOP Leader: Reese answers attack by Stagg as Faction Fight", ''The Shreveport Times'', December 3, 1959, pp. 1, 4.</ref> At the time, Reese appointed Smallenberger as the "assistant national committeeman for North Louisiana".<ref>"Attorney Here Appointed to GOP Position", ''The Shreveport Times'', December 2, 1959, p. 4-A.</ref>​

Along with his senatorial campaign manager Richard Lowrie Hagy (1921-1992), also of New Orleans,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Hagy&GSfn=Richard&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=20&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=8014723&df=all&|title=Richard Lowrie Hagy|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=January 6, 2015}}</ref> Reese and Tom Stagg were among the Louisiana delegation to the 1960 [[Republican National Convention]] in [[Chicago]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/reese.html|title=George W. Reese Jr.|publisher=The Political Graveyard|accessdate=January 6, 2015}}</ref> Smallenberger and Harrison Bagwell, the Baton Rouge lawyer who was the Republican gubernatorial nominee in 1952 against [[Robert F. Kennon]], were alternate delegates to the Chicago conclave.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://politicalgraveyard.com/parties/R/1960/LA.html|title=Louisiana delegation to the 1960 Republican National Convention|publisher=The Political Graveyard|accessdate=January 6, 2015}}</ref>​

Along with his senatorial campaign manager Richard Lowrie Hagy (1921-1992), also of New Orleans,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Hagy&GSfn=Richard&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=20&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=8014723&df=all&|title=Richard Lowrie Hagy|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=January 6, 2015}}</ref> Reese and Tom Stagg were among the Louisiana delegation to the 1960 [[Republican National Convention]] in [[Chicago]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/reese.html|title=George W. Reese Jr.|publisher=The Political Graveyard|accessdate=January 6, 2015}}</ref> Smallenberger and Harrison Bagwell, the Baton Rouge lawyer who was the Republican gubernatorial nominee in 1952 against [[Robert F. Kennon]], were alternate delegates to the Chicago conclave.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://politicalgraveyard.com/parties/R/1960/LA.html|title=Louisiana delegation to the 1960 Republican National Convention|publisher=The Political Graveyard|accessdate=January 6, 2015}}</ref>​ The party  nominated Vice President [[Richard M. Nixon]] to run in the presidential election against U.S. Senator [[John F. Kennedy]], who subsequently handily won all of Louisiana's then ten [[electoral vote]]s.​

The party  nominated Vice President [[Richard M. Nixon]] to run in the presidential election against U.S. Senator [[John F. Kennedy]], who subsequently handily won all of Louisiana's then ten [[electoral vote]]s.​

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Two days before the Republican convention in Chicago began its proceedings, Reese won a low-turnout senatorial closed primary victory over William Dane (1893-1966) of New Orleans.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Dane&GSfn=William+&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=20&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=119327828&df=all&|title=William Dane|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=January 7, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/7995658/|title=Primary election preview|publisher=''Lake Charles American-Press''|date=July 21, 1960|page=3|accessdate=January 6, 2015}}</ref> With just over 1,000 votes cast, Reese received 762; Dane, 278.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Republican primary returns, July 23, 1960.</ref> Reese then attended the convention and thereafter campaigned across the state in the fall. In [[Lake Charles]], he claimed that Senator Ellender had been lax in protecting military installations in Louisiana from being downsized or dismantled, with the impacted military services sent to bases in other states. "There has been inadequate representation of the state in these matters," Reese said.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/8302195/|title=The election of a Republican senator from Louisiana can reverse the trend of removal of federal installations from the state ...|publisher=''Lake Charles American-Press''|date=October 26, 1960|page=37|accessdate=January 6, 2015}}</ref>  

Two days before the Republican convention in Chicago began its proceedings, Reese won a low-turnout senatorial closed primary victory over William Dane (1893-1966) of New Orleans.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Dane&GSfn=William+&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=20&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=119327828&df=all&|title=William Dane|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=January 7, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/7995658/|title=Primary election preview|publisher=''Lake Charles American-Press''|date=July 21, 1960|page=3|accessdate=January 6, 2015}}</ref> With just over 1,000 votes cast, Reese received 762; Dane, 278.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Republican primary returns, July 23, 1960.</ref> Reese then attended the convention and thereafter campaigned across the state in the fall. In [[Lake Charles]], he claimed that Senator Ellender had been lax in protecting military installations in Louisiana from being downsized or dismantled, with the impacted military services sent to bases in other states. "There has been inadequate representation of the state in these matters," Reese said.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/8302195/|title=The election of a Republican senator from Louisiana can reverse the trend of removal of federal installations from the state ...|publisher=''Lake Charles American-Press''|date=October 26, 1960|page=37|accessdate=January 6, 2015}}</ref>