Changes

==Williamson's ties to the Longs==

==Williamson's ties to the Longs==

Don Williamson served on the Caddo Parish School Board (1958–1968) and was a Louisiana state representative (1968–1972) and a state senator (1972–1980). He was an unsuccessful candidate for Louisiana insurance commissioner in 1979 and twice for mayor of Shreveport — 1982 and 1986.[8] Don Williamson recalled his father's friendship with both Huey and Earl Long. Williamson, then no more than six years of age, said that he can recall Huey Long, with his entourage, driving into Vivian, picking up Don's father, Earl Williamson, and heading to the racetrack in Hot Springs, [[Arkansas]]. He remembers his father going with Earl Long to Long's "pea-patch farm" home in Winnfield. Earl Williamson always stayed in the (former) governor's mansion during the Long administrations whenever he visited Baton Rouge. After the shooting of Huey Long in 1935, Earl Williamson rushed to [[Baton Rouge]] to be a part of what turned out to have been the death vigil of his fallen friend and political ally. Williamson said that some of these recollections were refreshed by family political stories.[9] Don Williamson said that he did not share his father's commitment to Longism, that he was more independent and reform-minded than his father and tried to look at issues and candidates on their merits without regard to overreaching factional or partisan concerns. Still, Don Williamson said that he understood how his father and others of that generation were attracted to Longism with its promise of homestead exemptions and populist programs.[10] Earl Williamson supported the States' Rights Party presidential nominee, then [[South Carolina]] [[Governor]] [[Strom Thurmond]], in 1948. Turmond was actually the official Democratic nominee in Louisiana. Don Williamson said that he believes his father voted for [[Barry Goldwater]] in the 1964 presidential election over the successful Democrat, [[Lyndon B. Johnson]], but unlike other Caddo Parish Democrats, such as state Senator Jackson B. Davis, who served from 1956 to 1980, and Sheriff J. Howell Flournoy, who openly endorsed Goldwater, Williamson remained officially silent. And in 1992, Earl Williamson wore a button and carried a placard while in his wheelchair for the independent presidential candidate [[Ross Perot]]. Don Williamson also recalled that his father, unlike most Democrats, strongly opposed U.S. President [[Harry Truman]]'s dismissal of General [[Douglas MacArthur]] from the [[U.S. Army]] command in the [[Korean War]].[11]

Don Williamson served on the Caddo Parish School Board (1958–1968) and was a Louisiana state representative (1968–1972) and a state senator (1972–1980). He was an unsuccessful candidate for Louisiana insurance commissioner in 1979 and twice for mayor of Shreveport — 1982 and 1986.[8] Don Williamson recalled his father's friendship with both Huey and Earl Long. Williamson, then no more than six years of age, said that he can recall Huey Long, with his entourage, driving into Vivian, picking up Don's father, Earl Williamson, and heading to the racetrack in Hot Springs, [[Arkansas]]. He remembers his father going with Earl Long to Long's "pea-patch farm" home in Winnfield. Earl Williamson always stayed in the (former) governor's mansion during the Long administrations whenever he visited Baton Rouge. After the shooting of Huey Long in 1935, Earl Williamson rushed to [[Baton Rouge]] to be a part of what turned out to have been the death vigil of his fallen friend and political ally. Williamson said that some of these recollections were refreshed by family political stories.[9] Don Williamson said that he did not share his father's commitment to Longism, that he was more independent and reform-minded than his father and tried to look at issues and candidates on their merits without regard to overreaching factional or partisan concerns. Still, Don Williamson said that he understood how his father and others of that generation were attracted to Longism with its promise of homestead exemptions and populist programs.[10] Earl Williamson supported the States' Rights Party presidential nominee, then [[South Carolina]] [[Governor]] [[Strom Thurmond]], in 1948. Thurmond was actually the official Democratic nominee in Louisiana. Don Williamson said that he believes his father voted for [[Barry Goldwater]] in the 1964 presidential election over the successful Democrat, [[Lyndon B. Johnson]], but unlike other Caddo Parish Democrats, such as state Senator Jackson Beauregard Davis, who served from 1956 to 1980, and Sheriff [[J. Howell Flournoy]], who openly endorsed Goldwater, Williamson remained officially silent. And in 1992, Earl Williamson wore a button and carried a placard while in his wheelchair for the independent presidential candidate [[Ross Perot]]. Don Williamson also recalled that his father, unlike most Democrats, strongly opposed U.S. President [[Harry Truman]]'s dismissal of General [[Douglas MacArthur]] from the [[U.S. Army]] command in the [[Korean War]].[11]

==As regional highway director==

==As regional highway director==