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Rayburn resided in Bogalusa, the largest city in Washington Parish. He won a special election in 1981 to complete the term of Sheriff  Robert Lyons, a former Bogalusa juvenile officer who was elected in December 1979.​ Rayburn filled out the term of Lyons and was subsequently elected to a full term in 1983. In the 1987 contest for a second four-year term, he defeated three intra-party rivals to win the position outright with 10,366 votes (58.3 percent). Rayburn, Sr., on the same ballot for the state Senate, polled within Washington Parish 13,003 votes (76.8 percent), nearly 3,000 more than his son drew in the sheriff's race.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns in Washington Parish, 1987.</ref>

Rayburn resided in Bogalusa, the largest city in Washington Parish. He won a special election in 1981 to complete the term of Sheriff  Robert Lyons, a former Bogalusa juvenile officer who was elected in December 1979.​ Rayburn filled out the term of Lyons and was subsequently elected to a full term in 1983. In the 1987 contest for a second four-year term, he defeated three intra-party rivals to win the position outright with 10,366 votes (58.3 percent). Rayburn, Sr., on the same ballot for the state Senate, polled within Washington Parish 13,003 votes (76.8 percent), nearly 3,000 more than his son drew in the sheriff's race.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns in Washington Parish, 1987.</ref>

 

In 1991, Rayburn was forced into a second round of balloting, called the Louisiana [[general election]] even though his opponent was a fellow Democrat, Duane Blair. Rayburn led with 7,425 votes (43.5 percent) to Blair's 5,093 (29.8 percent). [[Republican Party|Republican]] Johnnie M. Holcomb (born c. 1932) of Bogalusa, who polled 3,132 votes (18.4 percent), was among three other primary candidates eliminated in the October 19 nonpartisan blanket primary. In the November 16 general election, Blair upset Rayburn, 9,884 votes (51.4 percent) to 9,332 (48.6 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns for Washington Parish, 1991.</ref>

In 1991, Rayburn was forced into a second round of balloting, called the Louisiana [[general election]] even though his opponent was a fellow Democrat, Duane Blair. Rayburn led with 7,425 votes (43.5 percent) to Blair's 5,093 (29.8 percent). [[Republican Party|Republican]] Johnnie M. Holcomb (born c. 1932) of Bogalusa, who polled 3,132 votes (18.4 percent), was among three other primary candidates eliminated in the October 19 nonpartisan blanket primary. In the November 16 general election, Blair upset Rayburn, 9,884 votes (51.4 percent) to 9,332 (48.6 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns for Washington Parish, 1991.</ref>

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