Changes

In 1972, Frye sought the then elected, and since appointed, position of Louisiana state education superintendent. He won the [[Republican Party|Republican]] nomination over Otis Romaine Russell (1933-1988), 8,245 votes (81.4 percent) to 1,889 (18.6 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Recapitulation, Republican Primary Election, November 6, 1971.</ref> Russell is a former controversial Baton Rouge Teamsters Union [[attorney]], who later confessed in 1980 during his legal disciplinary hearing to [[mental illness]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ladb.org/nxt/gateway.dll/SC-OLD/1980-09-03_58273.htm?fn=document-frame.htm$f=templates$3.0|title=Disciplinary Hearing: O. Romaine Russell|publisher=ladb.org|accessdate=February 6, 2011}}</ref> This was the last closed primary held for state and local offices in Louisiana because the state switched to the nonpartisan blanket primary four years later.​

In 1972, Frye sought the then elected, and since appointed, position of Louisiana state education superintendent. He won the [[Republican Party|Republican]] nomination over Otis Romaine Russell (1933-1988), 8,245 votes (81.4 percent) to 1,889 (18.6 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Recapitulation, Republican Primary Election, November 6, 1971.</ref> Russell is a former controversial Baton Rouge Teamsters Union [[attorney]], who later confessed in 1980 during his legal disciplinary hearing to [[mental illness]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ladb.org/nxt/gateway.dll/SC-OLD/1980-09-03_58273.htm?fn=document-frame.htm$f=templates$3.0|title=Disciplinary Hearing: O. Romaine Russell|publisher=ladb.org|accessdate=February 6, 2011}}</ref> This was the last closed primary held for state and local offices in Louisiana because the state switched to the nonpartisan blanket primary four years later.​

Frye had expected to face the two-term [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] [[incumbent]], [[Bill Dodd]], but Dodd was instead unseated in the party primary in 1971 by Louis Joseph Michot, Jr. (1922-2012)  of  [[Lafayette]],<ref>Coincidentally, Frye's middle name was "Lafayette", and his opponent, Louis J. Michot,  was from [[Lafayette]], Louisiana.</ref> a [[business]]man, former state representative, and member of the State Board of Education. Promising "fresh new approaches, Frye ran against Michot on the [[Republican Party|GOP]] ticket headed by [[governor|gubernatorial]] standard-bearer [[David C. Treen]], then of Jefferson Parish in  [[suburb]]an [[New Orleans]], who challenged the Democrat [[Edwin Edwards]]. Other Republicans running statewide in the February 1, 1972, [[general election]] were former State Representative Morley Alvin Hudson of [[Shreveport]], the nominee for lieutenant governor and Thomas Eaton Stagg, Jr. (1923-2015), also of Shreveport, the nominee for state attorney general. All of the statewide Republican candidates went down to defeat, but Treen led his party slate by polling 42.8 percent against Edwards, winner of the first of his four nonconsecutive terms in the office.<ref name=returns>Louisiana Secretary of State, February 1, 1972, general election returns</ref>​

Frye had expected to face the two-term [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] [[incumbent]], [[Bill Dodd]], but Dodd was instead unseated in the party primary in 1971 by Louis Joseph Michot, Jr. (1922-2012)  of  [[Lafayette]],<ref>Coincidentally, Frye's middle name was "Lafayette", and his opponent, Louis J. Michot,  was from [[Lafayette]], Louisiana.</ref> a [[business]]man, former state representative, and member of the State Board of Education. Promising "fresh new approaches, Frye ran against Michot on the [[Republican Party|GOP]] ticket headed by [[governor|gubernatorial]] standard-bearer [[David C. Treen]], then of Jefferson Parish in  [[suburb]]an [[New Orleans]], who challenged the Democrat [[Edwin Edwards]]. Other Republicans running statewide in the February 1, 1972, [[general election]] were former State Representative Morley Alvin Hudson of [[Shreveport]], the nominee for lieutenant governor and Thomas Eaton Stagg, Jr. (1923-2015), also of Shreveport, the nominee for state attorney general. All of the statewide Republican candidates went down to defeat, but Treen led his party slate by polling 42.8 percent against Edwards, winner of the first of his four nonconsecutive terms in the office.<ref name=returns>Louisiana Secretary of State, February 1, 1972, general election returns</ref>​

After Michot unseated Dodd, Frye telephoned him to offer congratulations. A few weeks later, Frye alleged that Michot, along with a brother, was operating a bar in Lafayette. Frye also claimed that Michot had offered him a high level job in a new Michot education department if Frye would withdraw from the general election contest.<ref name=mph>"Frye Released Papers Say Michot Unethical", ''Minden Press-Herald,'' January 27, 1972, p. 1.</ref> Michot denied the charges<ref name=mph/> and easily prevailed, 662,597 votes (63.5 percent) to Frye's 380,896 (36.5 percent).<ref name=returns/> At the time Frye challenged Michot, the Republican Party in Louisiana numbered fewer than 38,000 registrants in the state; Frye henced polled ten times the votes of his voter base. He lost his native  Webster and Tangipahoa Parish, where he resided at the time of that campaign. Frye polled majorities in East Baton Rouge Parish and five north Louisiana parishes: Caddo, Ouachita, LaSalle, Lincoln and Winn, the former stronghold of the [[Huey Long|Long]] political political faction.<ref name=returns/><ref>Billy Hathorn, "The Republican Party in Louisiana, 1920-1980", ([[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]], [[Louisiana]]: [[Northwestern State University]], 1980), p. 203</ref>

After Michot unseated Dodd, Frye telephoned him to offer congratulations. A few weeks later, Frye alleged that Michot, along with a brother, was operating a bar in Lafayette. Frye also claimed that Michot had offered him a high level job in a new Michot education department if Frye would withdraw from the general election contest.<ref name=mph>"Frye Released Papers Say Michot Unethical", ''Minden Press-Herald,'' January 27, 1972, p. 1.</ref> Michot denied the charges<ref name=mph/> and easily prevailed, 662,597 votes (63.5 percent) to Frye's 380,896 (36.5 percent).<ref name=returns/> At the time Frye challenged Michot, the Republican Party in Louisiana numbered fewer than 38,000 registrants in the state; Frye henced polled ten times the votes of his voter base. He lost his native  Webster and Tangipahoa Parish, where he resided at the time of that campaign. Frye polled majorities in East Baton Rouge Parish and five north Louisiana parishes: Caddo, Ouachita, LaSalle, Lincoln and Winn, the former stronghold of the [[Huey Long|Long]] political political faction.<ref name=returns/><ref>Billy Hathorn, "The Republican Party in Louisiana, 1920-1980", ([[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]], [[Louisiana]]: [[Northwestern State University]], 1980), p. 203</ref>

==Death and family==

==Death and family==

 

Years later, Frye retired to Springhill, located just south of the [[Arkansas]] state boundary. He died at the age of eighty-four. In addition to his wife, he is survived by four children, Robert Randal Frye (born 1947) of [[Tulsa]], [[Oklahoma]], Bettye Rene Frye (born 1951) of Baton Rouge, Deborah Jean Frye Ferachi (born 1952), and husband, Kenneth Raymond "Kenny" Ferachi (born 1950), of Plaquemine in Iberville Parish,  south of  Baton Rouge, and Kevin Dale Frye (born 1957) and wife Janice of Benton in Bossier Parish;  a sister, Nona Rhea Walker (1920-2016) of Baton Rouge; six grandchildren, and ten great-grandchildren.<ref name=obit/> He was predeceased by his brother, Dr. Jennings Bryan Frye, Jr. (1918–2005), of Baton Rouge.<ref name=obit/>​

Years later, Frye retired to Springhill, located just south of the [[Arkansas]] state boundary. He died at the age of eighty-four. In addition to his wife, he is survived by four children, Robert Randal Frye (born 1947) of [[Tulsa]], [[Oklahoma]], Bettye Rene Frye (born 1951) of Baton Rouge, Deborah Jean Frye Ferachi (born 1952), and husband, Kenneth Raymond "Kenny" Ferachi (born 1950), of Plaquemine in Iberville Parish,  south of  Baton Rouge, and Kevin Dale Frye (born 1957) and wife Janice of Benton in Bossier Parish;  a sister, Nona Rhea Walker (1920-2016) of Baton Rouge; six grandchildren, and ten great-grandchildren.<ref name=obit/> He was predeceased by his brother, Dr. Jennings Bryan Frye, Jr. (1918–2005), of Baton Rouge.<ref name=obit/>​

==References==

==References==

{{reflist}}

{{reflist}}

 

{{DEFAULTSORT:Frye, Robert L.}}​

{{DEFAULTSORT:Frye, Robert L.}}​

[[Category:Louisiana People]]​

[[Category:Louisiana People]]​