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'''Francis Edward Kennon, Jr.''', known as '''Ed Kennon'' (born August 31, 1938), is a multi-millionaire [[Shreveport]] real-estate developer and a former member of the [[Louisiana]] Public Service Commission, the regulatory body for [[oil]], [[natural gas]], and utilities. A [[Democratic Party|Democrat]],  Kennon represented north Louisiana on the PSC for two six-year terms from January 1, 1973, until December 31, 1984. During his tenure, the panel was enlarged from three to five members under a provision of the Louisiana Constitution of 1974. Kennon first represented thirty-three parishes in District 3 and then eighteen parishes in the smaller District 5. Kennon's uncle was [[Robert F. Kennon]], a [[conservative]] Democrat who served as governor of Louisiana from 1952 to 1956, sandwiched in between the two elected terms of [[Earl Long|Earl Kemp Long]]

'''Francis Edward Kennon, Jr.''', known as '''Ed Kennon''' (born August 31, 1938), is a multi-millionaire [[Shreveport]] real-estate developer and a former member of the [[Louisiana]] Public Service Commission, the regulatory body for [[oil]], [[natural gas]], and utilities. A [[Democratic Party|Democrat]],  Kennon represented north Louisiana on the PSC for two six-year terms from January 1, 1973, until December 31, 1984. During his tenure, the panel was enlarged from three to five members under a provision of the Louisiana Constitution of 1974. Kennon first represented thirty-three parishes in District 3 and then eighteen parishes in the smaller District 5. Kennon's uncle was [[Robert F. Kennon]], a [[conservative]] Democrat who served as governor of Louisiana from 1952 to 1956, sandwiched in between the two elected terms of [[Earl Long|Earl Kemp Long]]

==Background==

==Background==

==In the political arena==

==In the political arena==

Late in 1963, after Kennon's uncle failed to gain a Democratic runoff slot in a gubernatorial comeback attempt, Ed Kennon, as chairman of the Webster Parish Morrison for Governor Committee, in a public speech in Minden endorsed former [[New Orleans]] [[Mayor]] deLesseps Story "Chep" Morrison, Sr (1912-1964)., who was making a third bid for governor. (Robert Kennon sat out the runoff.) Despite Kennon's assistance, Morrison fared poorly in north Louisiana and lost the runoff to [[John J. McKeithen]], a folksy lawyer from tiny Columbia in Caldwell Parish south of [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]]. Coincidentally, gubernatorial candidate McKeithen then held the PSC seat to which Kennon would be elected eight years later.

Late in 1963, after Kennon's uncle failed to gain a Democratic runoff slot in a gubernatorial comeback attempt, Ed Kennon, as chairman of the Webster Parish Morrison for Governor Committee, in a public speech in Minden endorsed former [[New Orleans]] [[Mayor]] deLesseps Story "Chep" Morrison, Sr (1912-1964)., who was making a third bid for governor. (Robert Kennon sat out the runoff.) Despite Kennon's assistance, Morrison fared poorly in north Louisiana and lost the runoff to [[John J. McKeithen]], a folksy lawyer from tiny Columbia in Caldwell Parish south of [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]]. Coincidentally, gubernatorial candidate McKeithen then held the PSC seat to which Kennon would be elected eight years later.

On November 6, 1971, Kennon ran unsuccessfully in a 10-candidate Democratic field for lieutenant governor in an effort to succeed the retiring Clarence C. "Taddy" Aycock (1915-1987) of Franklin in St. Mary Parish in south Louisiana. Aycock instead ran for governor. Kennon finished third with 162,944 votes. Other candidates in the field included two bankers who served in the legislature, state Senator Jamar Adcock of Monroe and State Representative Percy Joseph "P.J." Mills of Shreveport, who finished narrowly behind Kennon in fourth place. Mills later headed Blue Cross Blue Shield in his native [[Baton Rouge]]. The party nomination and the general election went to former New Orleans City Councilman James E. "Jimmy" Fitzmorris, Jr., a former Morrison protégé. After he defeated Adcock in the party runoff election, Fitzmorris easily dispatched the Republican candidate, former State Representative Morley A. Hudson of Shreveport. Closed primaries ended in Louisiana in 1975, but they returned briefly in 2008 only for congressional races.  

On November 6, 1971, Kennon ran unsuccessfully in a 10-candidate Democratic field for lieutenant governor in an effort to succeed the retiring Clarence C. "Taddy" Aycock (1915-1987) of Franklin in St. Mary Parish in south Louisiana. Aycock instead ran for governor. Kennon finished third with 162,944 votes. Other candidates in the field included two bankers who served in the legislature, state Senator Jamar Adcock of Monroe and State Representative Percy Joseph "P.J." Mills of Shreveport, who finished narrowly behind Kennon in fourth place. Mills later headed Blue Cross Blue Shield in his native [[Baton Rouge]]. The party nomination and the general election went to former New Orleans City Councilman James E. "Jimmy" Fitzmorris, Jr., a former Morrison protégé. After he defeated Adcock in the party runoff election, Fitzmorris easily dispatched the Republican candidate, former State Representative Morley A. Hudson of Shreveport. Closed primaries ended in Louisiana in 1975, but they returned briefly in 2008 only for congressional races.  

In the lieutenant governor's race, Kennon also had to compete with a second candidate from Webster Parish, outgoing State Representative Parey Pershing Branton, Sr. (1918-2010), of [[rural]] Shongaloo. Branton was allied with gubernatorial candidate John Gerald Schwegmann of Jefferson Parish in the New Orleans suburbs. Ironically, Schwegmann later became one of Kennon's colleagues on the Public Service Commission. Statewide, Branton polled only 53,295 votes, fewer than one third of the votes that Kennon amassed.

In the lieutenant governor's race, Kennon also had to compete with a second candidate from Webster Parish, outgoing State Representative Parey Pershing Branton, Sr. (1918-2010), of [[rural]] Shongaloo. Branton was allied with gubernatorial candidate John Gerald Schwegmann of Jefferson Parish in the New Orleans suburbs. Ironically, Schwegmann later became one of Kennon's colleagues on the Public Service Commission. Statewide, Branton polled only 53,295 votes, fewer than one third of the votes that Kennon amassed.

==Election to the Public Service Commission==

==Public Service Commission==

In the August 19, 1972, Democratic primary for the PSC, Kennon challenged incumbent John Smoke Hunt, II, a Monroe attorney and a nephew of former Governors [[Huey Long|Huey]] and Earl Long. Hunt's mother, Lucille Long Hunt (1898–1985), was a sister of the two governors. Also in the race was a Long kinsman named "Huey P. Long" (1929–2004), then of [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]] in Rapides Parish. Hunt alleged that Kennon had recruited Long as a candidate to siphon away some of Hunt's pro-Long support.

In the August 19, 1972, Democratic primary for the PSC, Kennon challenged incumbent John Smoke Hunt, II, a Monroe attorney and a nephew of former Governors [[Huey Long|Huey]] and Earl Long. Hunt's mother, Lucille Long Hunt (1898–1985), was a sister of the two governors. Also in the race was a Long kinsman named "Huey P. Long" (1929–2004), then of [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]] in Rapides Parish. Hunt alleged that Kennon had recruited Long as a candidate to siphon away some of Hunt's pro-Long support.

In the primary, Kennon led with 122,573 votes (47.1 percent) to Hunt's 106,212 (40.8 percent). Long procured a critical 31,692 votes (12.2 percent). Kennon led in twenty-three parishes in the sprawling district, which then reached as far south as West Baton Rouge Parish. He won 58 percent in his own  Webster Parish and also procured pluralities in Natchitoches, La Salle, DeSoto, Avoyelles, St. Landry, and the Long traditional stronghold of Winn. Hunt led in ten parishes, including Caddo, Bossier, Lincoln, Ouachita, and Jackson.

In the primary, Kennon led with 122,573 votes (47.1 percent) to Hunt's 106,212 (40.8 percent). Long procured a critical 31,692 votes (12.2 percent). Kennon led in twenty-three parishes in the sprawling district, which then reached as far south as West Baton Rouge Parish. He won 58 percent in his own  Webster Parish and also procured pluralities in Natchitoches, La Salle, DeSoto, Avoyelles, St. Landry, and the Long traditional stronghold of Winn. Hunt led in ten parishes, including Caddo, Bossier, Lincoln, Ouachita, and Jackson.

Kennon unseated Hunt in the September 30 party runoff election, 125,877 votes (58 percent) to 90,833 (42 percent). Kennon won twenty-nine parishes to Hunt's four. Hunt lost his native Lincoln Parish in the runoff by 176 votes and held his home base, Ouachita Parish, by a single vote, 15,502 to 15,501. Kennon was unopposed in the November 7 general election, as no [[Republican Party|Republican]] candidate qualified for the ballot.

Kennon unseated Hunt in the September 30 party runoff election, 125,877 votes (58 percent) to 90,833 (42 percent). Kennon won twenty-nine parishes to Hunt's four. Hunt lost his native Lincoln Parish in the runoff by 176 votes and held his home base, Ouachita Parish, by a single vote, 15,502 to 15,501. Kennon was unopposed in the November 7 general election, as no [[Republican Party|Republican]] candidate qualified for the ballot.

On September 16, 1978, Kennon won his second term in the revised  PSC seat for the 5th district. In the nonpartisan blanket primary, he polled 124,147 votes (71 percent) to 50,652 (29 percent) for intraparty rival Wayne Martin Pender (born March 14, 1940) of Monroe. Kennon won all eighteen parishes. Again, there was no Republican candidate for the seat, once held by Huey P. Long, Jr., himself.

On September 16, 1978, Kennon won his second term in the revised  PSC seat for the 5th district. In the nonpartisan blanket primary, he polled 124,147 votes (71 percent) to 50,652 (29 percent) for intraparty rival Wayne Martin Pender (born March 14, 1940) of Monroe. Kennon won all eighteen parishes. Again, there was no Republican candidate for the seat, once held by Huey P. Long, Jr., himself.

==Personal life===

==Personal life===

Kennon was first married to the former Mary Virginia Nehring (1942–2002), "Miss Minden" in 1960, by whom he had a son, John Edward Kennon (1967–2003). He adopted two children by Virginia's first marriage to Rodney McMichael: Rodney Kennon (married to the former Jymme Story) of Bossier City and Kelly Kennon Gillis (born 1964) of Haughton in Bossier Parish.

Kennon was first married to the former Mary Virginia Nehring (1942–2002), "Miss Minden" in 1960, by whom he had a son, John Edward Kennon (1967–2003). He adopted two children by Virginia's first marriage to Rodney McMichael: Rodney Kennon (married to the former Jymme Story) of Bossier City and Kelly Kennon Gillis (born 1964) of Haughton in Bossier Parish.

After Kennon and Virginia divorced, he married the former [[Jenny Moreland Kennon|Jeanette Claire "Jenny" Woodard]] (born 1939), the widow of professional basketball player Jackie Moreland, also a graduate of Minden High School. After seven years of marriage, Kennon divorced Jeanette. He then wed the former Brenda Evans (born 1958). They have a daughter, Kari Melissa Kennon (born 1986).

After Kennon and Virginia divorced, he married the former [[Jenny Moreland Kennon|Jeanette Claire "Jenny" Woodard]] (born 1939), the widow of professional basketball player Jackie Moreland, also a graduate of Minden High School. After seven years of marriage, Kennon divorced Jeanette. He then wed the former Brenda Evans (born 1958). They have a daughter, Kari Melissa Kennon (born 1986).

The Kennons reside in the fashionable Ellerbe Road area of southeast Shreveport.

 

In 2013, the office of Louisiana Secretary of State [[Tom Schedler]] listed Kennon as an [[Independent]] voter.

Ed and Brenda Kennon reside in the fashionable Ellerbe Road area of southeast Shreveport.

 

In 2013, the office of Louisiana Secretary of State [[Tom Schedler]] listed Kennon as not a Democrat but an [[Independent]] voter.

==References==

==References==