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→Custodian of voting machines
In 1963 to 1964, Fowler defeated Raymond Laborde, the mayor of Marksville in Avoyelles Parish, and later a state representative from 1972 to 1992, and commissioner of administration in the fourth and final term of Edwin Edwards. An Edwards boyhood friend, Laborde ran on the intra-party ticket headed by Chep Morrison. Laborde argued unsuccessfully at the time for the abolition of Fowler's office. All of the Morrison candidates were defeated.
In 1963 to 1964, Fowler defeated Raymond Laborde, the mayor of Marksville in Avoyelles Parish, and later a state representative from 1972 to 1992, and commissioner of administration in the fourth and final term of Edwin Edwards. An Edwards boyhood friend, Laborde ran on the intra-party ticket headed by Chep Morrison. Laborde argued unsuccessfully at the time for the abolition of Fowler's office. All of the Morrison candidates were defeated.
Fowler was thereafter easily reelected to his administrative position in 1968, 1972, and 1975.
Fowler was thereafter easily reelected to his administrative position in 1968, 1972, and 1975.
==Later challengers==
==Later challengers==
In 1971, Fowler won Democratic re-nomination over several candidates, including '''Jerome Sauer''', who raised questions about the validity of voting machines in providing an accurate voter count.<ref>''Minden Press-Herald,'' November 6, 1971.</ref> Fowler then faced only his second Republican opponent, Edward Wilhelm Christiansen, Jr.(November 10, 1923 – August 28, 2014), a native of [[Savannah]], [[Georgia]], and a retired [[United States Air Force|Air Force]] [[lieutenant colonel]] who had volunteered for the [[United States Army]] Air Corps during [[World War II]]. He flew more than twenty missions as a [[Martin B-26 Marauder|B-26]] pilot in the European Theater of Operations. After the war, Christiansen flew 121 missions as a transport pilot in the [[Berlin Airlift]]. He was thereafter a fighter pilot in Germany. On leaving the military, Christiansen worked in the hotel/tourism business. For twenty years he was a manager and part-owner of the Saint Charles Inn on St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://obits.nola.com/obituaries/nola/obituary.aspx?n=edward-wilhelm-christiansen&pid=172301343&fhid=5630#sthash.UufX79qn.dpuf|title=Edward Wilhelm Christiansen, Jr.|publisher=''The New Orleans Times-Picayune''|accessdate=August 31, 2014}}</ref>
In 1971, Fowler won Democratic re-nomination over several candidates, including '''Jerome Sauer''', who raised questions about the validity of voting machines in providing an accurate voter count.<ref>''Minden Press-Herald,'' November 6, 1971.</ref> Fowler then faced only his second Republican opponent, Edward Wilhelm Christiansen, Jr.(November 10, 1923 – August 28, 2014), a native of [[Savannah]], [[Georgia]], and a retired [[United States Air Force|Air Force]] [[lieutenant colonel]] who had volunteered for the [[United States Army]] Air Corps during [[World War II]]. He flew more than twenty missions as a [[Martin B-26 Marauder|B-26]] pilot in the European Theater of Operations. After the war, Christiansen flew 121 missions as a transport pilot in the [[Berlin Airlift]]. He was thereafter a fighter pilot in Germany. On leaving the military, Christiansen worked in the hotel/tourism business. For twenty years he was a manager and part-owner of the Saint Charles Inn on [[St. Charles Avenue]] in New Orleans.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://obits.nola.com/obituaries/nola/obituary.aspx?n=edward-wilhelm-christiansen&pid=172301343&fhid=5630#sthash.UufX79qn.dpuf|title=Edward Wilhelm Christiansen, Jr.|publisher=''The New Orleans Times-Picayune''|accessdate=August 31, 2014}}</ref>
Christiansen was also a former [[mathematics]] instructor at [[Tulane University]] in New Orleans. He was a delegate to the 1972 Republican National Convention held in MIami Beach, [[Florida]]. In the campaign against Fowler, Christiansen proposed that modern electronic voting devices be adopted to replace what he called "bulky, heavy, cumbersome, cantankerous" voting machines in use since the administration of Governor [[Robert F. Kennon]]. Voting machines, often called "Shoup machines" for their inventor, Ransom Shoup, were used in some of the more populous parishes, including East Baton Rouge, Caddo, and Calcasieu prior to the Kennon administration, but it was Kennon who pushed for electronic machines in all precincts.
Christiansen was also a former [[mathematics]] instructor at [[Tulane University]] in New Orleans. He was a delegate to the 1972 Republican National Convention held in MIami Beach, [[Florida]]. In the campaign against Fowler, Christiansen proposed that modern electronic voting devices be adopted to replace what he called "bulky, heavy, cumbersome, cantankerous" voting machines in use since the administration of Governor [[Robert F. Kennon]]. Voting machines, often called "Shoup machines" for their inventor, Ransom Shoup, were used in some of the more populous parishes, including East Baton Rouge, Caddo, and Calcasieu prior to the Kennon administration, but it was Kennon who pushed for electronic machines in all precincts.