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Baker polled 175,017 votes in the primary, just enough to enter the general election against Jerry Fowler. Baker and his gubernatorial ticket mate, [[David C. Treen]], then of Jefferson Parish, were the first Louisiana Republicans to win statewide general election slots since the implementation of the nonpartisan primary law in 1975.
Baker polled 175,017 votes in the primary, just enough to enter the general election against Jerry Fowler. Baker and his gubernatorial ticket mate, [[David C. Treen]], then of Jefferson Parish, were the first Louisiana Republicans to win statewide general election slots since the implementation of the nonpartisan primary law in 1975.
In the second round of balloting, Fowler polled 762,324 votes (62.8 percent) to Baker's 452,189 (37.2 percent). Baker won 68.1 percent in his own Franklin Parish, which Treen lost to the Democrat Louis Lambert of Baton Rouge. Baker received 55.8 percent and 51.2 percent in his neighboring Richland and Ouachita parishes, respectively. He polled 49.1 percent in Caddo Parish (Shreveport) and ran nearly as well in Calcasieu Parish ([[Lake Charles]]),<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, December 8, 1979.</ref> where he had the support of reform former state Senator Robert Gambrell "Bob" Jones, a Democrat-turned Republican and the son of former Governor [[Sam Houston Jones]]. Fowler though could claim an impressive victory under the circumstances, and he vowed to continue the spirit of public service epitomized by his ailing father, who died weeks before his son could take the oath of office as his successor.
In the second round of balloting, Fowler polled 762,324 votes (62.8 percent) to Baker's 452,189 (37.2 percent). Baker won 68.1 percent in his own Franklin Parish, which Treen lost to the Democrat Louis Lambert of Baton Rouge. Baker received 55.8 percent and 51.2 percent in his neighboring Richland and Ouachita parishes, respectively. He polled 49.1 percent in Caddo Parish (Shreveport) and ran nearly as well in Calcasieu Parish ([[Lake Charles]]),<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, December 8, 1979.</ref> where he had the support of reform former state Senator Robert Gambrell "Bob" Jones, a Democrat-turned Republican and the son of former Governor [[Sam Houston Jones]]. Fowler though could claim an impressive victory under the circumstances, and he vowed to continue the spirit of public service epitomized by his ailing father, who died weeks before his son could take the oath of office as his successor.
==Easy reelection victories==
==Easy reelection victories==
Fowler faced little difficulty in being reelected in the primaries held in 1983, 1987, 1991 or 1995. In 1987, his tally exceeded one million votes: 1,079,851 (83 percent) against fellow Democrat James Alan "Jim" Rentz (1933–2011), a native of [[Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]] and a [[United States Navy]] veteran of the [[Korean War]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theadvocate/obituary.aspx?n=james-alan-rentz-jim&pid=148637757|title=James Alan "Jim" Rentz|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate,'' February 15, 2011|accessdate=February 15, 2011}}</ref> who polled 217,886 ballots (17 percent).<ref>Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 24, 1987.</ref> Like Fowler, Rentz was a former professional football player. He was a former employee of the Louisiana Department of Education in Baton Rouge, where he had long resided.<ref>"Rentz challenging Fowler," ''Minden Press-Herald,'' October 23, 1987, p. 3A.</ref>
Fowler faced little difficulty in being reelected in the primaries held in 1983, 1987, 1991 or 1995. In 1987, his tally exceeded one million votes: 1,079,851 (83 percent) against fellow Democrat James Alan "Jim" Rentz (1933–2011), a native of [[Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]] and a [[United States Navy]] veteran of the [[Korean War]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theadvocate/obituary.aspx?n=james-alan-rentz-jim&pid=148637757|title=James Alan "Jim" Rentz|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate,'' February 15, 2011|accessdate=February 15, 2011}}</ref> who polled 217,886 ballots (17 percent).<ref>Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 24, 1987.</ref> Like Fowler, Rentz was a former professional football player. He was a former employee of the Louisiana Department of Education in Baton Rouge, where he had long resided.<ref>"Rentz challenging Fowler," ''Minden Press-Herald,'' October 23, 1987, p. 3A.</ref>