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In 1956, Calhoun Allen was a 34-year-old [[Republican Party|Republican]], a supporter of President [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]]'s reelection, and his party's candidate for the 4th congressional district seat long held by the popular Democrat Thomas Overton Brooks (1897-1961). Allen's campaign was directed by his friend, Shreveport businessman and civic leader Charles Thomas Beaird, who earlier in the year had been elected as a Republican on the Caddo Parish Police Jury (renamed in 1984 as the Caddo Parish Commission). Political advertising showed World War II veterans Eisenhower and Allen shaking hands and outlined their points of similarity. Allen stressed the need for two-party politics and said that the one-party South could benefit from an infusion of Republicanism. He attacked Democratic presidential nominee [[Adlai Stevenson]] of [[Illinois]] as "radical" in nature, while Eisenhower, he said, was "moderate on [[civil rights]].<ref name=tst>''The Shreveport Times,'' November 4, 1956, p. 2B.</ref>​

In 1956, Calhoun Allen was a 34-year-old [[Republican Party|Republican]], a supporter of President [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]]'s reelection, and his party's candidate for the 4th congressional district seat long held by the popular Democrat Thomas Overton Brooks (1897-1961). Allen's campaign was directed by his friend, Shreveport businessman and civic leader Charles Thomas Beaird, who earlier in the year had been elected as a Republican on the Caddo Parish Police Jury (renamed in 1984 as the Caddo Parish Commission). Political advertising showed World War II veterans Eisenhower and Allen shaking hands and outlined their points of similarity. Allen stressed the need for two-party politics and said that the one-party South could benefit from an infusion of Republicanism. He attacked Democratic presidential nominee [[Adlai Stevenson]] of [[Illinois]] as "radical" in nature, while Eisenhower, he said, was "moderate on [[civil rights]].<ref name=tst>''The Shreveport Times,'' November 4, 1956, p. 2B.</ref>​

 

Congressman Brooks, who had served since 1937, endorsed Stevenson: "I have always been a Democrat and am too old to change now." Allen questioned Brooks' constituent services. He asked why there was inadequate postal service in Springhill in northern Webster Parish. Roy M. Fish, a Springhill attorney and then the chairman of the Webster Parish Republican Party, said that Brooks appeared to be attempting to coast to victory "on the coattails of both parties." [[Clem S. Clarke]], the Shreveport Republican oilman who had unsuccessfully challenged the election of Democrat [[Russell Long]] to the [[U.S. Senate]] in the 1948 general election, declared in an Allen advertisement: "We need a Southern Republican." Allen also won some Democratic support but not nearly at the level needed to win the election.<ref name=tst/>​

Congressman Brooks, who had served since 1937, endorsed Stevenson: "I have always been a Democrat and am too old to change now." Allen questioned Brooks' constituent services. He asked why there was inadequate postal service in Springhill in northern Webster Parish. Roy M. Fish, a Springhill attorney and then the chairman of the Webster Parish Republican Party, said that Brooks appeared to be attempting to coast to victory "on the coattails of both parties." [[Clem S. Clarke]], the Shreveport Republican oilman who had unsuccessfully challenged the election of Democrat [[Russell Long]] to the [[U.S. Senate]] in the 1948 general election, declared in an Allen advertisement: "We need a Southern Republican." Allen also won some Democratic support but not nearly at the level needed to win the election.<ref name=tst/>​