Changes

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.

Kennon joined the three-member PSC when he was thirty-four. The senior member and chairman, Ernest S. Clements, a Long protégé, was seventy-five and nearing the end of a long public career. The two presented a contrast in age and faction. Clements left the PSC at the end of 1974. With the five-member board, Kennon served with fellow Commissioners John F. Schwegmann (son of John G. Schwegmann), Nat B. Knight, Thomas E. "Tommy" Powell of Eunice in Evangeline Parish, and chairman Louis Lambert, Jr., of Baton Rouge, a former and future member of the Louisiana State Senate and a strong gubernatorial candidate in 1979. Kennon did not seek public office after his PSC term expired, but in 1994 he announced that he would run for governor in 1995. Instead he withdrew from gubernatorial consideration on August 2, 1994, and the seat eventually went to Democrat-turned-Republican [[Mike Foster|Murphy J. "Mike" Foster, Jr.]], of St. Mary Parish, the grandson of a 19th century namesake governor.

Kennon joined the three-member PSC when he was thirty-four. The senior member and chairman, Ernest S. Clements, a Long protégé, was seventy-five and nearing the end of a long public career. The two presented a contrast in age and faction. Clements left the PSC at the end of 1974. With the five-member board, Kennon served with fellow Commissioners John F. Schwegmann (son of John G. Schwegmann), Nat B. Knight, Thomas E. "Tommy" Powell of Eunice in Evangeline Parish, and chairman [[Louis Lambert]] of Baton Rouge, a former and future member of the Louisiana State Senate and a strong gubernatorial candidate in 1979. Kennon did not seek public office after his PSC term expired, but in 1994 he announced that he would run for governor in 1995. Instead he withdrew from gubernatorial consideration on August 2, 1994, and the seat eventually went to Democrat-turned-Republican [[Mike Foster|Murphy J. "Mike" Foster, Jr.]], of St. Mary Parish, the grandson of a 19th century namesake governor.

Kennon was succeeded on the PSC by fellow Democrat Donald Lynn "Don" Owen, a former KSLA-TV news anchorman from Shreveport. In 2004, Kennon crossed party lines to contribute to the successful Republican candidate for the United States Senate waged by [[David Vitter]] of suburban New Orleans.

Kennon was succeeded on the PSC by fellow Democrat Donald Lynn "Don" Owen, a former KSLA-TV news anchorman from Shreveport. In 2004, Kennon crossed party lines to contribute to the successful Republican candidate for the United States Senate waged by [[David Vitter]] of suburban New Orleans.