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Mrs. Long was born in Covington in St. Tammany Parish, across Lake Pontchartrain from [[New Orleans]], to Robert H. Revere and the former Beulah Talley. The Reveres were a lower middle class family, and Blanche was a public stenographer at the Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans. She married Earl Long on August 17, 1932; they had no children. Mrs. Long was protective of her several sisters and her only brother, whom she helped to obtain and maintain state employment in [[Baton Rouge]].​

Mrs. Long was born in Covington in St. Tammany Parish, across Lake Pontchartrain from [[New Orleans]], to Robert H. Revere and the former Beulah Talley. The Reveres were a lower middle class family, and Blanche was a public stenographer at the Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans. She married Earl Long on August 17, 1932; they had no children. Mrs. Long was protective of her several sisters and her only brother, whom she helped to obtain and maintain state employment in [[Baton Rouge]].​

 

==Her political persona==​

==Her political persona==​

According to former Lieutenant Governor and Superintendent of Education [[Bill Dodd|William J. "Bill" Dodd]], Blanche Revere was "in her young years a true beauty. And she was just as intelligent as she was good-looking. In her political days, her personality came across as either soft and sweet or blue steel and cold, depending not so much on how she felt, but on what the situation demanded."​

According to former Lieutenant Governor and Superintendent of Education [[Bill Dodd|William J. "Bill" Dodd]], Blanche Revere was "in her young years a true beauty. And she was just as intelligent as she was good-looking. In her political days, her personality came across as either soft and sweet or blue steel and cold, depending not so much on how she felt, but on what the situation demanded."​

 

In his ''Peapatch Politics: The Earl Long Era in Louisiana Politics,'' Dodd, a keen observer of state political developments, declared "Miss Blanche," as most addressed her, "a major factor in Governor Earl Long's political life. . . . Miss Blanche knew as much about the mechanics of politics as her husband. In many ways she complemented Earl's qualities; together they made a unique political team. Miss Blanche, a better judge of people, recognized con artists and phonies more quickly than Earl. She also handled them better. . . . She saved Earl from many mistaken appraisals of people and subsequent errors in the treatment of them. Miss Blanche was motivated by as strong a desire to become the first lady of Louisiana as Earl was to become its governor."​

In ''Peapatch Politics: The Earl Long Era in Louisiana Politics,'' Dodd, a keen observer of state political developments, declared "Miss Blanche," as most addressed her, "a major factor in Governor Earl Long's political life. ... Miss Blanche knew as much about the mechanics of politics as her husband. In many ways she complemented Earl's qualities; together they made a unique political team. Miss Blanche, a better judge of people, recognized con artists and phonies more quickly than Earl. She also handled them better. ... She saved Earl from many mistaken appraisals of people and subsequent errors in the treatment of them. Miss Blanche was motivated by as strong a desire to become the first lady of Louisiana as Earl was to become its governor."​

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Dodd found that Mrs. Long had "influence on Earl Long that he didn't recognize. She knew how to get him to do what she wanted. Sometimes Earl would just let her have her way to shut her up. But she was a power in his administration, and every appointee and favor-seeking person soon learned that and acted accordingly. I tried to stay in her good graces, but she chose her political friends, and I never got on her favored list.​"

Dodd found that Mrs. Long had "influence on Earl Long that he didn't recognize. She knew how to get him to do what she wanted. Sometimes Earl would just let her have her way to shut her up. But she was a power in his administration, and every appointee and favor-seeking person soon learned that and acted accordingly. I tried to stay in her good graces, but she chose her political friends, and I never got on her favored list.​"

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Moreover, according to Dodd, Long never intended to serve in Congress beyond two terms, for he was planning to enter the 1963 Democratic primary for governor. His death of course led Blanche Long to support McKeithen as her Long factional candidate for governor. The estranged Russell Long, however, endorsed a second "Long" candidate, the more liberal Congressman Gillis William Long (1923-1985).​

Moreover, according to Dodd, Long never intended to serve in Congress beyond two terms, for he was planning to enter the 1963 Democratic primary for governor. His death of course led Blanche Long to support McKeithen as her Long factional candidate for governor. The estranged Russell Long, however, endorsed a second "Long" candidate, the more liberal Congressman Gillis William Long (1923-1985).​

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John McKeithen chose Blanche Long as his campaign manager, not out of sentiment for the deceased Earl Long but because Mrs. Long had real experience from earlier Long campaigns. In the McKeithen campaign, Blanche Long recruited an old friend, [[Mary Evelyn Parker]] to deliver speeches extolling McKeithen and excoriating his chief Democratic foe, former New Orleans [[Mayor]] deLesseps Story "Chep" Morrison, Sr. (1912-1964). Mrs. Long proved successful in getting the governorship for McKeithen, whom she had known since 1948, when he came to Baton Rouge as a young legislator from Caldwell Parish. In 1951-1952, the Longs had attempted unsuccessfully to get McKeithen elected lieutenant governor. He lost in the primary runoff to Charles Emmett "Cap" Barham of [[Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]] in Lincoln Parish. ​

John McKeithen chose Blanche Long as his campaign manager, not out of sentiment for the deceased Earl Long but because Mrs. Long had real experience from earlier Long campaigns. In the McKeithen campaign, Blanche Long recruited an old friend, [[Mary Evelyn Parker]] to deliver speeches extolling McKeithen and excoriating his chief Democratic foe, former New Orleans [[Mayor]] deLesseps Story "Chep" Morrison, Sr. (1912-1964). Mrs. Long proved successful in getting the governorship for McKeithen, whom she had known since 1948, when he came to Baton Rouge as a young legislator from Caldwell Parish. In 1951-1952, the Longs had attempted unsuccessfully to get McKeithen elected lieutenant governor. He lost in the primary runoff to Charles Emmett "Cap" Barham of [[Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]] in Lincoln Parish. ​

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==A $163,000 mistake?==​

==A $163,000 mistake?==​

Dodd said that Blanche Long erred badly in how she handled two Long supporters, Frank and Ruth Matthews. She forced the Matthewses to "repay" $163,000 to her. This was compensation for funds that Earl Long had left with them for "safekeeping." Dodd took the view that the Matthewses had repaid Earl the money during the congressional campaign but could find no receipt to present to Mrs. Long, who had the original "IOU" from the Matthewses. Dodd said that he was convinced that the $163,000 was paid twice.​

Dodd said that Blanche Long erred badly in how she handled two Long supporters, Frank and Ruth Matthews. She forced the couple to "repay" $163,000 to her. This was compensation for funds that Earl Long had left with them for "safekeeping." Dodd took the view that the Matthewses had repaid Earl the money during the congressional campaign but could find no receipt to present to Mrs. Long, held the original "IOU" from the Matthewses. Dodd said that he was convinced that the $163,000 was paid twice.​

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==Blanche Long's legacy==​

In a suit heard in 1966 seeking to reclaim the $163,000, Blanche Long claimed that attorney and former state Senator Joe T. Cawthorn of Mansfield,  on or about August 20, 1960, had delivered to Long $6,000 in cash in Marksville in Avoyelles Parish. This was two weeks before Long won his congressional race against Harold  McSween but died before he could claim the seat.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://leagle.com/decision/19661054186So2d868_1926.xml/LONG%20v.%20MATTHEWS|title=Long v. Matthews|date=1966|publisher=leagle.com|accessdate=October 28, 2014}}</ref>​

Mrs. Long was living in Metairie in Jefferson Parish at the time of her death at the age of ninety-five. She was a [[Methodist]], while her husband was baptized into the First [[Baptist]] Church of Baton Rouge when he was sixty years of age. He is buried in the Earl K. Long Memorial in [[Winnfield]]. She is buried in Lake Lawn Cemetery in Metairie.​

​Mrs. Long was living in Metairie in Jefferson Parish at the time of her death at the age of ninety-five. She was a [[Methodist]], while her husband was baptized into the First [[Baptist]] Church of Baton Rouge when he was sixty years of age. He is buried in the Earl K. Long Memorial in [[Winnfield]]. She is buried in Lake Lawn Cemetery in Metairie.​

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Bill Dodd, who was seven years Mrs. Long's junior and died seven years before she did, summed up her career in his memoirs: "What she thought about governmental philosophies or forms, I do not know. But she understood and practiced practical politics better than any man I've ever known, except her husband, Earl Long."<ref>William J. "Bill" Dodd, ''Peapatch Politics: The Earl Long Era in Louisiana Politics'' (Baton Rouge: Claitor's Publishers, 1991), p. 63.</ref>​

Bill Dodd, who was seven years Mrs. Long's junior and died seven years before she did, summed up her career in his memoirs: "What she thought about governmental philosophies or forms, I do not know. But she understood and practiced practical politics better than any man I've ever known, except her husband, Earl Long."<ref>William J. "Bill" Dodd, ''Peapatch Politics: The Earl Long Era in Louisiana Politics'' (Baton Rouge: Claitor's Publishers, 1991), p. 63.</ref>​