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In 1947, Jones ran for the Louisiana House seat from Bossier Parish. He lost by seventy-seven votes to incumbent Representative Jimmy Boyd.<ref>{{cite web|url=

In 1947, Jones ran for the Louisiana House seat from Bossier Parish. He lost by seventy-seven votes to incumbent Representative Jimmy Boyd.<ref>{{cite web|url=

https://www.legis.la.gov/legisdocs/members/h1812-2020.pdf|title=Membership of the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2020 (Bossier Parish)|publisher=Louisiana House of Representatives|accessdate=September 25, 2019}}</ref> In 1952, Jones narrowly lost a primary election to the state Senate to John Jones Doles, Sr., a Plain Dealing banker whom Jones described as "a friend."<ref>"44 Candidates Qualified," ''Minden Herald,'' October 15, 1955, p.1</ref>​

https://www.legis.la.gov/legisdocs/members/h1812-2020.pdf|title=Membership of the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2020 (Bossier Parish)|publisher=Louisiana House of Representatives|accessdate=September 25, 2019}}</ref> In 1952, Jones narrowly lost a primary election to the state Senate to John Jones Doles, Sr., a Plain Dealing banker whom Jones described as "a friend."<ref>"44 Candidates Qualified," ''Minden Herald,'' October 15, 1955, p.1</ref>​

 

On February 21, 1956, Jones rebounded to defeat businessman and former educator [[Harold Montgomery]] of Doyline in south Webster Parish in the Democratic [[primary]] runoff election for the Bossier/Webster Senate seat vacated by Doles after a single term. A third candidate, Minden businessman and educator Lloyd C. Starr (1899–1982), was eliminated in the first primary. Jones claimed, as having been the House assistant sergeant-at-arms, that he knew personally nearly all the legislators and would hence be ready from the first day to represent the northwest Louisiana district. Jones polled 6,734 votes (50.7 percent) to Montgomery's 6,542 (49.3 percent), a margin of 192 votes.<ref>''Minden Press,'' January 17, 1956, p. 1.</ref> No [[Republican Party|Republicans]] sought the position. District 36 obtained its first Republican senator in 2007, when Robert Roy Adley of Benton, switched parties shortly after his election as a Democrat.​

On February 21, 1956, Jones rebounded to defeat businessman and former educator [[Harold Montgomery]] of Doyline in south Webster Parish in the Democratic [[primary]] runoff election for the Bossier/Webster Senate seat vacated by Doles after a single term. A third candidate, Minden businessman and educator Lloyd C. Starr (1899–1982), was eliminated in the first primary. Jones claimed, as having been the House assistant sergeant-at-arms, that he knew personally nearly all the legislators and would hence be ready from the first day to represent the northwest Louisiana district. Jones polled 6,734 votes (50.7 percent) to Montgomery's 6,542 (49.3 percent), a margin of 192 votes.<ref>''Minden Press,'' January 17, 1956, p. 1.</ref> No [[Republican Party|Republicans]] sought the position. District 36 obtained its first Republican senator in 2007, when Robert Roy Adley of Benton, switched parties shortly after his election as a Democrat.

 

As senator, Jones served on the Joint Legislative Committee on [[Racial segregation|Segregation]], under chairman [[William Rainach]] of neighboring Claiborne Parish. Like Rainach, Jones opposed desegregation at the height of the [[civil rights]] movement. He was a favorite of [[organized labor]] and supported voting by eighteen-year-olds, an issue not much discussed at the time, some fifteen years before the ratification of the [[26th Amendment]] to the [[United States Constitution]].<ref>''Minden Press,'' January 9, 1956.</ref> Unlike Rainach, Jones was noncommittal on the recurring issue of [[right-to-work]] legislation, having urged in 1958 a state constitutional amendment on the matter to gauge voter support. "It is a very controversial issue and ought to be decided by the people. We should get the [right-to-work] thing settled once and for all."<ref>"Legislators Ask Right-to-Work Vote," ''Minden Press,'' February 24, 1958, p. 1.</ref> Jones campaigned for reelection in 1959 by noting that he had obtained twenty-three road contracts for Bossier and Webster parishes in the administration of [[Governor]] [[Earl Long|Earl Kemp Long]] during a period of three and one-half years.<ref>''Minden Press,'' August 17, 1959, p. 1.</ref>​

As senator, Jones served on the Joint Legislative Committee on [[Racial segregation|Segregation]], under chairman [[William Rainach]] of neighboring Claiborne Parish. Like Rainach, Jones opposed desegregation at the height of the [[civil rights]] movement. He was a favorite of [[organized labor]] and supported voting by eighteen-year-olds, an issue not much discussed at the time, some fifteen years before the ratification of the [[26th Amendment]] to the [[United States Constitution]].<ref>''Minden Press,'' January 9, 1956.</ref> Unlike Rainach, Jones was noncommittal on the recurring issue of [[right-to-work]] legislation, having urged in 1958 a state constitutional amendment on the matter to gauge voter support. "It is a very controversial issue and ought to be decided by the people. We should get the [right-to-work] thing settled once and for all."<ref>"Legislators Ask Right-to-Work Vote," ''Minden Press,'' February 24, 1958, p. 1.</ref> Jones campaigned for reelection in 1959 by noting that he had obtained twenty-three road contracts for Bossier and Webster parishes in the administration of [[Governor]] [[Earl Long|Earl Kemp Long]] during a period of three and one-half years.<ref>''Minden Press,'' August 17, 1959, p. 1.</ref>​

 

The [[conservative]] Harold Montgomery returned to challenge Jones in the primary held on December 7, 1959. Montgomery led, 7,929 (46.6 percent) to 6,542 (38.5 percent), but two other candidates polled a critical 2,536 votes (14.9 percent). In the Democratic runoff election on January 9, 1960, Montgomery easily defeated Jones, 11,116 (66.5 percent) to 5,611 (33.5 percent) and won sixty-eight of the seventy [[precinct]]s in what is now a revised District 36. In this same election, [[Jimmie Davis]] defeated fellow Democrat deLesseps Story "Chep" Morrison, Sr. (1912-1964) to win the [[governor|gubernatorial]] nomination. The Senate results finished Jones’s political career.<ref>''Minden Press,'' December 9, 1959, and January 11, 1960, p. 1.</ref>​

The [[conservative]] Harold Montgomery returned to challenge Jones in the primary held on December 7, 1959. Montgomery led, 7,929 (46.6 percent) to 6,542 (38.5 percent), but two other candidates polled a critical 2,536 votes (14.9 percent). In the Democratic runoff election on January 9, 1960, Montgomery easily defeated Jones, 11,116 (66.5 percent) to 5,611 (33.5 percent) and won sixty-eight of the seventy precincts in what is now a revised District 36. In this same election, [[Jimmie Davis]] defeated fellow Democrat deLesseps Story "Chep" Morrison, Sr. (1912-1964) to win the [[governor|gubernatorial]] nomination. The Senate results finished Jones’s political career.<ref>''Minden Press,'' December 9, 1959, and January 11, 1960, p. 1.</ref>​

 

Jones announced that he would oppose Montgomery again in the primary held on December 7, 1963, but he withdrew from the contest before the balloting began.<ref name=mph/> Jones called himself an [[Independent]] and endorsed unpledged electors for the 1964 presidential campaign, a position originally held by Montgomery too.<ref>''Minden Press,'' December 9, 1963, p. 1.</ref> However, the nomination in 1964 of [[Barry Goldwater]] by the Republican Party ended the free-elector movement.

Jones announced that he would oppose Montgomery again in the primary held on December 7, 1963, but he withdrew from the contest before the balloting began.<ref name=mph/> Jones called himself an [[Independent]] and endorsed unpledged electors for the 1964 presidential campaign, a position originally held by Montgomery too.<ref>''Minden Press,'' December 9, 1963, p. 1.</ref> However, the nomination in 1964 of [[Barry Goldwater]] by the Republican Party ended the free-elector movement.