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In 1952, Kirkpatrick unseated State Representative Marion Vallee (1910–1997) of Jeff Davis Parish in the Democratic primary. He served his first term during the administration of Governor [[Robert F. Kennon]], who in 1963 would be a gubernatorial opponent of Kirkpatrick. In 1956, he again defeated Vallee, who attempted a comeback bid. Kirkpatrick did not run for a third legislative term in 1960 and was succeeded by Norman L. Ordoneaux.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://house.louisiana.gov/H_PDFdocs/HouseMembership_History_CURRENT.pdf|title=Membership in the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2020 (Jefferson Davis Parish)|publisher=Louisiana House of Representatives|accessdate=September 26, 2019}}</ref>  

In 1952, Kirkpatrick unseated State Representative Marion Vallee (1910–1997) of Jeff Davis Parish in the Democratic primary. He served his first term during the administration of Governor [[Robert F. Kennon]], who in 1963 would be a gubernatorial opponent of Kirkpatrick. In 1956, he again defeated Vallee, who attempted a comeback bid. Kirkpatrick did not run for a third legislative term in 1960 and was succeeded by Norman L. Ordoneaux.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://house.louisiana.gov/H_PDFdocs/HouseMembership_History_CURRENT.pdf|title=Membership in the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2020 (Jefferson Davis Parish)|publisher=Louisiana House of Representatives|accessdate=September 26, 2019}}</ref>  

In the [[Governor|gubernatorial]] primaries held between December 1959 and January 1960, the Kirkpatricks worked actively in southwest Louisiana for former Governor [[Jimmie Davis]], who defeated the [[mayor]] of [[New Orleans]], deLesseps Story "Chep" Morrison, Sr. (1912-1964), in a hotly contested runoff election. Davis asked Kirkpatrick to serve as his Director of Public Works to succeed [[Lorris M. Wimberly]] of Arcadia in Bienville Parish in north Louisiana, who had once been [[Speaker]] of the Louisiana House.  

In the [[Governor|gubernatorial]] primaries held between December 1959 and January 1960, the Kirkpatricks worked actively in southwest Louisiana for former Governor [[Jimmie Davis]], who defeated the [[mayor]] of [[New Orleans]], deLesseps Story "Chep" Morrison, Sr. (1912-1964), in a hotly contested runoff election. Davis asked Kirkpatrick to serve as his Director of Public Works to succeed [[Lorris Wimberly]] of Arcadia in Bienville Parish in north Louisiana, who had once been [[Speaker]] of the Louisiana House.  

As the  head of DPW, Kirkpatrick was also chairman of the Red River Authority and the Sabine River Authority. He worked with [[Texas]] and without federal funds to establish the popular Toledo Bend Reservoir, a popular destination for [[fishing]] and boating on the Louisiana-Texas boundary. The project, which emphasizes [[conservation]] and stewardship of natural resources, was completed in 1966, two years after Kirkpatrick had left DPW.<ref name=bm/> State Representative Cliff Ammons of Many in Sabine Parish, pushed to passage the bill to create Toledo Bend and the constitutional amendment to provide for its funding.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lahistory.org/resources/dictionary-louisiana-biography/dictionary-a/|title=Ammons, Cliff|publisher=Louisiana Historical Association, ''A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography'' (lahistory.org)|accessdate=December 24, 2010}}</ref>​

As the  head of DPW, Kirkpatrick was also chairman of the Red River Authority and the Sabine River Authority. He worked with [[Texas]] and without federal funds to establish the popular Toledo Bend Reservoir, a popular destination for [[fishing]] and boating on the Louisiana-Texas boundary. The project, which emphasizes [[conservation]] and stewardship of natural resources, was completed in 1966, two years after Kirkpatrick had left DPW.<ref name=bm/> State Representative Cliff Ammons of Many in Sabine Parish, pushed to passage the bill to create Toledo Bend and the constitutional amendment to provide for its funding.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lahistory.org/resources/dictionary-louisiana-biography/dictionary-a/|title=Ammons, Cliff|publisher=Louisiana Historical Association, ''A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography'' (lahistory.org)|accessdate=December 24, 2010}}</ref>​

 

In the summer of 1960, Kirkpatrick was a delegate to the [[Democratic National Convention]] in [[Los Angeles]], [[California]], which nominated the [[John F. Kennedy|Kennedy]]-[[Lyndon B. Johnson|Johnson]] ticket, an easy winner of the ten [[electoral vote]]s in Louisiana.<ref name=pg>Political Graveyard on Internet: http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/kirkpatrick.html</ref> Kirkpatrick was Democrat for the rest of his life even as his state developed a [[two-party system]]. Political records show that he donated in 1979 to the last campaign of [[U.S. Senator]] [[Russell Long]] of Louisiana.<ref>[http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:2peXMOPU90EJ:www.city-data.com/elec2/80/elec-BATON-ROUGE-LA-80.html+Claude+Kirkpatrick+of+Louisiana&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=10&gl=us Campaign contributions list from Louisiana on Internet]</ref>​

In the summer of 1960, Kirkpatrick was a delegate to the [[Democratic National Convention]] in [[Los Angeles]], [[California]], which nominated the [[John F. Kennedy|Kennedy]]-[[Lyndon B. Johnson|Johnson]] ticket, an easy winner of the ten [[electoral vote]]s in Louisiana.<ref name=pg>Political Graveyard on Internet: http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/kirkpatrick.html</ref> Kirkpatrick was Democrat for the rest of his life even as his state developed a [[two-party system]]. Political records show that he donated in 1979 to the last campaign of [[U.S. Senator]] [[Russell Long]] of Louisiana.<ref>[http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:2peXMOPU90EJ:www.city-data.com/elec2/80/elec-BATON-ROUGE-LA-80.html+Claude+Kirkpatrick+of+Louisiana&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=10&gl=us Campaign contributions list from Louisiana on Internet]</ref>

 

In 1963, Kirkpatrick ran for governor as an "independent" within the Democratic primary, meaning that he was not affiliated with any particular faction of the party though he had been on close terms with outgoing Governor Davis.<ref>William C. Havard, Rudolf Heberle, and [[Perry H. Howard]], ''The Louisiana Elections of 1960'', [[Baton Rouge]]: [[Louisiana State University]] Studies, 1963, p. 99.</ref> He polled only 28,578 votes (3.2 percent), seventh in a ten-candidate field.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, December 1963 Democratic primary.</ref> To head DPW, the new governor, [[John J. McKeithen]], formerly a member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission, named [[Leon Gary]], a former mayor of Houma in Terrebonne Parish.<ref name=pg/>​

In 1963, Kirkpatrick ran for governor as an "independent" within the Democratic primary, meaning that he was not affiliated with any particular faction of the party though he had been on close terms with outgoing Governor Davis.<ref>William C. Havard, Rudolf Heberle, and [[Perry H. Howard]], ''The Louisiana Elections of 1960'', [[Baton Rouge]]: [[Louisiana State University]] Studies, 1963, p. 99.</ref> He polled only 28,578 votes (3.2 percent), seventh in a ten-candidate field.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, December 1963 Democratic primary.</ref> To head DPW, the new governor, [[John J. McKeithen]], formerly a member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission, named [[Leon Gary]], a former mayor of Houma in Terrebonne Parish.<ref name=pg/>​

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==Later years and legacy==​

==Later years and legacy==

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Kirkpatrick left the political arena and became associated with Allied Chemical and Superior Oil companies. On August 14, 1967, the trustees of Baptist-affiliated Baton Rouge General Hospital named Kirkpatrick as the hospital administrator.<ref name=br>Baton Rouge Biography on Internet:http://ref-raff.wikispaces.com/Baton+Rouge+-+Biography+-+Kirkpatrick,+Claude</ref> He was elevated to president of the hospital in 1970 and served in that capacity until 1981. Dr. Charles Prosser, a fellow hospital director and friend of Kirkpatrick's, recalled him as "a man of many talents and a most affable fellow who got things done by impressing people with their importance and worth. He . . . did a splendid job . . . and that says a lot about him as a person."<ref name=brma>"State official, civic leader Claude Kirkpatrick dies at 79," ''The Baton Rouge Advocate,'' January 15, 1997, p. 7A.</ref>​

Kirkpatrick left the political arena and became associated with Allied Chemical and Superior Oil companies. On August 14, 1967, the trustees of Baptist-affiliated Baton Rouge General Hospital named Kirkpatrick as the hospital administrator.<ref name=br>Baton Rouge Biography on Internet:http://ref-raff.wikispaces.com/Baton+Rouge+-+Biography+-+Kirkpatrick,+Claude</ref> He was elevated to president of the hospital in 1970 and served in that capacity until 1981. Dr. Charles Prosser, a fellow hospital director and friend of Kirkpatrick's, recalled him as "a man of many talents and a most affable fellow who got things done by impressing people with their importance and worth. He . . . did a splendid job . . . and that says a lot about him as a person."<ref name=brma>"State official, civic leader Claude Kirkpatrick dies at 79," ''The Baton Rouge Advocate,'' January 15, 1997, p. 7A.</ref>​

Similarly, Tom Sawyer, later the chief executive officer of the hospital, described Krkpatrick as "very compassionate [with] a great empathy for people, and he really loved hospital work. . . . He viewed his job as more of a ministry than a job. That was the kind of outlook he had on things."<ref name=brma/>​

Similarly, Tom Sawyer, later the chief executive officer of the hospital, described Krkpatrick as "very compassionate [with] a great empathy for people, and he really loved hospital work. ... He viewed his job as more of a ministry than a job. That was the kind of outlook he had on things."<ref name=brma/>​

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After leaving the hospital position, Kirkpatrick established three shopping centers in Baton Rouge: Delmont, Highland Road, and Drusilla. Over the years, Kirkpatrick was Southwest Louisiana vice president of the Calcasieu Area [[Boy Scouts]]. He was active in the [[United Way]] charitable fund, the Kiwanis International, and the American Heart Association.<ref name=br/> He was a [[deacon]] in several [[Baptist]] churches for fifty-eight years, his last membership having been at First Baptist in Baton Rouge. He and Mrs. Kirkpatrick were active in all aspects of Baptist church governance and outreach. He was a past chairman and member of the Louisiana College board of directors. He served on the Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Board. In Baton Rouge, he was the first president of the Federation of Churches and Synagogues as well as a charter member there of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.​

After leaving the hospital position, Kirkpatrick established three shopping centers in Baton Rouge: Delmont, Highland Road, and Drusilla. Over the years, Kirkpatrick was Southwest Louisiana vice president of the Calcasieu Area [[Boy Scouts]]. He was active in the [[United Way]] charitable fund, the Kiwanis International, and the American Heart Association.<ref name=br/> He was a [[deacon]] in several [[Baptist]] churches for fifty-eight years, his last membership having been at First Baptist in Baton Rouge. He and Mrs. Kirkpatrick were active in all aspects of Baptist church governance and outreach. He was a past chairman and member of the Louisiana College board of directors. He served on the Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Board. In Baton Rouge, he was the first president of the Federation of Churches and Synagogues as well as a charter member there of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.​