Changes

==Removal as chairman==

==Removal as chairman==

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In 1985, Despot was removed as chairman  by a group identified with the "Religious Right," a number of whom had been supporters of former Governor Treen.] though it was unclear whether Treen was involved in the plot against Despot, and  Despot's predecessor as chairman, John Hamilton Cade, Jr. (1928-1988), a personal friend of Treen's from  [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], was a leader of the anti-Despot forces at the meeting of the Republican State Central Committee.​

In 1985, Despot was removed as chairman  by a group identified with the "Religious Right," a number of whom had been supporters of former Governor Treen.] though it was unclear whether Treen was involved in the plot against Despot, and  Despot's predecessor as chairman, John Hamilton Cade, Jr. (1928-1988), a personal friend of Treen's from  [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], was a leader of the anti-Despot forces at the meeting of the Republican State Central Committee.George Despot encountered

opposition from [[conservative]] groups that flocked to the Republican Party over social issues, such as [[abortion]] and opposition to [[homosexual]] preferences. Among those defending Despot were [[Frank Spooner]] of [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]], the defeated 1976 Republican candidate for Louisiana's 5th congressional district seat, and state Representative [[Charles Lancaster]], of Jefferson Parish, who was first elected to the state House in 1972, when Treen ran unsuccessfully the first time against [[Edwin Edwards]]. Spooner called Despot "the best chairman we ever had."<ref>Billy Hathorn, "Otto Passman, Jerry Huckaby, and Frank Spooner: The Louisiana Fifth Congressional District Election of 1976", ''Louisiana History: The Journal of the Louisiana Historical Association'', LIV No. 3 (Summer 2013), pp. 347-348</ref>​

George Despot encountered opposition from [[conservative]] groups that flocked to the Republican Party over social issues, such as [[abortion]] and opposition to [[homosexual]] preferences. Among those defending Despot were [[Frank Spooner]] of [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]], the defeated 1976 Republican candidate for Louisiana's 5th congressional district seat, and state Representative [[Charles Lancaster]], of Jefferson Parish, who was first elected to the state House in 1972, when Treen ran unsuccessfully the first time against [[Edwin Edwards]]. Spooner called Despot "the best chairman we ever had."<ref>Billy Hathorn, "Otto Passman, Jerry Huckaby, and Frank Spooner: The Louisiana Fifth Congressional District Election of 1976", ''Louisiana History: The Journal of the Louisiana Historical Association'', LIV No. 3 (Summer 2013), pp. 347-348</ref>​

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In 1988, Despot lost his own seat on the GOP central committee when supporters of the presidential candidate, the evangelist] [[Pat Robertson]] of [[Virginia]], captured a third of the 144 seats on the committee. Despot wrote a prophetic internal memo at the time in which he warned that the Robertson forces wanted "to take control" of the state GOP. Beyond support of Robertson, the overriding issue was abortion. To Louisiana party loyalists, such as Despot, most of whom already opposed abortion, the challenge from the Robertson forces brought intra-party upheaval, which led to disastrous Republican election results in Louisiana in both 1991 and 1992.​

In 1988, Despot lost his own seat on the GOP central committee when supporters of the presidential candidate, the evangelist] [[Pat Robertson]] of [[Virginia]], captured a third of the 144 seats on the committee. Despot wrote a prophetic internal memo at the time in which he warned that the Robertson forces wanted "to take control" of the state GOP. Beyond support of Robertson, the overriding issue was abortion. To Louisiana party loyalists, such as Despot, most of whom already opposed abortion, the challenge from the Robertson forces brought intra-party upheaval, which led to disastrous Republican election results in Louisiana in both 1991 and 1992.​

Despot's last political role was in 1987 as an advisor to Fourth Congressional District Republican chairman Ken Frazier in Frazier's unsuccessful bid for a seat in the Louisiana House of Representatives. Frazier lost to the late Democrat Roy McArthur "Hoppy" Hopkins of Oil City in Cado Parish. "George was the old master. There have been differences within the party, but they had nothing to do with personal relationships. He's been a friend to everybody, and everybody will grieve for him," Frazier said.​

Despot's last political role was in 1987 as an advisor to Fourth Congressional District Republican chairman Ken Frazier in Frazier's unsuccessful bid for a seat in the Louisiana House of Representatives. Frazier lost to the late Democrat Roy McArthur "Hoppy" Hopkins of Oil City in Cado Parish. "George was the old master. There have been differences within the party, but they had nothing to do with personal relationships. He's been a friend to everybody, and everybody will grieve for him," Frazier said.​

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State Representative Arthur William "Art" Sour (1924-2000), of Shreveport, who served from 1972 to 1992, said that he always found his fellow Catholic Despot to be "a good Christian man and a man of principle" despite any political differences that the two may have had. Sour said Despot's death may bring the factions together. Sour lthen ost his seat to a Democrat, Melissa Flournoy, just nine months after Despot's death.​

State Representative Arthur William "Art" Sour (1924-2000), of Shreveport, who served from 1972 to 1992, said that he always found his fellow Catholic Despot to be "a good Christian man and a man of principle" despite any political differences that the two may have had. Sour said Despot's death may bring the factions together. Sour lthen ost his seat to a Democrat, Melissa Flournoy, just nine months after Despot's death.​

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James Quillen Wellborn (1927-2004), a native of Daingerfield, [[Texas]], a mathematics teacher at Bossier High School, and a chairman of the Bossier Parish Republican Party,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Wellborn&GSfn=James&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=20&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=130755666&df=all&|title=James Quillen Wellborn|publisher=findagrave.com|author=John Andrew Prime|date=June 2004|accessdate=January 27, 2015}}</ref> said that Despot singlehandedly forged an effective state and local organization when registrars would routinely discourage prospective voters from registering as Republicans. Until the implementation of the nonpartisan blanket primary, registrars constantly told voters that they "would not be able to vote" in most elections unless they registered as Democrats.​

James Quillen Wellborn (1927-2004), a native of Daingerfield, [[Texas]], a mathematics teacher at Bossier High School and a chairman of the Bossier Parish Republican Party,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Wellborn&GSfn=James&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=20&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=130755666&df=all&|title=James Quillen Wellborn|publisher=findagrave.com|author=John Andrew Prime|date=June 2004|accessdate=January 27, 2015}}</ref> said that Despot singlehandedly forged an effective state and local organization when registrars would routinely discourage prospective voters from registering as Republicans. Until the implementation of the nonpartisan blanket primary, registrars constantly told voters that they "would not be able to vote" in most elections unless they registered as Democrats.​

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According to Wellborn, Despot also helped to organize a challenge to existing political boundaries in Bossier Parish and secured [[redistricting]] of the local districts despite opposition and harassment from the parish elites. Despot had a "knack for motivating people, though at times he could make people angry as well. He moved so fast he left a lot of sand in his wake. Some people just got it in their eyes," Wellborn said.<ref>Early in 1984, James Q. Wellborn filed suit to force a Democratic candidate for [[mayor]] of Bossier City, industrialist Donald E. Jones off the ballot on grounds that Jones did not meet residency requirements. The court, however, upheld Jones's residency, and he won a [[special election]] over Patricia Ball Anding (1935-2012), the widow of Mayor [[Marvin Anding]], who had died in office in 1983.</ref>​

According to Wellborn, Despot also helped to organize a challenge to existing political boundaries in Bossier Parish and secured [[redistricting]] of the local districts despite opposition and harassment from the parish elites. Despot had a "knack for motivating people, though at times he could make people angry as well. He moved so fast he left a lot of sand in his wake. Some people just got it in their eyes," Wellborn said.<ref>Early in 1984, James Q. Wellborn filed suit to force a Democratic candidate for [[mayor]] of Bossier City, industrialist Donald E. Jones off the ballot on grounds that Jones did not meet residency requirements. The court, however, upheld Jones's residency, and he won a [[special election]] over Patricia Ball Anding (1935-2012), the widow of Mayor [[Marvin Anding]], who had died in office in 1983.</ref>​