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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 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. "Don" 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>​

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Prior to his death, Despot had curtailed much of his local activity because he preferred to concentrate on national and state politics.​

Prior to his death, Despot had curtailed much of his local activity because he preferred to concentrate on national and state politics.​

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Despot's Republican Party papers are in the archives section of Louisiana State University in Shreveport.​

Despot's Republican Party papers are in the archives section of Louisiana State University in Shreveport.​

 

​==References==

==References==​

{{reflist}}​ ​

​{{reflist}}​ ​

*''[[Shreveport Journal]],'' August 23, 1979​.

*''[[Shreveport Journal]],'' August 23, 1979​.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Despot, George}}​

{{DEFAULTSORT:Despot, George}}​

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