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When [[redistricting]] turned against him, Speedy Long did not seek a fifth term in 1972 but instead ran for district attorney in LaSalle Parish. Gillis Long, who had resumed his private law practice, instead ran to reclaim the seat; his task was alleviated by a former gubernatorial opponent and a former congressional colleague, Governor Edwards, who supported a districting plan that required the 8th district to take in new liberal territory far to the south of Alexandria. After Long was eliminated in the first round of the 1971 gubernatorial primary, Edwards made Long this promise to siphon Long's voters from potentially supporting intra-party rival Johnston. Edwards won the runoff against Johnston by 4,488 votes.​

When [[redistricting]] turned against him, Speedy Long did not seek a fifth term in 1972 but instead ran for district attorney in LaSalle Parish. Gillis Long, who had resumed his private law practice, instead ran to reclaim the seat; his task was alleviated by a former gubernatorial opponent and a former congressional colleague, Governor Edwards, who supported a districting plan that required the 8th district to take in new liberal territory far to the south of Alexandria. After Long was eliminated in the first round of the 1971 gubernatorial primary, Edwards made Long this promise to siphon Long's voters from potentially supporting intra-party rival Johnston. Edwards won the runoff against Johnston by 4,488 votes.​

 

In his bid to return to Congress, Long won the Democratic nomination with more than 54 percent of the vote over four opponents, including state Representative Armand Brinkhaus, a lawyer from Sunset in St. Landry Parish, and state Senator J. E. Jumonville, Sr., of Ventress in Pointe Coupee Parish]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=236162|title=Louisiana District 8 - D Primary|publisher=ourcampaigns.com|accessdate=May 23, 2014}}</ref> Long then handily defeated in the [[general election]] (1) the surgeon Dr. Samuel R. Abramson of Marksville, the American Party nominee, who ran second in the general election, and (2) the Republican [[Roy C. Strickland]], then a trucking executive in Ascension Parish and later a businessman in The Woodlands, [[Texas]]. Long polled 72,607 votes (68.6 percent), to Abramson's 17,844 (16.8 percent), and Strickland's 15,517 (14.6 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=56967|title=LA District 8|publisher=ourcampaigns.com|accessdate=May 23, 2014}}</ref>​

In his bid to return to Congress, Long won the Democratic nomination with more than 54 percent of the vote over four opponents, including state Representative Armand Brinkhaus, a lawyer from Sunset in St. Landry Parish, and state Senator J. E. Jumonville, Sr., of Ventress in Pointe Coupee Parish]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=236162|title=Louisiana District 8 - D Primary|publisher=ourcampaigns.com|accessdate=May 23, 2014}}</ref> Long then handily defeated in the [[general election]] (1) the surgeon Dr. Samuel R. Abramson of Marksville, the American Party nominee, who ran second in the general election, and (2) the Republican [[Roy C. Strickland]], then a trucking executive in Ascension Parish and later a businessman in The Woodlands, [[Texas]]. Long polled 72,607 votes (68.6 percent), to Abramson's 17,844 (16.8 percent), and Strickland's 15,517 (14.6 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=56967|title=LA District 8|publisher=ourcampaigns.com|accessdate=May 23, 2014}}</ref>

 

Dr. Abramson, who had backed [[George Wallace]] for U.S. President in 1968, was also critical of Republicans. After [[Richard M. Nixon]]'s election as president, Abramson noted that the new administration renewed Democratic former President Lyndon B. Johnson's 10-percent [[surtax]] and used the withdrawal of federal education funds as leverage to compel massive school desegregation. Abramson borrowed from Wallace's line to remark, "there's not nine cents worth of difference between the two major parties."<ref>"Wallace Party Still Claims No Difference," ''Minden Press-Herald,'' January 16, 1969, p. 1.</ref>​

Dr. Abramson, who had backed [[George Wallace]] for U.S. President in 1968, was also critical of Republicans. After [[Richard M. Nixon]]'s election as president, Abramson noted that the new administration renewed Democratic former President Lyndon B. Johnson's 10-percent surtax and used the withdrawal of federal education funds as leverage to compel massive school desegregation. Abramson borrowed from Wallace's line to remark, "there's not nine cents worth of difference between the two major parties."<ref>"Wallace Party Still Claims No Difference," ''Minden Press-Herald,'' January 16, 1969, p. 1.</ref>​

 

==Lock on the 8th district==​

==Lock on the 8th district==​

Long returned to the duties of a congressman in 1973. A man of great determination, but who feared for his own health, Long believed that government was essential to protect the interests of the poorest, most vulnerable citizens. His voting record was liberal. [[Bill Dodd|William Joseph "Bill" Dodd]] called Gillis Long the "most left-wing of all the Longs." No strong conservatives emerged to challenge him for reelection.<ref name=bdodd>*[[Bill Dodd|William J. "Bill" Dodd]], ''Peapatch Politics: The Earl Long Era in Louisiana Politics'' ([[Baton Rouge]]: Claitor's Publishing, 1991​).</ref>

Long returned to the duties of a congressman in 1973. A man of great determination, but who feared for his own health, Long believed that government was essential to protect the interests of the poorest, most vulnerable citizens. His voting record was liberal. [[Bill Dodd|William Joseph "Bill" Dodd]] called Gillis Long the "most left-wing of all the Longs." No strong conservatives emerged to challenge him for reelection.<ref name=bdodd>*[[Bill Dodd|William J. "Bill" Dodd]], ''Peapatch Politics: The Earl Long Era in Louisiana Politics'' ([[Baton Rouge]]: Claitor's Publishing, 1991​).</ref>

In 1976, an [[Independent]], [[Kent Courtney]], ran against Long, but he polled only 6,526 votes (5.8 percent); no Republican filed for the race. Courtney was a brother of Cy David Francis Courtney (1924-1995), a New Orleans lawyer who had been an unsuccessful candidate for lieutenant governor in 1959 on the Democratic gubernatorial ticket headed by state Senator [[William M. Rainach]] of Claiborne Parish. Cy Courtney also ran unsuccessfully for governor of Louisiana as a Democrat in 1967.​

In 1976, an [[Independent]], [[Kent Courtney]], ran against Long, but he polled only 6,526 votes (5.8 percent); no Republican filed for the race. Courtney was a brother of Cy David Francis Courtney (1924-1995), a New Orleans lawyer who had been an unsuccessful candidate for lieutenant governor in 1959 on the Democratic gubernatorial ticket headed by state Senator [[William M. Rainach]] of Claiborne Parish. Cy Courtney also ran unsuccessfully for governor of Louisiana as a Democrat in 1967.​

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In 1978, the Republican Robert Henry Mitchell, Jr. (born 1945) of Forest Hill in Rapides Parish, the son of a letter carrier, Robert Mitchell, Sr. (1915-2014), and the former Jane P. Odom,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thetowntalk/obituary.aspx?n=robert-henry-mitchell&pid=171655992|title=Robert Henry Mitchell, Sr.|publisher=''Alexandria Town Talk''|accessdate=July 11, 2014}}</ref> challenged Long in the first ever nonpartisan blanket primary held in Louisiana for congressional elections. The conservative Mitchell, who did virtually no campaigning, polled 20,547 ballots (20.3 percent) to Long's 80,666 (79.7 percent). Mitchell was setting the stage for potentially stronger Republican campaigns in the Eighth District in later years, but the terrain was hostile to Republican candidates.​

In 1978, the Republican Robert Henry Mitchell, Jr. (born 1945) of Forest Hill in Rapides Parish, the son of a letter carrier, Robert Mitchell, Sr. (1915-2014), and the former Jane P. Odom (1919-2005),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thetowntalk/obituary.aspx?n=robert-henry-mitchell&pid=171655992|title=Robert Henry Mitchell, Sr.|publisher=''Alexandria Town Talk''|accessdate=July 11, 2014}}</ref> challenged Long in the first ever nonpartisan blanket primary held in Louisiana for congressional elections. The conservative Mitchell, who did virtually no campaigning, polled 20,547 ballots (20.3 percent) to Long's 80,666 (79.7 percent). Mitchell was setting the stage for potentially stronger Republican campaigns in the 8th district in later years, but the terrain was hostile to Republican candidates.​

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In 1980, Republican Clyde Cecil Holloway (1943-2016), a nurseryman also from Forest Hill, challenged Long. Robert Mitchell, the loser in the 1978 race against Long, also ran again. Long prevailed with 75,433 votes (68.9 percent) to Holloway's 27,816 (25.4 percent) and Mitchell's 6,243 (5.7 percent). Holloway had used his candidacy in part to rally opposition to a cross-parish school busing order issued by U.S. District Judge Nauman Scott, based in Alexandria. Holloway would run again for the seat in 1985 in the special election called to select Long's congressional successor and in 1986 to choose Long's more permanent replacement.​

In 1980, Republican Clyde Cecil Holloway (1943-2016), a nurseryman also from Forest Hill, challenged Long. Robert Mitchell, the loser in the 1978 race against Long, also ran again. Long prevailed with 75,433 votes (68.9 percent) to Holloway's 27,816 (25.4 percent) and Mitchell's 6,243 (5.7 percent). Holloway had used his candidacy in part to rally opposition to a cross-parish school busing order issued by U.S. District Judge Nauman Scott, based in Alexandria. Holloway would run again for the seat in 1985 in the special election called to select Long's congressional successor and in 1986 to choose Long's more permanent replacement.​

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In 1981, Long opposed the [[Ronald Reagan|Reagan]] tax cuts, citing two objections: (1) The major tax relief rested with families earning more than $50,000 annually, (2) The tax cuts could lead to "staggering deficits." However, forty-eight House Democrats provided the margin of victory for the tax cuts, which Republicans thereafter cited as the centerpiece of the revitalization of a dormant economy.<ref>Margie Dale and Vicky Harris, "Pro and Con of Tax Cut: [[Buddy Roemer]] vs. [[Gillis Long]]," ''Minden Press-Herald,'' July 31, 1981, p. 1.</ref>​

In 1981, Long opposed the [[Ronald Reagan|Reagan]] tax cuts, citing two objections: (1) The major tax relief rested with families earning more than $50,000 annually, (2) The tax cuts could lead to "staggering deficits." However, forty-eight House Democrats provided the margin of victory for the tax cuts, which Republicans thereafter cited as the centerpiece of the revitalization of a dormant economy.<ref>Margie Dale and Vicky Harris, "Pro and Con of Tax Cut: [[Buddy Roemer]] vs. [[Gillis Long]]," ''Minden Press-Herald,'' July 31, 1981, p. 1.</ref>​