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'''Gillis William Long''' (May 4, 1923 – January 20, 1985) was an [[attorney]] and [[business]]man from [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], [[Louisiana]].

'''Gillis William Long''' (May 4, 1923 – January 20, 1985) was an [[attorney]] and [[business]]man from [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], [[Louisiana]].

who was a  [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] [[U.S. Representative]] for his state's  8th congressional district, since disbanded. He was a member of the [[Huey Long|Long political family]]. Long served seven non-consecutive terms in the House and placed third in two campaigns for the Democratic [[Governor|gubernatorial]] nominations in 1963 and 1971. Long served in Congress between 1963 and 1965, and again from 1973 until his death from a heart attack in 1985 in [[Washington, D.C.]] Though he was elected to an eighth term in the House in 1984, he died seventeen days into that term.​ His death coincided with the second inauguration of his political opponent, [[U.S. President]] [[Ronald W. Reagan]].

who was a  [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] [[U.S. Representative]] for his state's  8th congressional district, since disbanded. He was a member of the [[Huey Long|Long political family]]. Long served seven non-consecutive terms in the House and placed third in two campaigns for the Democratic [[Governor|gubernatorial]] nominations in 1963 and 1971. Long served in Congress between 1963 and 1965, and again from 1973 until his death from a heart attack in 1985 in [[Washington, D.C.]] Though he was elected to an eighth term in the House in 1984, he died seventeen days into that term.​ His death coincided with the second inauguration of his political opponent, [[U.S. President]] [[Ronald W. Reagan]].

 

In its April 29, 2007, edition, Long's hometown newspaper, ''The Alexandria Town Talk'', declared that Long, along with legendary Camille Francis Gravel, Jr. and [[American Civil War]] [[Genera]]l [[William Tecumseh Sherman]], were the three most significant historical persons to have been associated with Alexandria.<ref>''The Alexandria Town Talk,'' April 29, 2007.</ref>​

In its April 29, 2007, edition, Long's hometown newspaper, ''The Alexandria Town Talk'', declared that Long, along with legendary Camille Francis Gravel, Jr. and [[American Civil War]] [[Genera]]l [[William Tecumseh Sherman]], were the three most significant historical persons to have been associated with Alexandria.<ref>''The Alexandria Town Talk,'' April 29, 2007.</ref>​

The Longs moved to Alexandria in Rapides Parish and the largest city in central Louisiana, when Governor Earl Long named Floyd Long to a custodial position at the Central State (Mental) Hospital in [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]]. Later, Floyd and Birdie returned to Winnfield. Long had an older brother, Floyd Harrison Long, Jr. (1915–2003), a [[United States Army]] colonel and an official with Delgado Community College in [[New Orleans]]. He also had a sister, Doris Long Fletcher (1918–1981).​

The Longs moved to Alexandria in Rapides Parish and the largest city in central Louisiana, when Governor Earl Long named Floyd Long to a custodial position at the Central State (Mental) Hospital in [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]]. Later, Floyd and Birdie returned to Winnfield. Long had an older brother, Floyd Harrison Long, Jr. (1915–2003), a [[United States Army]] colonel and an official with Delgado Community College in [[New Orleans]]. He also had a sister, Doris Long Fletcher (1918–1981).​

==Education and military==​

==Education and military==

​

Long graduated from the then [[Segregation|segregated]] Bolton High School in Alexandria. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from [[Louisiana State University]] in [[Baton Rouge]], where he was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. In 1951, he received his J.D. law degree from LSU and was admitted to practice before the Louisiana Supreme Court. Long's law school classmates included later Louisiana 9th Judicial District Court Judges [[Guy Humphries]] and Lloyd George Teekel] and Rapides Parish District Attorney [[Ed Ware]] and Ware's law partner and assistant DA, [[Gus Voltz]], Jr. Long maintained a law office in [[Washington, D.C.]], and was authorized in 1954 to practice before the [[United States Supreme Court]].​

Long graduated from the then [[Segregation|segregated]] Bolton High School in Alexandria. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from [[Louisiana State University]] in [[Baton Rouge]], where he was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. In 1951, he received his J.D. law degree from LSU and was admitted to practice before the Louisiana Supreme Court. Long's law school classmates included later Louisiana 9th Judicial District Court Judges [[Guy Humphries]] and Lloyd George Teekel] and Rapides Parish District Attorney [[Ed Ware]] and Ware's law partner and assistant DA, [[Gus Voltz]], Jr. Long maintained a law office in [[Washington, D.C.]], and was authorized in 1954 to practice before the [[United States Supreme Court]].​

Long served in the U. S. Army infantry in [[World War II]]. He rose from the rank of private to captain and was awarded the [[Purple Heart]] for war wounds.​After the war, Long was part of the Internal Security Detachment at the [[Nuremberg War Crimes Tribunal]] in [[Germany]]. He was legal counsel to the Senate Select Committee on Small Business from 1951 to 1952 and the chief counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives Special Committee on Campaign Expenditures from 1952 to 1954 and again in 1956.​

Long served in the U. S. Army infantry in [[World War II]]. He rose from the rank of private to captain and was awarded the [[Purple Heart]] for war wounds.​After the war, Long was part of the Internal Security Detachment at the [[Nuremberg War Crimes Tribunal]] in [[Germany]]. He was legal counsel to the Senate Select Committee on Small Business from 1951 to 1952 and the chief counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives Special Committee on Campaign Expenditures from 1952 to 1954 and again in 1956.​

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==First election to Congress==

==First election to Congress==

==Gubernatorial campaign 1963==​

==Gubernatorial campaign 1963==​

In what proved to be a major error in judgement, Long entered the December 1963 Democratic primary for governor. One of his campaign advertisements featured the 40-year-old crew-cut Long standing before a state charity hospital and declaring that the "Longs Stand for People!" He was hence running as a Long factional candidate, not just as a candidate who happened to be named Long. He secured the support of U.S. Senator Russell Long, who never lost an election in Louisiana. Long's campaign advertising also reminded voters of "free schoolbooks and hot lunches [having first been] made available to our children under a Long administration."<ref>''Minden Press,'' November 4, 1963, p. 11.</ref>​

In what proved to be a major error in judgement, Long entered the December 1963 Democratic primary for governor. One of his campaign advertisements featured the 40-year-old crew-cut Long standing before a state charity hospital and declaring that the "Longs Stand for People!" He was hence running as a Long factional candidate, not just as a candidate who happened to be named Long. He secured the support of U.S. Senator Russell Long, who never lost an election in Louisiana. Long's campaign advertising also reminded voters of "free schoolbooks and hot lunches [having first been] made available to our children under a Long administration."<ref>''Minden Press,'' November 4, 1963, p. 11.</ref>​

 

Three LSU scholars described Long as he prepared his first campaign for governor:​

Three LSU scholars described Long as he prepared his first campaign for governor:​

<blockquote>

<blockquote>

Gillis Long had the [liability] ... of having absented himself from the state for a long time and of having too many apparent associations with the [[John F. Kennedy]] national administration. But he also had immense assets in the Long name and in the backing of Russell Long. His campaign kick-off dinner was conspicuous for the presence of a formidable list of state and local leaders of the old Long organization, some of whom had not been active in recent statewide campaigns. He also made some organizational inroads into a potential new element in Louisiana politics—a rising class of young business and professional men whose call for a new look in Louisiana politics is similar to a development that has taken place nationally. Those 'young men for Gillis Long' are sophisticates, skilled at organization and public relations, and inclined to institutionalize and intellectualize politics to a greater extent that is usual among old-fashioned personalized bosses in both parties. Gillis Long's campaign success depends heavily on the ability to put muscle into the atrophied Long organization because there is survival of Long sentiment among the traditional groups of Long voters which cannot be discounted. ..."<ref>William C. Havard, Rudolf Heberle, and [[Perry H. Howard]], ''The Louisiana Elections of 1960'', [[Baton Rouge]]: [[Louisiana State University]] Studies, 1963, pp. 100-101.</ref></blockquote>​

Gillis Long had the [liability] ... of having absented himself from the state for a long time and of having too many apparent associations with the [[John F. Kennedy]] national administration. But he also had immense assets in the Long name and in the backing of Russell Long. His campaign kick-off dinner was conspicuous for the presence of a formidable list of state and local leaders of the old Long organization, some of whom had not been active in recent statewide campaigns. He also made some organizational inroads into a potential new element in Louisiana politics—a rising class of young business and professional men whose call for a new look in Louisiana politics is similar to a development that has taken place nationally. Those 'young men for Gillis Long' are sophisticates, skilled at organization and public relations, and inclined to institutionalize and intellectualize politics to a greater extent that is usual among old-fashioned personalized bosses in both parties. Gillis Long's campaign success depends heavily on the ability to put muscle into the atrophied Long organization because there is survival of Long sentiment among the traditional groups of Long voters which cannot be discounted. ..."<ref>William C. Havard, Rudolf Heberle, and [[Perry H. Howard]], ''The Louisiana Elections of 1960'', [[Baton Rouge]]: [[Louisiana State University]] Studies, 1963, pp. 100-101.</ref></blockquote>​

 

Runnng with Long on his intra-party ticket were R. O. Rush for lieutenant governor and Andrew J. Falcon for state comptroller,<ref>''Minden Press,'' December 2, 1963, p. 13.</ref> a position no longer elected.

Runnng with Long on his intra-party ticket were R. O. Rush for lieutenant governor and Andrew J. Falcon for state comptroller,<ref>''Minden Press,'' December 2, 1963, p. 13.</ref> a position no longer elected.