Changes

Blair was never reconciled to the election of Randolph, who was a Bolton High School classmate of Blair's two older children.  He tried to dislodge Randolph in the 1979 primary and failed. In 1983, Blair attempted again. In a surprise of sorts, Randolph was unseated, not by Blair, but by Pineville businessman [[Joe McPherson]], later of Woodworth in south Rapides Parish. Randolph led in the initial balloting with 13,501 votes (38.4 percent) to McPherson's 11,032 ballots (31.4 percent). Blair received 6,096 votes (17.4 percent), and Alexandria Mayor [[John K. Snyder]], in fourth place, received 4,496 votes (12.8 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 22, 1983.</ref> In the runoff contest —officially the Louisiana [[general election]]— McPherson prevailed, 16,360 votes (53.9 percent) to Randolph's 13,973 (46.1 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 19, 1983.</ref>

Blair was never reconciled to the election of Randolph, who was a Bolton High School classmate of Blair's two older children.  He tried to dislodge Randolph in the 1979 primary and failed. In 1983, Blair attempted again. In a surprise of sorts, Randolph was unseated, not by Blair, but by Pineville businessman [[Joe McPherson]], later of Woodworth in south Rapides Parish. Randolph led in the initial balloting with 13,501 votes (38.4 percent) to McPherson's 11,032 ballots (31.4 percent). Blair received 6,096 votes (17.4 percent), and Alexandria Mayor [[John K. Snyder]], in fourth place, received 4,496 votes (12.8 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 22, 1983.</ref> In the runoff contest —officially the Louisiana [[general election]]— McPherson prevailed, 16,360 votes (53.9 percent) to Randolph's 13,973 (46.1 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 19, 1983.</ref>

In 1987, Blair attempted to regain the Senate seat. He and outgoing state Representative Jock Scott, then a convert to the Republican Party, challenged McPherson, who carried the support of [[AFL-CIO]] state president [[Victor Bussie]]. McPherson polled 16,950 (51 percent) in the primary and hence retained the seat outright. Scott trailed with 12,346 votes (37 percent). Blair netted 4,245 votes (13 percent). <ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 24, 1987.</ref> In 1995, Blair once more attempted to regain the Senate seat but failed to make the general election runoff in a field of seven candidates. The Reverend [[B. G. Dyess]], the retired Rapides Parish voter registrar and a Baptist clergyman who campaigned against [[gambling]], won the state Senate seat. Dyess served for four years and, because of his wife's health, did not seek a second term in 1999. McPherson made an unsuccessful bid for Public Service Commissioner in 1995, having been defeated by Dale Sittig of Eunice. McPherson returned to the Senate in 2000 and easily won a third consecutive term in the primary held on October 20, 2007, the same election hich propelled [[Bobby Jindal]] to the governorship.​<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 21, 1995, and October 20, 2007.</ref>

In 1987, Blair attempted to regain the Senate seat. He and outgoing state Representative Jock Scott, then a convert to the Republican Party, challenged McPherson, who carried the support of [[AFL-CIO]] state president [[Victor Bussie]]. McPherson polled 16,950 (51 percent) in the primary and hence retained the seat outright. Scott trailed with 12,346 votes (37 percent). Blair netted 4,245 votes (13 percent). <ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 24, 1987.</ref> In 1995, Blair once more attempted to regain the Senate seat but failed to make the general election runoff in a field of seven candidates. The Reverend [[B. G. Dyess]], the retired Rapides Parish voter registrar and a Baptist clergyman who campaigned against [[gambling]], won the state Senate seat. Dyess served for four years and, because of his wife's health, did not seek a second term in 1999. McPherson made an unsuccessful bid for Public Service Commissioner in 1995, having been defeated by [[Dale Sittig]] of Eunice. McPherson returned to the Senate in 2000 and easily won a third consecutive term in the primary held on October 20, 2007, the same election hich propelled [[Bobby Jindal]] to the governorship.​<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 21, 1995, and October 20, 2007.</ref>

==Legacy==

==Legacy==