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He ran in the 1963–1964 election cycle for the since defunct position of custodian of voting machines (later elections commissioner), an office unique to Louisiana when created in the late 1950s by Governor [[Earl Long|Earl Kemp Long]]. Laborde was defeated in the runoff election by the one-term [[incumbent]], [[Douglas Fowler]] of Coushatta in Red River Parish in northwestern Louisiana. At the time, candidates for statewide constitutional offices were often affiliated with gubernatorial tickets. Laborde ran with the slate headed by former New Orleans Mayor deLesseps Story "Chep" Morrison (1912-1964), a ticket which included later state Senator Claude B. Duval]] of Houma in Terrebonne Parish for lieutenant governor and State Representative Jack M. Dyer of [[Baton Rouge]] for insurance commissioner. All were defeated with the election of [[John J. McKeithen]] as govror and Clarence C. "Taddy" Aycock (1915-1987) as lieutenant governor.
After his initial election to the legislature, Laborde rarely faced serious opposition. In the 1983 primary, in which Edwards returned for a third nonconsecutive term by unseating [[Republican Party|Republican]] Governor [[David C. Treen]], Laborde prevailed over fellow Democrat Johnny Bennett, 10,633 votes (59.3 percent) to 7,346 (40.7 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=562199|title=Louisiana State House District 28|publisher=ourcampaigns.com|accessdate=December 19November 3, 20092019}}</ref> Though considered a strong Edwards ally, he was Speaker Pro Tempore in the Treen administration and later Ways and Means chairman under Governor [[Buddy Roemer]], who defeated Edwards in the 1987 primary.<ref name=nyt/>
In 1978, Laborde was named "Avoyellean of the Year."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.angelfire.com/la/avoyelles/|title=Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana|publisher=angelfire.com|accessdate=November 3, 2019}}</ref> In 2003, he was inducted into the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame in Winnfield.<ref name=hoffame/>
