Changes

In the 2007 primary, Townsend did not seek a third term but instead ran for the open state Senate seat which had been held by his uncle from 1976 to 1996. The Democratic incumbent, [[Mike Smith (Louisiana Politician)|Kenneth Michael "Mike" Smith]] of Winnfield, who was ineligible to seek a fourth term. In a surprising turn of events, Townsend was defeated by Gerald Long, the first Long family member elected to office in Louisiana as a [[Republican Party|Republican]]. Long procured 20,609 votes (54 percent) to Townsend's 17,699 (46 percent) and won five of the six parishes in the district, losing only Natchitoches, the home of both candidates. He even won in tiny Red River Parish, one of only two North Louisiana parishes that did not support Republican Governor [[Bobby Jindal]] in the October 20 primary.​

In the 2007 primary, Townsend did not seek a third term but instead ran for the open state Senate seat which had been held by his uncle from 1976 to 1996. The Democratic incumbent, [[Mike Smith (Louisiana Politician)|Kenneth Michael "Mike" Smith]] of Winnfield, who was ineligible to seek a fourth term. In a surprising turn of events, Townsend was defeated by Gerald Long, the first Long family member elected to office in Louisiana as a [[Republican Party|Republican]]. Long procured 20,609 votes (54 percent) to Townsend's 17,699 (46 percent) and won five of the six parishes in the district, losing only Natchitoches, the home of both candidates. He even won in tiny Red River Parish, one of only two North Louisiana parishes that did not support Republican Governor [[Bobby Jindal]] in the October 20 primary.​

In addition to Townsend's defeat for the state Senate, the Natchitoches Republican [[Rick Nowlin]] was elected to the House seat that Townsend had vacated. He defeated former Mayor [[Joe Sampite'}, a Natchitoches Democrat. The Long and Nowlin victories marked the first time since [[Reconstruction]] that Natchitoches Parish had been represented by Republicans in either house of the state legislature.<ref name=house/>​ Nowlin, defeated in a revised district in 2011, thereafter served two terms as the first president of Natchitoches Parish.

In addition to Townsend's defeat for the state Senate, the Natchitoches Republican [[Rick Nowlin]] was elected to the House seat that Townsend had vacated. He defeated former Mayor [[Joe Sampite']], a Natchitoches Democrat. The Long and Nowlin victories marked the first time since [[Reconstruction]] that Natchitoches Parish had been represented by Republicans in either house of the state legislature.<ref name=house/>​ Nowlin, defeated in a revised district in 2011, thereafter served two terms as the first president of Natchitoches Parish.

In 2014, Townsend represented Walter Clyde Lee, Sr. (born 1934), an elected member of the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education who pleaded not guilty in state district court in Mansfield to four criminal charges stemming from alleged overbilling of travel expenditures. He was accused of billing for expenses from both BESE and his former employer, the De Soto Parish School Board, for whom he had been the superintendent.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/mar/5/arraignment-set-for-bese-member-walter-lee/#ixzz2vHt04Ie8|title=BESE member Walter Lee pleads not guilty|date=March 5, 2014|publisher=''The Washington Times''|accessdate=March 7, 2014}}</ref>

In 2014, Townsend represented Walter Clyde Lee, Sr. (born 1934), an elected member of the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education who pleaded not guilty in state district court in Mansfield to four criminal charges stemming from alleged overbilling of travel expenditures. He was accused of billing for expenses from both BESE and his former employer, the De Soto Parish School Board, for whom he had been the superintendent.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/mar/5/arraignment-set-for-bese-member-walter-lee/#ixzz2vHt04Ie8|title=BESE member Walter Lee pleads not guilty|date=March 5, 2014|publisher=''The Washington Times''|accessdate=March 7, 2014}}</ref>