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Lyons hence left his father's Republican Party to join the American Independent Party, an organization founded by Bill Shearer in [[California]] in 1967 and known for its nomination of [[George Wallace]], the former governor of [[Alabama]] at the time, as its presidential candidate in 1968 against Nixon and the Democratic nominee, [[Vice President of the United States|Vice President]] [[Hubert Humphrey]].

Lyons hence left his father's Republican Party to join the American Independent Party, an organization founded by Bill Shearer in [[California]] in 1967 and known for its nomination of [[George Wallace]], the former governor of [[Alabama]] at the time, as its presidential candidate in 1968 against Nixon and the Democratic nominee, [[Vice President of the United States|Vice President]] [[Hubert Humphrey]].

Hall Lyons supported Wallace in 1968 and planned to run for governor himself in the Louisiana general election held on February 1, 1972. He faced the prospect of running on the American Party label without his father's support, as the elder Lyons was the finance chairman for  Republican nominee [[David C. Treen]],<ref>"Charlton Lyons Is Named Treen Finance Chairman," ''Minden Press-Herald,'' July 13, 1971, p. 1.</ref> then of Jefferson Parish, where Hall Lyons subsequently spent his later years.<ref>Grover Rees, ''Dave Treen of Louisiana'' (Baton Rouge: Moran Publishing Company, 1979), p. 47.</ref> Lyons cited "corruption in high places in Louisiana ... a cancer that must be cut out in an emergency operation."<ref>"Hall M. Lyons Is Candidate," ''Minden Press-Herald," November 11, 1971, p. 1.</ref> However, a few weeks before the election, Lyons abandoned his candidacy and endorsed Treen, in his words, "so the cause of conservative unity might best be served."<ref>''Shreveport Journal'', January 3, 1972, p. 1.</ref><ref>"Lyons Says Conservatives Should Unite With Treen", ''Minden Press-Herald'', January 4, 1972, p. 1.</ref>

Hall Lyons supported Wallace in 1968 and planned to run for governor himself in the Louisiana general election held on February 1, 1972. He faced the prospect of running on the American Party label without his father's support, as the elder Lyons was the finance chairman for  Republican nominee [[David C. Treen]],<ref>"Charlton Lyons Is Named Treen Finance Chairman," ''[[Minden Press-Herald]],'' July 13, 1971, p. 1.</ref> then of Jefferson Parish, where Hall Lyons subsequently spent his later years.<ref>Grover Rees, ''Dave Treen of Louisiana'' (Baton Rouge: Moran Publishing Company, 1979), p. 47.</ref> Lyons cited "corruption in high places in Louisiana ... a cancer that must be cut out in an emergency operation."<ref>"Hall M. Lyons Is Candidate," ''Minden Press-Herald," November 11, 1971, p. 1.</ref> However, a few weeks before the election, Lyons abandoned his candidacy and endorsed Treen, in his words, "so the cause of conservative unity might best be served."<ref>''Shreveport Journal'', January 3, 1972, p. 1.</ref><ref>"Lyons Says Conservatives Should Unite With Treen", ''Minden Press-Herald'', January 4, 1972, p. 1.</ref>

Treen lost the governor's race to Edwards but nevertheless later became the first Louisiana Republican since 1891 to hold a seat in the [[United States House of Representatives]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=C000619|title=Coleman, Hamilton Dudley|publisher=bioguide.congress.gov|accessdate=August 17, 2014}}</ref> Treen  represented the same but revised Third District in which Lyons had run six years earlier against Edwin Willis.<ref>''New Orleans Times Picayune'', November 8, 1972, p. 1.</ref> In 1979, Treen was elected as his state's first Republican governor since 1877.<ref>Official election returns, December 1979", ''Baton Rouge State-Times,'' December 22, 1979, p. 16C.</ref>​

Treen lost the governor's race to Edwards but nevertheless later became the first Louisiana Republican since 1891 to hold a seat in the [[United States House of Representatives]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=C000619|title=Coleman, Hamilton Dudley|publisher=bioguide.congress.gov|accessdate=August 17, 2014}}</ref> Treen  represented the same but revised Third District in which Lyons had run six years earlier against Edwin Willis.<ref>''New Orleans Times Picayune'', November 8, 1972, p. 1.</ref> In 1979, Treen was elected as his state's first Republican governor since 1877.<ref>Official election returns, December 1979", ''Baton Rouge State-Times,'' December 22, 1979, p. 16C.</ref>​