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LeBlanc provided the third swing vote to remove Huey Long as the PSC chairman, as Long was attempting to use the position to promote his pending gubernatorial candidacy in 1928. LeBlanc accused Long of being a "slacker" in World War I.​

LeBlanc provided the third swing vote to remove Huey Long as the PSC chairman, as Long was attempting to use the position to promote his pending gubernatorial candidacy in 1928. LeBlanc accused Long of being a "slacker" in World War I.​

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==1932 gubernatorial campaign==​

==1932 gubernatorial campaign==

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LeBlanc and Huey Long, both being salesmen, had become friends during the 1920s. By the time that LeBlanc decided to run for governor in 1932, they were bitter intra-party rivals. Huey Long got a fellow representative, Gilbert Dupre, to claim that LeBlanc "associated with Negroes".<ref>''Louisiana Progress,'' November 10, 1931.</ref>​

LeBlanc and Huey Long, both being salesmen, had become friends during the 1920s. By the time that LeBlanc decided to run for governor in 1932, they were bitter intra-party rivals. Huey Long got a fellow representative, Gilbert Dupre, to claim that LeBlanc "associated with Negroes".<ref>''Louisiana Progress,'' November 10, 1931.</ref>​

 

Long threw his support to the eventual gubernatorial winner, Oscar Kelly Allen of Winnfield. There were reports of fraud in the balloting, but the election was not close. Allen prevailed with 214,699 votes (56.5 percent) to LeBlanc's 110,848 ballots (29 percent). A third candidate, George Guion, polled 53,756 votes (14.2 percent). Some fishermen even claimed to have seen ballot boxes floating down the [[Mississippi River]].

Long threw his support to the eventual gubernatorial winner, Oscar Kelly Allen of Winnfield. There were reports of fraud in the balloting, but the election was not close. Allen prevailed with 214,699 votes (56.5 percent) to LeBlanc's 110,848 ballots (29 percent). A third candidate, George Guion, polled 53,756 votes (14.2 percent). Some fishermen even claimed to have seen ballot boxes floating down the [[Mississippi River]].

 

In the 1932 campaign, LeBlanc spent more time attacking Long, who was not a candidate for reelection, than he did his principal rival, Oscar Allen.{{citation needed|date=February 2013}} Long retaliated: in stump speeches, he poked fun at LeBlanc's French name, much as Long's brother, [[Earl Long|Earl Kemp Long]], later ridiculed then [[New Orleans]] [[Mayor]] deLesseps Story "Chep" Morrison, (1912-1964), when Long and Morrison were opposing candidates in the 1955 gubernatorial primary. Long also criticized LeBlanc's funeral business, which catered primarily to [[African Americans]].​

In the 1932 campaign, LeBlanc spent more time attacking Long, who was not a candidate for reelection, than he did his principal rival, Oscar Allen.{{citation needed|date=February 2013}} Long retaliated: in stump speeches, he poked fun at LeBlanc's French name, much as Long's brother, [[Earl Long|Earl Kemp Long]], later ridiculed then [[New Orleans]] [[Mayor]] deLesseps Story "Chep" Morrison, (1912-1964), when Long and Morrison were opposing candidates in the 1955 gubernatorial primary. Long also criticized LeBlanc's funeral business, which catered primarily to [[African Americans]].​

 

It was during this losing campaign for governor that LeBlanc began calling for a $30 old-age pension. Years later, Governor Earl Long, who found LeBlanc charming and humorous, declared LeBlanc the "father of the old-age pension".<ref>{{cite book​

It was during this losing campaign for governor that LeBlanc began calling for a $30 old-age pension. Years later, Governor Earl Long, who found LeBlanc charming and humorous, declared LeBlanc the "father of the old-age pension" in Louisiana.<ref>{{cite book​

| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=QsvV2cVte6wC​

| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=QsvV2cVte6wC​

| title = Earl K. Long: The Saga of Uncle Earl and Louisiana Politics​

| title = Earl K. Long: The Saga of Uncle Earl and Louisiana Politics​

| publisher=[[Louisiana State University]] Press​

| publisher=[[Louisiana State University]] Press​

| isbn = 9780807117651​}}</ref> By that time, the payments were $100 per month.​

| isbn = 9780807117651​}}</ref> By that time, the payments were $100 per month.​

 

After his defeat for governor, LeBlanc returned to another prosperous burial insurance business, the "Thibodaux Benevolent Association." Long prevented LeBlanc from operating his business in Louisiana by getting the legislature to pass a law forbidding that type of insurance company from operating in the state. Subsequently, LeBlanc moved the company to [[Texas]], where it continued to prosper. After Long's assassination in 1935, LeBlanc sold that business and returned to Abbeville.​

After his defeat for governor, LeBlanc returned to another prosperous burial insurance business, the "Thibodaux Benevolent Association." Long prevented LeBlanc from operating his business in Louisiana by getting the legislature to pass a law forbidding that type of insurance company from operating in the state. Subsequently, LeBlanc moved the company to [[Texas]], where it continued to prosper. After Long's assassination in 1935, LeBlanc sold that business and returned to Abbeville.​

 

In the 1963-1964 Louisiana gubernatorial campaign, [[John J. McKeithen]] went into a run-off against for Mayor Chep Morrison. Initially LeBlanc supported Morrison but changed his mind and urged his bloc of Cajunvoters to support McKeithen.  After his election, Governor McKeithen considered returning LeBlanc to the post of State Senate President Pro Tempore, third in line in gubernatorial succession. LeBlanc had held that position in Earl Long's second term from 1948 to 1952. When controversy surfaced over the proposed appointment, however, McKeithen changed his mind.​

In the 1963-1964 Louisiana gubernatorial campaign, [[John J. McKeithen]] went into a run-off against for Mayor Chep Morrison. Initially LeBlanc supported Morrison but changed his mind and urged his bloc of Cajunvoters to support McKeithen.  After his election, Governor McKeithen considered returning LeBlanc to the post of State Senate President Pro Tempore, third in line in gubernatorial succession. LeBlanc had held that position in Earl Long's second term from 1948 to 1952. When controversy surfaced over the proposed appointment, however, McKeithen changed his mind.​

 

==Four state senate terms==​

==Four state senate terms==​

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In 1940, LeBlanc was elected to the first of his four nonconsecutive terms in the Louisiana State Senate. LeBlanc served from 1940 to 1944 (Governor [[Sam Houston Jones]]), 1948 to 1952 (second Earl Long administration), 1964 to 1968, and 1968 to 1971 (McKeithen), when he died in office, with some seven months remaining in the term.​

In 1940, LeBlanc was elected to the first of his four nonconsecutive terms in the Louisiana State Senate. LeBlanc served from 1940 to 1944 (Governor [[Sam Houston Jones]]), 1948 to 1952 (second Earl Long administration), 1964 to 1968, and 1968 to 1971 (McKeithen), when he died in office, with some seven months remaining in the term.​ At the time of his death, LeBlanc was also seeking a fifth term in the state Senate from a reconfigured district including Vermilion and Acadia parishes.

 

At the time of his death, LeBlanc was also seeking a fifth term in the state Senate from a reconfigured district including Vermilion and Acadia parishes.​

LeBlanc also ran three times — in 1952, 1954, and 1966 — for the [[United States House of Representatives]] for  Louisiana's 3rd congressional district against the Lafayette-based incumbent, [[Edwin E. Willis]. State Representative Dick Guidry of Lafourche Parish was a third candidate in the 1966 congressional primary.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/1592776/|title=Everyone gets into state politics|publisher=''Lake Charles American Press''|date=August 12, 1966|page=15|accessdate=September 11, 2014}}</ref> Willis prevailed over both LeBlanc and Guidry and then defeated the Republican [[Hall Lyons]] of Lafayette in the 1966 [[general election]].<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, General election returns, November 8, 1966.</ref>​

LeBlanc also ran three times — in 1952, 1954, and 1966 — for the [[United States House of Representatives]] for  Louisiana's 3rd congressional district against the Lafayette-based incumbent, [[Edwin E. Willis]. State Representative Dick Guidry of Lafourche Parish was a third candidate in the 1966 congressional primary.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/1592776/|title=Everyone gets into state politics|publisher=''Lake Charles American Press''|date=August 12, 1966|page=15|accessdate=September 11, 2014}}</ref> Willis prevailed over both LeBlanc and Guidry and then defeated the Republican [[Hall Lyons]] of Lafayette in the 1966 [[general election]].<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, General election returns, November 8, 1966.</ref>​

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[[Bill Dodd|William J. "Bill" Dodd]], a friend and sometimes rival of LeBlanc's, said that LeBlanc once addressed a political gathering in which Public Service Commissioner [[Ernest Clements]], who did not speak French — he was from mostly English Oberlin in Allen Parish — was in attendance. A practical joker, LeBlanc had some fun with Clements: he assailed Huey and Earl Long and Clements. There was Clements on the platform applauding as LeBlanc called him "a crook!" Only in Louisiana, it was said, could such politicking be commonplace. And, yes, on more than one occasion Earl Long called LeBlanc "a crook."<ref name=dodd>​[[Bill Dodd|William J. "Bill" Dodd]], ''Peapatch Politics: The Earl Long Era in Louisiana Politics'' (Baton Rouge: Claitor's Publishing, 1991​).</ref>

[[Bill Dodd|William J. "Bill" Dodd]], a friend and sometimes rival of LeBlanc's, said that LeBlanc once addressed a political gathering in which Public Service Commissioner [[Ernest Clements]], who did not speak French — he was from mostly English Oberlin in Allen Parish — was in attendance. A practical joker, LeBlanc had some fun with Clements: he assailed Huey and Earl Long and Clements. There was Clements on the platform applauding as LeBlanc called him "a crook!" Only in Louisiana, it was said, could such politicking be commonplace. And, yes, on more than one occasion Earl Long called LeBlanc "a crook."<ref name=dodd>​[[Bill Dodd|William J. "Bill" Dodd]], ''Peapatch Politics: The Earl Long Era in Louisiana Politics'' (Baton Rouge: Claitor's Publishing, 1991​).</ref>

 

Dodd recalled an incident when he was lieutenant governor between 1948 and 1952 in the second Earl Long administration and presided over the state senate. LeBlanc was accused by an unnamed north Louisiana senator of having a financial interest in some proposed law. Dodd said in his memoirs, ''Peapatch Politics: The Earl Long Era in Louisiana Politics'', that "Dudley had a hard time getting gung ho for any political act that didn't help him personally." The two senators nearly came to physical blows. Then the whole Senate burst into laughter, and the two forgot their differences.​<ref name=dodd/>

Dodd recalled an incident when he was lieutenant governor between 1948 and 1952 in the second Earl Long administration and presided over the state senate. LeBlanc was accused by an unnamed north Louisiana senator of having a financial interest in some proposed law. Dodd said in his memoirs, ''Peapatch Politics: The Earl Long Era in Louisiana Politics'', that "Dudley had a hard time getting gung ho for any political act that didn't help him personally." The two senators nearly came to physical blows. Then the whole Senate burst into laughter, and the two forgot their differences.​<ref name=dodd/>

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