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In 1944, LeBlanc surrendered his Senate seat to make his second run for governor. He polled only 40,392 votes (8.4 percent). Ernest Clements was running for governor too — he polled about half as many votes as LeBlanc received. The winner that year was LeBlanc's fellow Democrat, [[Jimmie Davis]], who won the first of his two nonconsecutive terms, having defeated principal rival Lewis Lovering Morgan (1876-1950) of Covington in St. Tammany Parish. Still another 1944 candidate was [[Sam Caldwell]], the mayor of [[Shreveport]] in northwestern Louisiana who finished with fewer than thirty thousand votes.​

In 1944, LeBlanc surrendered his Senate seat to make his second run for governor. He polled only 40,392 votes (8.4 percent). Ernest Clements was running for governor too — he polled about half as many votes as LeBlanc received. The winner that year was LeBlanc's fellow Democrat, [[Jimmie Davis]], who won the first of his two nonconsecutive terms, having defeated principal rival Lewis Lovering Morgan (1876-1950) of Covington in St. Tammany Parish. Still another 1944 candidate was [[Sam Caldwell]], the mayor of [[Shreveport]] in northwestern Louisiana who finished with fewer than thirty thousand votes.​

 

LeBlanc returned to the state senate in 1948, only to give up the seat again in 1952, so that he could contest the gubernatorial nomination for the third time. He polled 62,906 votes (8.3 percent). The winner that year was Democrat [[Robert F. Kennon]], a judge and former mayor of [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]] in Webster Parish east of Shreveport. Dodd was in the same race and also fared poorly, but he still received more votes than LeBlanc.​

LeBlanc returned to the state senate in 1948, only to give up the seat again in 1952, so that he could contest the gubernatorial nomination for the third time. He polled 62,906 votes (8.3 percent). The winner that year was Democrat [[Robert F. Kennon]], a judge and former mayor of [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]] in Webster Parish east of Shreveport. Dodd was in the same race and also fared poorly, but he still received more votes than LeBlanc.​

 

LeBlanc used his state Senate seat to pass legislation to assist teachers, farmers, and veterans. He developed the Louisiana Old Age Pension, originally $30 a month, for people over the age of sixty-five. At one point, he was outbidding the Longs on how much the state could afford to pay the aged.​

LeBlanc used his state Senate seat to pass legislation to assist teachers, farmers, and veterans. He developed the Louisiana Old Age Pension, originally $30 a month, for people over the age of sixty-five. At one point, he was outbidding the Longs on how much the state could afford to pay the aged.​

 

In the 1947-1948 campaign — the election was in January 1948, but most of the voter appeals were made in the fall of 1947 — then State Representative Dodd, who himself was running for lieutenant governor on the Earl Long slate, and LeBlanc, who was running for a second term in the state senate, campaigned together for a few days. They used LeBlanc's comfortable Abbeville home as a base of operations in Acadiana. LeBlanc had supported anti-Long candidates Sam Jones and Jimmie Davis in 1940 and 1944, respectively. But in 1948, he supported Long, whom he expected to win, against Jones, who was trailing badly in a comeback attempt.​<ref name=dodd/>

In the 1947-1948 campaign — the election was in January 1948, but most of the voter appeals were made in the fall of 1947 — then State Representative Dodd, who himself was running for lieutenant governor on the Earl Long slate, and LeBlanc, who was running for a second term in the state senate, campaigned together for a few days. They used LeBlanc's comfortable Abbeville home as a base of operations in Acadiana. LeBlanc had supported anti-Long candidates Sam Jones and Jimmie Davis in 1940 and 1944, respectively. But in 1948, he supported Long, whom he expected to win, against Jones, who was trailing badly in a comeback attempt.​<ref name=dodd/>

 

In 1951, LeBlanc had considered running for lieutenant governor, which was then the presiding officer of the state senate, on Dodd's gubernatorial ticket. However, Earl Long, when he heard of LeBlanc's plans, had a friend tell an untruth about Dodd to LeBlanc. Long split the two old friends, as was his forte, but the breach was temporary. So LeBlanc and Dodd both ran unsuccessfully for governor.​

In 1951, LeBlanc had considered running for lieutenant governor, which was then the presiding officer of the state senate, on Dodd's gubernatorial ticket. However, Earl Long, when he heard of LeBlanc's plans, had a friend tell an untruth about Dodd to LeBlanc. Long split the two old friends, as was his forte, but the breach was temporary. So LeBlanc and Dodd both ran unsuccessfully for governor.​

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==Defender of Cajun culture==​

==Defending Cajun culture==

 

In addition to his determined political activities, LeBlanc was a staunch defender of preserving Cajun culture in Louisiana. He formed the Association of Louisiana Acadians and served as its President, working tirelessly to promote unions between Louisiana and Canada and France.  LeBlanc devised and led three Official Pilgrimages of Louisiana Cajuns to [[Nova Scotia]], [[Canada]], and France, including [[Paris]] and Belle-Ile-en-Mer, the French island where many Acadians from Nova Scotia were exiled in the  Acadian Deportation of 1755.  He encouraged and arranged exchanges of students.

In addition to his determined political activities, LeBlanc was a staunch defender of preserving Cajun culture in Louisiana. He formed the Association of Louisiana Acadians and served as its President, working tirelessly to promote unions between Louisiana and Canada and France.  LeBlanc devised and led three Official Pilgrimages of Louisiana Cajuns to [[Nova Scotia]], [[Canada]], and France, including [[Paris]] and Belle-Ile-en-Mer, the French island where many Acadians from Nova Scotia were exiled in the  Acadian Deportation of 1755.  He encouraged and arranged exchanges of students.

and teachers from Canada, France and other French-speaking territories to come to Louisiana schools and colleges, as Louisiana students and teachers did the same.​

and teachers from Canada, France and other French-speaking territories to come to Louisiana schools and colleges, as Louisiana students and teachers did the same.​

The national Democratic Party hence asked LeBlanc to campaign for Democratic candidates in French-speaking territories of the Northeast.<ref>{{cite book​

The national Democratic Party hence asked LeBlanc to campaign for Democratic candidates in French-speaking territories of the Northeast.<ref>{{cite book​

| url= https://books.google.com/books?id=hGE3CwAAQBAJ​| title= Where These Memories Grow: History, Memory, and Southern Identity| author=W. Fitzhugh Brundage​

|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=hGE3CwAAQBAJ​| title= Where These Memories Grow: History, Memory, and Southern Identity| author=W. Fitzhugh Brundage​

| date=December 12, 2015| publisher=[[University of North Carolina]] Press| isbn = 9781469624327|accessdate=January 10, 2020​}}</ref>​

|date=December 12, 2015| publisher=[[University of North Carolina]] Press| isbn = 9781469624327|accessdate=January 10, 2020​}}</ref>​

LeBlanc obtained $10,000 from the Louisiana State Legislature as a legislator for the creation of the Evangeline State Park, named after Evangeline, the heroine in the poem by [[Henry Wadsworth Longfellow]] entitled "Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie."​

LeBlanc obtained $10,000 from the Louisiana State Legislature as a legislator for the creation of the Evangeline State Park, named after Evangeline, the heroine in the poem by [[Henry Wadsworth Longfellow]] entitled "Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie."​