Changes

Before his election to the legislature, Doerge was involved in occasional political sparring. He wrote a "Letter to the Editor" of his hometown paper, the ''[[Minden Press-Herald]],'' critical of [[Ed Steimel|Edward J. Steimel]] of Baton Rouge, then the executive director of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry. Doerge accused LABI of seeking to destroy public education. In a reply letter, Steimel described Doerge as "a perfect example of why we can never change our present [educational] system. ...[His] reaction and behavior we have come to expect from many in the educational establishment who are more interested in protecting the status quo and jobs, rather than educating children. ...<ref>[[Ed Steimel|Edward J. Steimel]], "In response to Everett Doerge," ''Minden Press-Herald,'' June 7, 1987, p. 2A.</ref>

Before his election to the legislature, Doerge was involved in occasional political sparring. He wrote a "Letter to the Editor" of his hometown paper, the ''[[Minden Press-Herald]],'' critical of [[Ed Steimel|Edward J. Steimel]] of Baton Rouge, then the executive director of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry. Doerge accused LABI of seeking to destroy public education. In a reply letter, Steimel described Doerge as "a perfect example of why we can never change our present [educational] system. ...[His] reaction and behavior we have come to expect from many in the educational establishment who are more interested in protecting the status quo and jobs, rather than educating children. ...<ref>[[Ed Steimel|Edward J. Steimel]], "In response to Everett Doerge," ''Minden Press-Herald,'' June 7, 1987, p. 2A.</ref>

Four years later, on November 16, 1991, Doerge was elected to the legislature. It was the same election in which [[Edwin Edwards]], who had served as [[governor]] from 1972 to 1980 and from 1984 to 1988, secured his fourth nonconsecutive term by defeating former [[Ku Klux Klan]]sman [[David Duke]] and, also, the day which saw, in the early morning hours, the death, from cancer, of another famed Louisiana political figure, [[Bill Dodd]]. Whereas Edwards overwhelmed Duke statewide, Doerge barely unseated the short-term [[Republican Party|GOP]] [[incumbent]] Fulton Eugene Eason (1928-2007) of Springhill in northern Webster Parish. A member of the Springhill City Council, Eason was elected on March 27, 1991, to fill the remaining months in the term of former Representative Bruce Martin Bolin of Minden, who resigned upon election to a 26th District state judgeship.

Four years later, on November 16, 1991, Doerge was elected to the legislature. It was the same election in which [[Edwin Edwards]], who had served as [[governor]] from 1972 to 1980 and from 1984 to 1988, secured his fourth nonconsecutive term by defeating former [[Ku Klux Klan]]sman [[David Duke]] and, also, the day which saw, in the early morning hours, the death, from cancer, of another famed Louisiana political figure, [[Bill Dodd]]. Whereas Edwards overwhelmed Duke statewide, Doerge barely unseated the short-term [[Republican Party|GOP]] [[incumbent]] Fulton Eugene Eason (1928-2007) of Springhill in northern Webster Parish. A member of the Springhill City Council, Eason was elected on March 27, 1991, to fill the remaining months in the term of former Representative [[Bruce Bolin]] of Minden, who resigned upon election to a 26th District state judgeship.

Doerge prevailed by 71 votes: 8,389 to Eason's 8,318. Edwards defeated Duke in Webster Parish, 9,024 votes (52 percent) to 8,406 (48 percent). Both Doerge and Eason hence ran behind Duke in raw figures. The discrepancy is that 723 voters who participated in the gubernatorial contest did not vote for either candidate for representative.​

Doerge prevailed by 71 votes: 8,389 to Eason's 8,318. Edwards defeated Duke in Webster Parish, 9,024 votes (52 percent) to 8,406 (48 percent). Both Doerge and Eason hence ran behind Duke in raw figures. The discrepancy is that 723 voters who participated in the gubernatorial contest did not vote for either candidate for representative.​

Doerge worked with Republican Representative Roy L. Brun of Shreveport to repeal the Louisiana forced heirship law. According to Doerge, "When people work hard to support themselves and their family, they should be able to determine what happens to their estate upon death."<ref>"Doerge, Brun join heirship forces," ''Minden Press-Herald,'' December 16, 1993, p. 1.</ref>​

Doerge worked with Republican Representative Roy L. Brun of Shreveport to repeal the Louisiana forced heirship law. According to Doerge, "When people work hard to support themselves and their family, they should be able to determine what happens to their estate upon death."<ref>"Doerge, Brun join heirship forces," ''Minden Press-Herald,'' December 16, 1993, p. 1.</ref>​

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==Death and legacy==

==Death and legacy==