Changes

Colten ran a "reform" campaign, claiming that he wanted to get Minden "moving," implying that the two-term incumbent, [[Frank T. Norman]], who had also backed Goldwater for president, had been too passive during his two terms as mayor from 1958 to 1966 and as public safety commissioner from 1952 to 1958, had been too passive. Colten never used the "R" label. ''The Press-Herald'' on the day after the general election referred to Colten merely as "the challenger," with no mention of party affiliation. Colten received 2,044 votes (55.8 percent) to Norman's 1,622 (44.2 percent).<ref>"Tom Colten Elected Mayor of Minden: Challenger Takes Seven of Ten City Precincts to Win in General Election," ''Minden Press-Herald,'' November 9, 1966, p. 1.</ref>  

Colten ran a "reform" campaign, claiming that he wanted to get Minden "moving," implying that the two-term incumbent, [[Frank T. Norman]], who had also backed Goldwater for president, had been too passive during his two terms as mayor from 1958 to 1966 and as public safety commissioner from 1952 to 1958, had been too passive. Colten never used the "R" label. ''The Press-Herald'' on the day after the general election referred to Colten merely as "the challenger," with no mention of party affiliation. Colten received 2,044 votes (55.8 percent) to Norman's 1,622 (44.2 percent).<ref>"Tom Colten Elected Mayor of Minden: Challenger Takes Seven of Ten City Precincts to Win in General Election," ''Minden Press-Herald,'' November 9, 1966, p. 1.</ref>  

Norman had been handicapped in the race in part because a black candidate for mayor named J. D. Hampton, Jr. (1935-2015) — the first black mayoral candidate in city history — had opposed him in the Democratic primary held on August 13, 1966. Norman drew 70 percent of the vote in that exchange but fell short in November against Colten.<ref>''The Minden Press-Herald,'' August 15, 1966, p. 1.</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=XvKBQuetARQC&pg=PA148&lpg=PA148&dq=Frank+Norman+of+Minden,+LA&source=web&ots=uxQlqgp7_M&sig=4qQKWz-rZrUFOZRsmPPZwxD3lPQ&hl=en#PPA148,M1|title=Minden: Perseverance and Pride|publisher=Arcadia Publishing Company|location=[[Columbia]], [[South Carolina]]|author=John A. Agan|pages=148–149|date=2002|isbn=0-7385-2388-7|accessdate=January 23, 2015}}</ref>​

Norman had been handicapped in the race in part because a black candidate for mayor named J. D. Hampton, Jr. (1935-2015) — the first black mayoral candidate in city history — had opposed him in the Democratic primary held on August 13, 1966. Norman drew 70 percent of the vote in that exchange but fell short in November against Colten.<ref>''The Minden Press-Herald,'' August 15, 1966, p. 1.</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=XvKBQuetARQC&pg=PA148&lpg=PA148&dq=Frank+Norman+of+Minden,+LA&source=web&ots=uxQlqgp7_M&sig=4qQKWz-rZrUFOZRsmPPZwxD3lPQ&hl=en#PPA148,M1|title=Minden: Perseverance and Pride|publisher=Arcadia Publishing Company|location=Mount Pleasant, [[South Carolina]]|author=[[John Agan]]|pages=148–149|date=2002|isbn=0-7385-2388-7|accessdate=January 23, 2015}}</ref>​

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