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{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
|name= John Speir Treen, Sr.
|name=John Speir Treen, Sr.
(Louisiana homebuilder and Republican political figure)
(Louisiana homebuilder and Republican political figure)
|birth_date=February 5, 1926
|birth_date=February 5, 1926
|birth_place= [[Baton Rouge]]<br>[[Louisiana]], [[United States|USA]]
|birth_place=[[Baton Rouge]]<br>[[Louisiana]], [[United States|USA]]
|residence=Metairie, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana
|residence=Metairie, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana
|death_date=April 14, 2020 (aged 94)
|party=[[Republican Party|Republican]] candidate for:<br>
|party=[[Republican Party|Republican]] candidate for:<br>
(1) Louisiana State Senate, 1972, against M. Joseph Tiemann<br>
(1) Louisiana State Senate, 1972, against M. Joseph Tiemann<br>
(2) Louisiana House of Representatives, 1989, against [[David Duke]]
(2) Louisiana House of Representatives, 1989, against [[David Duke]]
|spouse=Martha Ann Swayze Treen<br>
|spouse=(1) Missing<br>
(2) Martha Ann Swayze Treen<br>
'''Children''':<br>
'''Children''':<br>
John S. Treen, Jr.<br>
John S. Treen, Jr.<br>
Betsy T. Anderson<br>
Betsy T. Anderson<br>
Georgia T. Cole <br>
Georgia T. Cole <br>
'''Three stepsons'''
Tommy Swayze<br>
Taylor Swayze<br>
Bobby Swayze<br>
'''Parents''':<br>
'''Parents''':<br>
Joseph Paul and Elizabeth Speir Treen<br>
Joseph Paul and Elizabeth Speir Treen<br>
[[David C. Treen]] (brother)
[[David C. Treen]] (brother)
}}
}}
'''John Speir Treen, Sr.''' (born February 5, 1926), is a retired homebuilder from Metairie in Jefferson Parish, [[Louisiana]], who lost a 1989 [[special election]] for the Louisiana House of Representatives to the former [[Ku Klux Klan]]sman [[David Duke]]. Treen is the older brother of the late [[David C. Treen]], the first [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[U.S. Representative]] and [[governor]] of Louisiana since [[Reconstruction]].
'''John Speir Treen, Sr.''' (February 5, 1926 – April 14, 2020),<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=https://obits.nola.com/obituaries/nola/obituary.aspx?pid=196067696|title=John Treen obituary|publisher=''The New Orleans Times-Picayune''|date=April 25, 2020|accessdate=May 26, 2020}}</ref> was a homebuilder from Metairie in [[suburb]]an Jefferson Parish, [[Louisiana]], who lost a 1989 [[special election]] for the Louisiana House of Representatives to the former [[Ku Klux Klan]]sman [[David Duke]]. Treen was the older brother of the late [[David C. Treen]], the first [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[U.S. Representative]] and [[governor]] of Louisiana since [[Reconstruction]].
==Background==
==Background==
John Treen was born in [[Baton Rouge]] to Joseph Paul Treen, Sr. (1900–1986) and the former Elizabeth Speir (1899–1990). He had a second brother, Paul Treen, Jr. He is married to the former Martha Ann Swayze (born 1928).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theadvocate/obituary.aspx?n=gov-david-conner-treen&pid=135263008|title=Gov. David Conner Treen obituary|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|accessdate=September 24, 2019}}</ref> Treen has two sons, John S. Treen, Jr., (born 1954) of Metairie and Ben Marcus Treen (born 1956) of Greenville, [[South Carolina]].<ref>People Search & Background Check</ref> and two daughters, Betsy T. Anderson of Cypress, [[Texas]], and Georgia T. Cole of Spartanburg, South Carolina.
John Treen was born in [[Baton Rouge]] to Joseph Paul Treen, Sr. (1900–1986) and the former Elizabeth Speir (1899–1990). He had a second brother, Paul Treen, Jr., who predeceased him. He was married to the former Martha Ann Swayze (born 1928).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theadvocate/obituary.aspx?n=gov-david-conner-treen&pid=135263008|title=Gov. David Conner Treen obituary|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|accessdate=September 24, 2019}}</ref> Treen had two sons, John S. Treen, Jr., (born 1954) of Metairie and Ben Marcus Treen (born 1956) of Greenville, [[South Carolina]].<ref>People Search & Background Check</ref> and two daughters, Betsy T. Anderson of Cypress, [[Texas]], and Georgia T. Cole of Spartanburg, South Carolina.<ref name=obit/>
Treen served as a lieutenant in the [[United States Navy]] during [[World War II]]. He was stationed on the destroyer escort, the ''USS Doyle C. Barnes,'' in the [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]] theater of operations He graduated from [[Tulane University]] in 1949, at which he was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity. In his senior year, he was the president of the Pan Hellenic Council and the Kappa Sigma grand master.He was a member of Mensa International and a former member of the Rotary Club.<ref name=obit/>
John was an active member of Munholland [[United Methodist]] Church in Metairie; as a building contractor, he helped with structural improvements and built the playground.<ref name=obit/>,
==Political life==
==Political life==
Like his brother Dave Treen, John Treen has long been active in the Louisiana Republican Party. While Dave Treen ran for governor on February 1, 1972, in the first of three campaigns for the state's highest office, John Treen in that same election contested a state Senate seat in Jefferson Parish. He lost by 973 votes to the Democrat M. Joseph Tiemann, 16,153 (51.6 percent) to 15,180 (48. percent.)<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, General Election Returns, February 1, 1972.</ref>
Like his brother Dave Treen, John Treen was long active in the Louisiana Republican Party. He was a former chairman of the Jefferson Parish Republican Council and served for twenty-five years on the Republican State Central Committee.<ref name=obit/> While Dave Treen ran for governor in the [[general election]] held on February 1, 1972, in the first of three campaigns for the state's highest office, John Treen in that same election contested a state Senate seat in Jefferson Parish. He lost by 973 votes to the Democrat M. Joseph Tiemann, 16,153 (51.6 percent) to 15,180 (48. percent.)<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, General Election Returns, February 1, 1972.</ref>
Considered a particularly observant political commentator, Joohn Treen coined the expression: "All things being equal, Cajuns vote for Cajuns."<ref name=cajuns>"General Russel L. Honoré considering run for Senate," Louisianaweekly.com, accessed November 11, 2009; no longer on-line.</ref> In most statewide and congressional races since 1972 in Louisiana, the candidate from Acadiana, regardless of party, has won statewide and district elections. An exception to that rule came in 1987 when the [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] [[Buddy Roemer]], who defected to the Republicans in 1991, won without a [[general election]] when his Cajun intra-party rival, Governor [[Edwin Edwards]], withdrew. Another exception occurred in 2004, when Republican [[David Vitter]] defeated Democrat Chris John. Both were then U.S. representatives.<ref name=cajuns/>
Considered a particularly observant political commentator, Joohn Treen coined the expression: "All things being equal, Cajuns vote for Cajuns."<ref name=cajuns>"General Russel L. Honoré considering run for Senate," Louisianaweekly.com, accessed November 11, 2009; no longer on-line.</ref> In most statewide and congressional races since 1972 in Louisiana, the candidate from Acadiana, regardless of party, has won statewide and district elections. An exception to that rule came in 1987 when the [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] [[Buddy Roemer]], who defected to the Republicans in 1991, won without a [[general election]] when his Cajun intra-party rival, Governor [[Edwin Edwards]], withdrew. Another exception occurred in 2004, when Republican [[David Vitter]] defeated Democrat Chris John. Both were then U.S. representatives.<ref name=cajuns/>
===Treen v. Duke===
===Treen v. Duke===
In late 1988, Republican state Representative [[Charles Cusimano]] resigned from the Distirct 81 seat in the Louisiana House after eight years to accept a position as a 24th Judicial District Court [[judge]]. In the special election, the candidates included Treen, Duke, Republican school board member Delton Charles, Democratic real estate agent D. J. "Bud" Olister (backed by Jefferson Parish [[Sheriff]] Harry Lee), and [[Roger F. Villere, Jr.]], a young [[business]]man from Metairie who was the Republican state chairman from 2004 to 2018. Duke finished first in the primary with 3,995 votes (33.1 percent).<ref name=campaigns>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=328066|title=1989 Louisiana State Representative Election|publisher=ourcampaigns.com|accessdate=November 11, 2009}}</ref> Because no candidate received a majority in the first round, a runoff was required between Duke and Treen, who polled 2,277 votes (18.9 percent) in the first round of balloting.<ref>Michael Zatarain, ''David Duke: Evolution of a Klansman'' (Gretna, Louisiana: Pelican Publishers, 1990), ISBN 0-88289-817-5, ISBN 978-0-88289-817-9.</ref>
In late 1988, Republican state Representative [[Charles Cusimano|Charles Cusimano, II]], resigned from the Distirct 81 seat in the Louisiana House after eight years to accept a position as a 24th Judicial District Court [[judge]]. In the special election, the candidates included Treen, Duke, Republican school board member Delton Charles, Democratic real estate agent D. J. "Bud" Olister (backed by Jefferson Parish [[Sheriff]] Harry Lee), and [[Roger F. Villere, Jr.]], a young [[business]]man from Metairie who was the Republican state chairman from 2004 to 2018. Duke finished first in the primary with 3,995 votes (33.1 percent).<ref name=campaigns>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=328066|title=1989 Louisiana State Representative Election|publisher=ourcampaigns.com|accessdate=November 11, 2009}}</ref> Because no candidate received a majority in the first round, a runoff was required between Duke and Treen, who polled 2,277 votes (18.9 percent) in the first round of balloting.<ref>Michael Zatarain, ''David Duke: Evolution of a Klansman'' (Gretna, Louisiana: Pelican Publishers, 1990), ISBN 0-88289-817-5, ISBN 978-0-88289-817-9.</ref>
David Vitter, then a young Republican [[attorney]], would have entered the special election as well had he met the residency requirement. Ironically, Vitter would become the representative for District 81 in 1992 and then win election to the [[United States House of Representatives]].<ref>[[Ron Gomez]], ''My Name Is Ron And I'm a Recovering Legislator: Memoirs of a Louisiana State Representative'' ([[Lafayette]], Louisiana: Zemog Publishing, 2000, ISBN=0-9700156-0-7), p. 222.</ref>
[[David Vitter]], then a young Republican [[attorney]], would have entered the special election as well had he met the residency requirement. Ironically, Vitter would become the representative for District 81 in 1992 and then win election to the [[United States House of Representatives]].<ref>[[Ron Gomez]], ''My Name Is Ron And I'm a Recovering Legislator: Memoirs of a Louisiana State Representative'' ([[Lafayette]], Louisiana: Zemog Publishing, 2000, ISBN=0-9700156-0-7), p. 222.</ref>
[[Ron Gomez]], then a member of the Louisiana House from [[Lafayette]], observed the District 81 special election:
[[Ron Gomez]], then a member of the Louisiana House from [[Lafayette]], observed the District 81 special election:
David Treen also faced David Duke, who became a perennial candidate over the years, in a special election for the United States House in 1999, triggered by the resignation of Republican Representative [[Bob Livingston]] of Louisiana's 1st congressional district. Neither Treen nor Duke emerged victorious. The election went to then state Representative David Vitter. Ironically, Duke endorsed David Treen in Treen's close runoff election loss to Vitter. The 1999 contest was the last time that David Treen appeared on a Louisiana ballot. In that election, John Treen said of his brother: "Dave has a reputation for absolute honesty and integrity. That was one of his trademarks."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dir.salon.com/story/news/feature/2004/10/29/lousiana_race/index1.html|title="There Is a House in New Orleans", November 11, 2009|publisher=Salon.com|accessdate=November 11, 2009}}</ref>
David Treen also faced David Duke, who became a perennial candidate over the years, in a special election for the United States House in 1999, triggered by the resignation of Republican Representative [[Bob Livingston]] of Louisiana's 1st congressional district. Neither Treen nor Duke emerged victorious. The election went to then state Representative David Vitter. Ironically, Duke endorsed David Treen in Treen's close runoff election loss to Vitter. The 1999 contest was the last time that David Treen appeared on a Louisiana ballot. In that election, John Treen said of his brother: "Dave has a reputation for absolute honesty and integrity. That was one of his trademarks."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dir.salon.com/story/news/feature/2004/10/29/lousiana_race/index1.html|title="There Is a House in New Orleans", November 11, 2009|publisher=Salon.com|accessdate=November 11, 2009}}</ref>
==Other political notes==
==Other political notes==
John Treen was an alternate delegate to the 1972 [[Republican National Convention]] held in Miami Beach, [[Florida]], which re-nominated the [[Richard Nixon|Nixon]]/[[Spiro T. Agnew|Agnew]] ticket. He was a delegate to the 1988 convention held in [[New Orleans]], which nominated the [[George H.W. Bush|Bush]]-[[Dan Quayle|Quayle]] ticket.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/traxler-treichler.html|title=Index to Politicians|publisher=political graveyard.com|accessdate=November 11, 2009}}</ref>
John Treen was an alternate delegate to the 1972 [[Republican National Convention]] held in Miami Beach, [[Florida]], which re-nominated the [[Richard Nixon|Nixon]]/[[Spiro T. Agnew|Agnew]] ticket. He was a delegate to the 1988 convention held in [[New Orleans]], which nominated the [[George H.W. Bush|Bush]]-[[Dan Quayle|Quayle]] ticket.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/traxler-treichler.html|title=Index to Politicians|publisher=political graveyard.com|accessdate=November 11, 2009}}</ref>
In 2004, John Treen refused to endorse David Vitter in the U.S. Senate election. Treen said that he "doesn't give a damn" what Vitter thinks of him. He said that his opposition to Vitter is that "I don't like liars." John Treen, however, did not specifically endorse Vitter's opponent, the Democrat Christopher John.<ref>"Thee Is a House in New Orleans," Salon.com, October 29, 2004; no longer on-line.</ref> Vitter won the first of his two Senate terms in the race against Christopher John. On Dave Treen's death in 2009, however, Vitter delivered a moving eulogy to the former governor.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.slidellsentry.com/articles/2009/10/30/news/doc4aeaf1160b73e324384163.txt|author=Debbie Glover|title=Treen honored as father of LA GOP|publisher=''Slidell Sentry,''|accessdate=November 6, 2009; no longer on-line.}}</ref>
In 2004, John Treen refused to endorse David Vitter in the U.S. Senate election. Treen said that he "doesn't give a damn" what Vitter thinks of him. He said that his opposition to Vitter is that "I don't like liars." John Treen, however, did not specifically endorse Vitter's opponent, the Democrat Christopher John.<ref>"Thee Is a House in New Orleans," Salon.com, October 29, 2004; no longer on-line.</ref> Vitter won the first of his two Senate terms in the race against Christopher John. On Dave Treen's death in 2009, however, Vitter delivered a moving eulogy to the former governor.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.slidellsentry.com/articles/2009/10/30/news/doc4aeaf1160b73e324384163.txt|author=Debbie Glover|title=Treen honored as father of LA GOP|publisher=''Slidell Sentry,''|accessdate=November 6, 2009; no longer on-line.}}</ref>
On March 24, 2012, John Treen was handily defeated in a race for the District 81 seat on the Republican State Central Committee. He lost that race to Louisiana Public Service Commissioner [Eric Skrmetta, 447 (63.3 percent) to 259 (36.7 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, March 24, 2012.</ref>
On March 24, 2012, John Treen was handily defeated in a race for the District 81 seat on the Republican State Central Committee. He lost that race to Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Eric Skrmetta, 447 (63.3 percent) to 259 (36.7 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, March 24, 2012.</ref>
Treen died at the age of ninety-four of complications from the [[coronavirus]].<ref name=obit/>