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===Defeating Charlton Lyons===
===Defeating Charlton Lyons===
Waggonner was initially elected to Congress in a [[special election]] held on December 19, 1961, to succeed Democrat Thomas Overton Brooks (1897-1961), who had won won his thirteenth and final term in Congress by defeating the Republican [[business]]man [[Fred C. McClanahan]] in 1960. Waggonner defeated a Shreveport oilman [[Charlton Lyons]], who like Waggonner's former intra-party opponent for state comptroller, Roy Theriot, was a native of Abbeville. Waggonner carried the backing in the special election of the conservative ''[[Shreveport Journal]],'' edited at the time by [[George W. Shannon]]. Lyons subsequently ran for governor in 1964 against Democrat [[John J. McKeithen]], that time with Shannon's editorial support.<ref>"Shreveport Journal Endorses Waggonner," reprinted in ''Minden Herald,'' December 14, 1961, p. 8.</ref>
Waggonner was initially elected to Congress in a [[special election]] held on December 19, 1961, to succeed Democrat Thomas Overton Brooks (1897-1961), who had won won his thirteenth and final term in Congress by defeating the Republican [[business]]man [[Fred C. McClanahan]] in 1960. Waggonner defeated a Shreveport oilman [[Charlton Lyons]], who like Waggonner's former intra-party opponent for state comptroller, Roy Theriot, was a native of Abbeville. Waggonner carried the backing in the special election of the conservative ''[[Shreveport Journal]],'' edited at the time by [[George W. Shannon]]. Lyons subsequently ran for governor in 1964 against Democrat [[John J. McKeithen]], that time with Shannon's editorial support.<ref>"Shreveport Journal Endorses Waggonner," reprinted in ''Minden Herald,'' December 14, 1961, p. 8.</ref>
When Brooks died in office in the first year of his last term, Waggonner filed in the special election to succeed him. Already, Waggonner had announced his intention to oppose Brooks for re-nomination in the 1962 Democratic [[primary]]. Waggonner's decision was spurred by Brooks' congressional vote to expand the House Rules Committee to permit [[Speaker]] [[Sam Rayburn]], who would died in office shortly after the passing of Brooks, to add new [[liberal]] members to the panel and thus stymie [[conservative]]s in both parties on the committee.
When Brooks died in office in the first year of his last term, Waggonner filed in the special election to succeed him. Already, Waggonner had announced his intention to oppose Brooks for re-nomination in the 1962 Democratic [[primary]]. Waggonner's decision was spurred by Brooks' congressional vote to expand the House Rules Committee to permit [[Speaker]] [[Sam Rayburn]], who would died in office shortly after the passing of Brooks, to add new [[liberal]] members to the panel and thus stymie [[conservative]]s in both parties on the committee.
===Seventeen years in Congress===
===Seventeen years in Congress===
In 1968, Waggonner easily turned back an [[African American]] primary challenger, Leon R. Tarver, II, later president of the historically black Southern University System in [[Baton Rouge]]. Tarver's family operates a Shreveport mortuary. His brother, Gregory "Greg" Tarver, a former Shreveport City Council member, is a long-term state senator for Caddo Parish. Over the years, Waggonner had only token opponents. He did not seek a tenth term in 1978.
In 1968, Waggonner easily turned back an [[African American]] primary challenger, Leon R. Tarver, II, later president of the historically black Southern University System in [[Baton Rouge]]. Tarver's family operates a Shreveport mortuary. His brother, Gregory "Greg" Tarver, a former Shreveport City Council member, is a long-term state senator for Caddo Parish. Over the years, Waggonner had only token opponents. He did not seek a tenth term in 1978.
On April 5, 1966, Waggonner commented on the founding of [[Rhodesia]]:
<blockquote>Three generations ago, a group of resourceful white men went into the jungle of what is now Rhodesia and carved a civilized land by the sheer force of their brains and management ability. The lesson of history was crystal clear then as it is now: the natives were not capable of producing any semblance of what we call civilization. Now that the white man had led them out of savagery, the [[socialism|Socialist]], left-wing camp is up in arms to turn the country back to them. This is, of course, a not too subtle way of building a Socialist bridge from [[democracy]] to [[communism]].<ref name="rhodesia">Lake, Anthony. ''The "Tar Baby" Option: American Policy Toward Southern Rhodesia,'' 1976, p. 119.</ref></blockquote>
In 1968, Waggonner spoke against the legislation introduced by [[Moderate Republican]] U.S. Representative Robert McClory of [[Illinois]], which designates the third Monday of February as what has become "President's Day," rather than the traditional February 22 holiday in honor of the birth of [[George Washington]]. Waggonner told the sponsors of the bill: “You have further commercialized and made further meaningless something that has the respect of the people of this country.”<ref>{{cite web|url=https://amgreatness.com/2018/02/18/make-washingtons-birthday-great/|title=Make Washington’s Birthday Great Again|author=John Fonte|publisher=Amgreatness.com|date=February 18, 2018|accessdate=June 28, 2020}}</ref>
In 1968, Waggonner spoke against the legislation introduced by [[Moderate Republican]] U.S. Representative Robert McClory of [[Illinois]], which designates the third Monday of February as what has become "President's Day," rather than the traditional February 22 holiday in honor of the birth of [[George Washington]]. Waggonner told the sponsors of the bill: “You have further commercialized and made further meaningless something that has the respect of the people of this country.”<ref>{{cite web|url=https://amgreatness.com/2018/02/18/make-washingtons-birthday-great/|title=Make Washington’s Birthday Great Again|author=John Fonte|publisher=Amgreatness.com|date=February 18, 2018|accessdate=June 28, 2020}}</ref>