Changes

===His chosen successor, "Buddy" Leach===

===His chosen successor, "Buddy" Leach===

Several candidates ran for the seat that Waggonner vacated, including two state representatives, Claude Anthony "Buddy" Leach, Jr., then of Leesville in Vernon Parish and [[Loy Weaver]] of Homer in Claiborne Parish.

Several candidates ran for the seat that Waggonner vacated, including two state representatives, Claude Anthony "Buddy" Leach, Jr., then of Leesville in Vernon Parish and [[Loy Weaver]] of Homer in Claiborne Parish.

[[Buddy Roemer|Charles E. "Buddy" Roemer, III]], son of Governor [[Edwin Edwards]]' commissioner of administration, entered the race, as did a lone Republican, [[Jimmy Wilson]], a former state legislator and former mayor of Vivian in northernmost Caddo Parish, who had recently switched parties. Waggonner endorsed Leach, who ultimately defeated Wilson in the general election by a margin of 266 disputed votes. However, Leach was unable to cement his hold on the district and was unseated in the 1980 [[general election]] after a single term by Buddy Roemer. That 1980 House election was sometimes called the "battle of the Buddys" waged between the wealthy Democrats Leach and Roemer. Waggonner's seat remained Democratic for nine years after his retirement, when a Democrat-turned-Moderate Republican, James Otis "Jim" McCrery, III, then from Leach's Leesville but a Shreveport native, won it in another special election held on March 8, 1988. (McCrery retired in January 2009 and was succeeded by the Republican [[John Fleming]], a [[physician]] from Minden. When Fleming stepped down in 2017, the seat went to still another Republican, [[Mike Johnson]] of Benton in Waggonner's Bossier Parish.

[[Buddy Roemer|Charles E. "Buddy" Roemer, III]], son of Governor [[Edwin Edwards]]' commissioner of administration, entered the race, as did a lone Republican, [[Jimmy Wilson]], a former state legislator and former mayor of Vivian in northernmost Caddo Parish, who had recently switched parties. Waggonner endorsed Leach, who ultimately defeated Wilson in the general election by a margin of 266 disputed votes. However, Leach was unable to cement his hold on the district and was unseated in the 1980 [[general election]] after a single term by Democrat, later Republican, [[Buddy Roemer]]. That 1980 House election was alled the "battle of the Buddys" waged between the two wealthy Democrats.

When Waggonner did not run again in 1978, Nixon's successor, [[Gerald Ford]], another Moderate Republican, came into the 4th congressional district to support Jimmy Wilson. Waggonner chided Ford for making the appearance for Wilson and instead strongly supported Democrat "Buddy" Leach who won the seat for one term. In 1980, Leach was unseated by [[Buddy Roemer]] of [[Bossier City]], then a Democrat. The 4th district has been represented since 2017 by the Republican [[Mike Johnson]] of Benton in Bossier Parish.

Waggonner's seat remained Democratic for nine years after his retirement, when a Democrat-turned-Moderate Republican, James Otis "Jim" McCrery, III, then from Leach's Leesville but a Shreveport native, won it in another special election held on March 8, 1988. (McCrery retired in January 2009 and was succeeded by the Republican [[John Fleming]], a [[physician]] from Minden. When Fleming stepped down in 2017, the seat went to still another Republican, [[Mike Johnson]] of Benton in Waggonner's Bossier Parish.

For a time the U.S. District Court facility in Shreveport was named for Waggonner. When a new courthouse was subsequently constructed, Waggonner's name was left off the building. Instead the Joe D. Waggonner Lock and Dam is named for him.

For a time the U.S. District Court facility in Shreveport was named for Waggonner. When a new courthouse was subsequently constructed, Waggonner's name was left off the building. Instead the Joe D. Waggonner Lock and Dam is named for him.