Changes

==Election to state Senate==

==Election to state Senate==

Montgomery ran unsuccessfully for the state Senate in the 1955-1956 Democratic [[primary|primaries]], having been defeated by 192 votes in a runoff election held on February 21, 1956, by [[Herman "Wimpy" Jones]], owner of the Jones Kitchen [[restaurant]] (later known as the Southern Kitchen) in Minden. Jones was subsequently the [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]] municipal fire marshal]. Jones received 6,734 votes (50.7 percent) to Montgomery's 6,542 (49.3 percent).<ref>''Minden Press,'' January 17, 1956, p. 1.</ref> Other candidates in the primary for the state Senate seat included Minden educator Lloyd C. Starr (1899–1982), an [[Arkansas]] native who served on the Webster Parish School Board and was an [[insurance]] agent and investor. Starr polled 2,039 votes. A fourth candidate, the [[attorney]] James Benjamin Wells of [[Bossier City]], finished with 917 ballots.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, State Senate election returns, 1955 primary.</ref>​

Montgomery ran unsuccessfully for the state Senate in the 1955-1956 Democratic [[primary|primaries]], having been defeated by 192 votes in a runoff election held on February 21, 1956, by [[Herman "Wimpy" Jones]], owner of the Jones Kitchen [[restaurant]] (later known as the Southern Kitchen) in Minden. Jones was subsequently the [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]] municipal fire marshal]. Jones received 6,734 votes (50.7 percent) to Montgomery's 6,542 (49.3 percent).<ref>''Minden Press,'' January 17, 1956, p. 1.</ref> Other candidates in the primary for the state Senate seat included Minden educator Lloyd C. Starr (1899–1982), an [[Arkansas]] native who served on the Webster Parish School Board and was an [[insurance]] agent and investor. Starr polled 2,039 votes. A fourth candidate, the [[attorney]] James Benjamin Wells of [[Bossier City]], finished with 917 ballots.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, State Senate election returns, 1955 primary.</ref>​

Montgomery in a 1964 appearance said that the Louisiana legislature is independent only when a two-thirds vote is required for select issues; otherwise the governor's program is nearly always automatically adopted. "The way Louisiana is governed is by the man we elect governor of this state. With a bad governor we'll fail," Montgomery said. His legislative ally, [[B. H. "Johnny" Rogers]] of Grand Cane in DeSoto Parish south of Shreveport, agreed: "The government of Louisiana cannot be any better than the governor of Louisiana."<ref name=sjournal/> Rogers urged citizens interested in good government to come to committee hearings in Baton Rouge. In such cases, their mere presence will impress legislators.<ref name=sjournal>{{cite web|url=http://louisdl.louislibraries.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15140coll23/id/2266|title=Legislators support med bonds|publisher=''[[Shreveport Journal]]''|author=Harry Taylor|date=May (day missing) 1966|accessdate=October 25, 2014}}</ref>​

Montgomery in a 1964 appearance said that the Louisiana legislature is independent only when a two-thirds vote is required for select issues; otherwise the governor's program is nearly always automatically adopted. "The way Louisiana is governed is by the man we elect governor of this state. With a bad governor we'll fail," Montgomery said. His legislative ally, [[B. H. "Johnny" Rogers]] of Grand Cane in DeSoto Parish south of Shreveport, agreed: "The government of Louisiana cannot be any better than the governor of Louisiana."<ref name=sjournal/> Rogers urged citizens interested in good government to come to committee hearings in Baton Rouge. In such cases, their mere presence will impress legislators.<ref name=sjournal>{{cite web|url=http://louisdl.louislibraries.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15140coll23/id/2266|title=Legislators support med bonds|publisher=''[[Shreveport Journal]]''|author=Harry Taylor|date=May (day missing) 1966|accessdate=October 25, 2014}}</ref>​

==Further political development==​

==Further political developments==

​

​

In 1960, Montgomery opposed increases requested by the new Davis administration in the salaries of elected and appointed state officials instead of pay hikes for the lower-income state workers.<ref>"Lawmakers Voice Disappointment on Results of 1960 Legislature," ''Minden Press,''  July 18, 1960.</ref> That same year, he supported legislation to make the dumping of litter or trash along roads in the state or parish road systems a crime punishable by fines of up to $100 (equivalent of 950  dollars in 2020).<ref>"Montgomery Seeks Anti-Litter and Park Commission Legislation," Minden Press,'' June 6, 1960, p. 1.</ref>​

In 1960, Montgomery opposed increases requested by the new Davis administration in the salaries of elected and appointed state officials instead of pay hikes for the lower-income state workers.<ref>"Lawmakers Voice Disappointment on Results of 1960 Legislature," ''Minden Press,''  July 18, 1960.</ref> That same year, he supported legislation to make the dumping of litter or trash along roads in the state or parish road systems a crime punishable by fines of up to $100 (equivalent of 950  dollars in 2020).<ref>"Montgomery Seeks Anti-Litter and Park Commission Legislation," Minden Press,'' June 6, 1960, p. 1.</ref>​