Changes

Otherwise, Garrett was a low-key business-oriented legislator who specialized in constituent services and maintained a wide network of friends and supporters to retain his seat for six consecutive four-year terms. At times, his district included a portion of neighboring Webster and Bienville parishes.

Otherwise, Garrett was a low-key business-oriented legislator who specialized in constituent services and maintained a wide network of friends and supporters to retain his seat for six consecutive four-year terms. At times, his district included a portion of neighboring Webster and Bienville parishes.

In his last term, Garrett was in a two-member district with conservative Democratic Representative Parey Pershing Branton, Sr. (1918-2011), of Shongaloo in Webster Parish. In the 1967 [[Primary|primaries]], Garrett and Branton defeated three other Democrats, former Springhill [[Mayor]] [[Charles McConnell]] and Henry Grady Hobbs (1923-2012), a native of from Sarepta,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/shreveporttimes/obituary.aspx?n=henry-hobbs&pid=162069317#fbLoggedOut|title=Henry Hobbs obituary|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|date=January 2, 2013|accessdate=October 7, 2019}}</ref> both [[attorney]]s, and James Whit "Tinker" Volentine (1915–1982), a Minden service station operator. McConnell tried again in 1971 and lost to Richard Harmon Drew, Sr. (1917-1995), of Minden. In 1995, Volentine's granddaughter, Helaine George, later Helaine Barrington of Denton County in north [[Texas]], was one of two Republican women who failed in an attempt to win the same House seat held at that time by the retired Minden educator, Democrat [[Everett Doerge]]. George had been the only person to challenge Doerge, having announced eight months early, with Patrick C. Nation, Sr., of Minden as her campaign manager. Then a second female Republican, Pamela Hillidge, entered there race; the two women split the opposition vote, and Doerge won a second term.

In his last term, Garrett was in a two-member district with conservative Democratic Representative Parey Pershing Branton, Sr. (1918-2011), of Shongaloo in Webster Parish. In the 1967 [[Primary|primaries]], Garrett and Branton defeated three other Democrats, former Springhill [[Mayor]] [[Charles McConnell]] and Henry Grady Hobbs (1923-2012), a native of from Sarepta,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/shreveporttimes/obituary.aspx?n=henry-hobbs&pid=162069317#fbLoggedOut|title=Henry Hobbs obituary|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|date=January 2, 2013|accessdate=October 7, 2019}}</ref> both [[attorney]]s, and James Whit "Tinker" Volentine (1915–1982), a Minden service station operator. McConnell tried again in 1971 and lost to [[R. Harmon Drew, Sr.]], of Minden. In 1995, Volentine's granddaughter, Helaine George, later Helaine Barrington of Denton County in north [[Texas]], was one of two Republican women who failed in an attempt to win the same House seat held at that time by the retired Minden educator, Democrat [[Everett Doerge]]. George had been the only person to challenge Doerge, having announced eight months early, with Patrick C. Nation, Sr., of Minden as her campaign manager. Then a second female Republican, Pamela Hillidge, entered there race; the two women split the opposition vote, and Doerge won a second term.

Garrett was recommended to the House as Speaker by Governor McKeithen to fill the vacancy created by the death on November 18, 1967, of [[Vail M. Delony]] of Lake Providence in East Carroll Parish.<ref>''Minden Press-Herald,'' December 19, 1967, p. 1.</ref> Oddly, McKeithen's former intra-party gubernatorial rival, deLesseps Story "Chep" Morrison, Sr. (1912-1964), a former mayor of [[New Orleans]], had recommended Garrett for Speaker in 1960 in Morrison's second bid for the governorship.<ref>"Morrison Says Davis Sought NAACP Support," ''The Shreveport Times,'' December 16, 1959, p. 10-A.</ref>

Garrett was recommended to the House as Speaker by Governor McKeithen to fill the vacancy created by the death on November 18, 1967, of [[Vail M. Delony]] of Lake Providence in East Carroll Parish.<ref>''Minden Press-Herald,'' December 19, 1967, p. 1.</ref> Oddly, McKeithen's former intra-party gubernatorial rival, deLesseps Story "Chep" Morrison, Sr. (1912-1964), a former mayor of [[New Orleans]], had recommended Garrett for Speaker in 1960 in Morrison's second bid for the governorship.<ref>"Morrison Says Davis Sought NAACP Support," ''The Shreveport Times,'' December 16, 1959, p. 10-A.</ref>