Changes

Hudson won the District 15 state Senate seat in the first ever nonpartisan blanket [[primary]] held on November 1, 1975. He unseated [[incumbent]] [[J. D. DeBlieux]], another Baton Rouge Democrat lawyer. A favorite of the [[civil rights]] community, DeBlieux actually lost the [[African-American]] vote to Hudson because DeBlieux refused to give black ministers funding for their pledged support. "You should be raising money for me and giving me money to help in my election. I shouldn't be giving you money," DeBlieux told the [[clergy]]men. He added that he never gave the ministers any funds.<ref>George Morris, "A Civil Servant:  J. D. DeBlieux fought in the Legislature for civil rights," ''The Baton Rouge Morning Advocate, March 9, 1998</ref>

Hudson won the District 15 state Senate seat in the first ever nonpartisan blanket [[primary]] held on November 1, 1975. He unseated [[incumbent]] [[J. D. DeBlieux]], another Baton Rouge Democrat lawyer. A favorite of the [[civil rights]] community, DeBlieux actually lost the [[African-American]] vote to Hudson because DeBlieux refused to give black ministers funding for their pledged support. "You should be raising money for me and giving me money to help in my election. I shouldn't be giving you money," DeBlieux told the [[clergy]]men. He added that he never gave the ministers any funds.<ref>George Morris, "A Civil Servant:  J. D. DeBlieux fought in the Legislature for civil rights," ''The Baton Rouge Morning Advocate, March 9, 1998</ref>

In 1986, while midway in his last Senate term, Hudson waged a challenge to [[Republican Party|Republican]] state Representative]] Richard Hugh Baker of Baton Rouge for Louisiana's 6th congressional district vacated by Republican William Henson  Moore, who ran instead unsuccessfully for the [[U.S. Senate]] seat vacated by Democrat [[Russell Long]]. Baker prevailed with 76,833 votes (51 percent) to Hudson's 67,774 (45 percent). The remaining 6,120 votes (4 percent) was held by a second Democrat, Willis Erwin Blackwell, Sr.  (1924-2007), an African-American civil rights advocate and declared supporter of "honesty in government."  Blackwell resided in Holden in Livingston Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Blackwell&GSfn=Willis&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=20&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=20966686&df=all&|title=Willis Erwin Blackwell|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=January 24, 2021}}</ref><ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, September 27, 1986.</ref> Moore, meanwhile, lost to U.S. House colleague [[John Breaux]], then of Louisiana's 7th congressional district, since disbanded, for the right to succeed the veteran Senator Long.

In 1986, while midway in his last Senate term, Hudson waged a challenge to [[Republican Party|Republican]] state Representative Richard Hugh Baker of Baton Rouge for Louisiana's 6th congressional district vacated by Republican William Henson  Moore, who ran instead unsuccessfully for the [[U.S. Senate]] seat vacated by Democrat [[Russell Long]]. Baker prevailed with 76,833 votes (51 percent) to Hudson's 67,774 (45 percent). The remaining 6,120 votes (4 percent) was held by a second Democrat, Willis Erwin Blackwell, Sr.  (1924-2007), an African-American civil rights advocate and declared supporter of "honesty in government."  Blackwell resided in Holden in Livingston Parish.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Blackwell&GSfn=Willis&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=20&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=20966686&df=all&|title=Willis Erwin Blackwell|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=January 24, 2021}}</ref><ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, September 27, 1986.</ref> Moore, meanwhile, lost to U.S. House colleague [[John Breaux]], then of Louisiana's 7th congressional district, since disbanded, for the right to succeed the veteran Senator Long.

Hudson did not seek a fourth term in the Senate, an option no longer allowed for Louisiana lawmakers who are restricted to three terms. He was succeeded by a fellow Democrat Baton Rouge lawyer, Larry S. Bankston, son of local Democrat powerhouse [[Jesse Bankston]].

Hudson did not seek a fourth term in the Senate, an option no longer allowed for Louisiana lawmakers who are restricted to three terms. He was succeeded by a fellow Democrat Baton Rouge lawyer, Larry S. Bankston, son of local Democrat powerhouse [[Jesse Bankston]].