| | In the 1962 general election, Long defeated Taylor Walters O'Hearn (1907–1997) of Shreveport, who two years later became one of the first two Republicans elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives since [[Reconstruction]]. In 1974, the Republicans could not recruit a candidate to oppose Long because of the likelihood of failure, explained the then party chairman [[James H. Boyce]]. In 1980, in his last Senate race, Long defeated [[Woody Jenkins]] of Baton Rouge, then a Democrat who ran again for the Senate in 1996 as a Republican against former Senator [[Mary Landrieu]]. As a youth, Jenkins had been a page for O'Hearn and Republican [[Morley Hudson]] in the Louisiana House, in which Jenkins himself served from 1972 to 2000. | | In the 1962 general election, Long defeated Taylor Walters O'Hearn (1907–1997) of Shreveport, who two years later became one of the first two Republicans elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives since [[Reconstruction]]. In 1974, the Republicans could not recruit a candidate to oppose Long because of the likelihood of failure, explained the then party chairman [[James H. Boyce]]. In 1980, in his last Senate race, Long defeated [[Woody Jenkins]] of Baton Rouge, then a Democrat who ran again for the Senate in 1996 as a Republican against former Senator [[Mary Landrieu]]. As a youth, Jenkins had been a page for O'Hearn and Republican [[Morley Hudson]] in the Louisiana House, in which Jenkins himself served from 1972 to 2000. |
| − | Long was known for a humorous quote about taxation. One version says, "Don't tax you, don't tax me, tax that fellow behind that tree!" Long retired from the Senate, and the Democrat [[John Breaux]] won the seat, which he held for three terms. Long became a high-powered lawyer-lobbyist on leaving the Senate. From 1972 until 1987, his senatorial colleague was fellow Democrat [[J. Bennett Johnston, Jr.]], of Shreveport, who also became a lobbyist on retirement from the Senate. From 1948 until 1972, Long's Louisiana colleague was [[Allen J. Ellender]], a Democrat from Terrebonne Parish, who like Long was known for his opposition to the [[Joseph McCarthy]] communist investigations of the 1950s.. | + | Long was known for a humorous quote about taxation. One version says, "Don't tax you, don't tax me, tax that fellow behind that tree!" Long retired from the Senate, and the Democrat [[John Breaux]] won the seat, which he held for three terms. Long became a high-powered lawyer-lobbyist on leaving the Senate. From 1972 until 1987, his senatorial colleague was fellow Democrat [[J. Bennett Johnston, Jr.]], of Shreveport, who also became a lobbyist on retirement from the Senate. From 1948 until 1972, Long's Louisiana colleague was [[Allen J. Ellender]], a Democrat from [[Terrebonne Parish]], who like Long was known for his opposition to the [[Joseph McCarthy]] communist investigations of the 1950s.. |
| | Though a partisan Democrat, Long struck up a close friendship with at least two Republican senators, [[Clifford Hansen]] of Wyoming and [[Bob Dole]] of [[Kansas]]. Hansen, in an interview long after he had left Washington, said that Long, with whom he served on the Finance Committee, took a special interest in western ranchers and how they were impacted by the tax code and federal regulations. After a divorce from their first wives, Long and Dole both married women from [[North Carolina]], Carolyn Elizabeth Bason (1922–2015), and [[Elizabeth Dole]], respectively, and maintained a close friendship over the years. In 1980, Dole cut a commercial for the Long senatorial campaign, when Long was opposed by Woody Jenkins. Oddly, in 1996, Jenkins narrowly lost the Senate race to Landrieu while Dole, as the Republican presidential nominee, was losing Louisiana to U.S. President [[Bill Clinton]]. In 1981, Dole succeeded Long as chairman of the Finance Committee when the Republicans gained a Senate majority for the first time since 1954. | | Though a partisan Democrat, Long struck up a close friendship with at least two Republican senators, [[Clifford Hansen]] of Wyoming and [[Bob Dole]] of [[Kansas]]. Hansen, in an interview long after he had left Washington, said that Long, with whom he served on the Finance Committee, took a special interest in western ranchers and how they were impacted by the tax code and federal regulations. After a divorce from their first wives, Long and Dole both married women from [[North Carolina]], Carolyn Elizabeth Bason (1922–2015), and [[Elizabeth Dole]], respectively, and maintained a close friendship over the years. In 1980, Dole cut a commercial for the Long senatorial campaign, when Long was opposed by Woody Jenkins. Oddly, in 1996, Jenkins narrowly lost the Senate race to Landrieu while Dole, as the Republican presidential nominee, was losing Louisiana to U.S. President [[Bill Clinton]]. In 1981, Dole succeeded Long as chairman of the Finance Committee when the Republicans gained a Senate majority for the first time since 1954. |