Changes

Patten's interest focused on [[rural]] development. In 1972, in the newly numbered District 21, Patten was unseated by outgoing state Senator "Sonny" Gilbert, a brother-in-law of William Peck, who ran that year for the House, rather than the Senate. Patten attempted a comeback in the Catahoula-Concordia district on November 1, 1975, in the first-ever nonpartisan blanket [[primary]] held in Louisiana and had the support of the Catahoula Parish [[sheriff]]. Gilbert did not seek reelection to the House. Patten lost in the official [[general election]], 57-43 percent, to Democrat [[Dan Richey]], then of Ferriday in Concordia Parish and since a resident of [[Baton Rouge]]. Another candidate was the Democrat [[Troyce Guice]], then of Ferriday, who had run unsuccessfully for the [[United States Senate]] in 1966 and again in 1996. Both Gilbert and Richey switched their affiliation to [[Republican Party|Republican]] after their legislative tenure.

Patten's interest focused on [[rural]] development. In 1972, in the newly numbered District 21, Patten was unseated by outgoing state Senator "Sonny" Gilbert, a brother-in-law of William Peck, who ran that year for the House, rather than the Senate. Patten attempted a comeback in the Catahoula-Concordia district on November 1, 1975, in the first-ever nonpartisan blanket [[primary]] held in Louisiana and had the support of the Catahoula Parish [[sheriff]]. Gilbert did not seek reelection to the House. Patten lost in the official [[general election]], 57-43 percent, to Democrat [[Dan Richey]], then of Ferriday in Concordia Parish and since a resident of [[Baton Rouge]]. Another candidate was the Democrat [[Troyce Guice]], then of Ferriday, who had run unsuccessfully for the [[United States Senate]] in 1966 and again in 1996. Both Gilbert and Richey switched their affiliation to [[Republican Party|Republican]] after their legislative tenure.

Patten ran unsuccessfully for Louisiana's 5th congressional district seat in the [[United States House of Representatives]]. In the Democratic primaries of both 1970 and 1972, he was soundly defeated by the incumbent, [[Otto Passman]] of [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]],<ref>''Louisiana Almanac,'' 2006.</ref> known as a critic of foreign aid who lost his seat in 1976 to fellow Democrat Thomas Jerald "Jerry" Huckaby.

Patten ran unsuccessfully for Louisiana's 5th congressional district seat in the [[United States House of Representatives]]. In the Democratic primaries of both 1970 and 1972, he was soundly defeated by the incumbent, [[Otto Passman]] of [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]],<ref>''Louisiana Almanac,'' 2006.</ref> known as a critic of foreign aid who lost his seat in 1976 to fellow Democrat [[Jerry Huckaby]].

Patten ran again for the state Senate in the 1979 primary but failed to secure a general election berth. The winner once again was Dan Richey, who defeated the Democratic National Committeewoman Mary Lou Winters of Columbia in Caldwell Parish, in the general election. Eliminated in the primary was state Representative [[Lanny Johnson]] of St. Joseph in Tensas Parish. On October 19, 1991, Patten ran again for the state Senate from District 32. He received 8,684 votes (20.4 percent) and lost to fellow Democrat Steve D. Thompson, a real estate agent from Winnsboro in Franklin Parish,  who polled 26,840 votes (63 percent). A third candidate polled the remaining 16.6 percent.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Primary election returns, October 19, 1991.</ref>

Patten ran again for the state Senate in the 1979 primary but failed to secure a general election berth. The winner once again was Dan Richey, who defeated the Democratic National Committeewoman Mary Lou Winters of Columbia in Caldwell Parish, in the general election. Eliminated in the primary was state Representative [[Lanny Johnson]] of St. Joseph in Tensas Parish. On October 19, 1991, Patten ran again for the state Senate from District 32. He received 8,684 votes (20.4 percent) and lost to fellow Democrat [[Steve Thompson (Louisiana politician)|Steve D. Thompson]].<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Primary election returns, October 19, 1991.</ref>

==Personal life==

==Personal life==