Changes

==Promoting party unity==

==Promoting party unity==

Chairman Villere often called for Republican unity, citing U. S. President [[Ronald W. Reagan]]'s  "Eleventh Commandment,"<ref name=reagan>{{cite web|url=http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/16100467.html?showAll=y&c=y|title=Sawyer keeps ad on Jenkins: State GOP ask ad to stop|publisher='The Baton Rouge  Advocate''|date=February 29, 2008|accessdate=November 8, 2009}}</ref> which discourages Republicans from speaking against fellow party members in other factions. He urged Paul Sawyer, a primary opponent to [[Woody Jenkins]], a former state representative from Baton Rouge who in 2008 sought a vacant seat in the [[United States House of Representatives]], to withdraw a particular advertisement attempting to link Jenkins to past support of David Duke.<ref name=reagan/>

Chairman Villere often called for Republican unity, citing U. S. President [[Ronald W. Reagan]]'s  "Eleventh Commandment,"<ref name=reagan>{{cite web|url=http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/16100467.html?showAll=y&c=y|title=Sawyer keeps ad on Jenkins: State GOP ask ad to stop|publisher=''The Baton Rouge  Advocate''|date=February 29, 2008|accessdate=November 8, 2009}}</ref> which discourages Republicans from speaking against fellow party members in other factions. He urged Paul Sawyer, a primary opponent to [[Woody Jenkins]], a former state representative from Baton Rouge who in 2008 sought a vacant seat in the [[United States House of Representatives]], to withdraw a particular advertisement attempting to link Jenkins to past support of David Duke.<ref name=reagan/>

In the fall of 2008, Villere threatened to "discipline" Louisiana Republicans who endorsed Senator Landrieu for a third term, rather than the party choice, state Treasurer [[John Neely Kennedy]], who switched from Democratic affiliation in 2007. Among those supporting Landrieu was former Governor Treen, who died less than a year after that race, and [[Moderate Republican]] [[Pat Brister]], Villere's predecessor as state chairman. Despite his apostasy regarding Landrieu-Kennedy, Treen was eulogized by Senator [[David Vitter]], a former Treen intra-party rival, as the "father of the Republican Party in Louisiana." Others backing Landrieu were the [[sheriff]]s in Jefferson and St Tammany parishes. In addition, U.S. Representative [[Rodney Alexander]] attended a Landrieu fund-raiser at the home of former Louisiana State Senator [[Randy Ewing]], a Democrat from Jackson Parish who served as the former State Senate President and who in 2003 ran unsuccessfully for governor.<ref>"LA-Sen: Republicans for Mary Landrieu: Hey Villere: You Gonna’ Censure Rodney?", Dailykingfish.com, November 8, 2009.</ref>​

In the fall of 2008, Villere threatened to "discipline" Louisiana Republicans who endorsed Senator Landrieu for a third term, rather than the party choice, state Treasurer [[John Neely Kennedy]], who switched from Democratic affiliation in 2007. Among those supporting Landrieu was former Governor Treen, who died less than a year after that race, and [[Moderate Republican]] [[Pat Brister]], Villere's predecessor as state chairman. Despite his apostasy regarding Landrieu-Kennedy, Treen was eulogized by Senator [[David Vitter]], a former Treen intra-party rival, as the "father of the Republican Party in Louisiana." Others backing Landrieu were the [[sheriff]]s in Jefferson and St Tammany parishes. In addition, U.S. Representative [[Rodney Alexander]] attended a Landrieu fund-raiser at the home of former Louisiana State Senator [[Randy Ewing]], a Democrat from Jackson Parish who served as the former State Senate President and who in 2003 ran unsuccessfully for governor.<ref>"LA-Sen: Republicans for Mary Landrieu: Hey Villere: You Gonna’ Censure Rodney?", Dailykingfish.com, November 8, 2009.</ref>​