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→Gubernatorial general election, 1979
Lambert criticized Treen for opposing an [[amendment]] to the popular Meals on Wheels elderly nutrition program. Treen explained that the program had been funded for $99 million but another $141 million had been left unspent from the preceding year. He considered further spending for such programs to be [[inflation]]ary.<ref>''Shreveport Journal,'' October 2, 1979, p. 1.</ref>
Lambert criticized Treen for opposing an [[amendment]] to the popular Meals on Wheels elderly nutrition program. Treen explained that the program had been funded for $99 million but another $141 million had been left unspent from the preceding year. He considered further spending for such programs to be [[inflation]]ary.<ref>''Shreveport Journal,'' October 2, 1979, p. 1.</ref>
Lambert won the support of Edwards and Edwards' predecessor as governor, John Julian McKeithen, who had supported Paul Hardy in the primary. Some, however, speculated that Edwards did not mind that Treen won the election because Edwards wanted to challenge a "Governor Treen" in the 1983 nonpartisan blanket primary for a potential third term. In his endorsement of Lambert, Edwards said:
Lambert won the support of Edwards and Edwards' predecessor as governor, [[John J. McKeithen]], who had supported Paul Hardy in the primary. Some, however, speculated that Edwards did not mind that Treen won the election because Edwards wanted to challenge a "Governor Treen" in the 1983 nonpartisan blanket primary for a potential third term. In his endorsement of Lambert, Edwards said:
<blockquote>
<blockquote>
Those that support the Republican philosophy believe that government exists to do as little as possible for people. Those of us who are [[Populism|populists]] so to speak, and real Democrats, believe that government exists to help people. It's that simple.<ref>''Shreveport Journal,'' December 4, 1979, p. 8A.</ref></blockquote>
Those that support the Republican philosophy believe that government exists to do as little as possible for people. Those of us who are [[Populism|populists]] so to speak, and real Democrats, believe that government exists to help people. It's that simple.<ref>''Shreveport Journal,'' December 4, 1979, p. 8A.</ref></blockquote>
A surprise of the campaign was that Lambert ran well in North Louisiana, where he carried more than a dozen parishes which had supported Treen in Treen's earlier 1972 campaign against Edwards. The parishes included Morehouse and Webster parishes. Treen dominated the [[suburb]]an parishes around Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Lambert's weakness, however, was to the west of his home base: Acadiana, where Treen ran strongly in Lafayette Parish and the nearby sugar parishes. Factions which had supported Hardy and Mouton in the primary agreed to work for Treen. In an appearance in Lafayette, Treen told the Acadiana audience that his campaign reached across party, racial, and geographic lines. Mouton, who had been an Edwards loyalist, said at the rally: "Did you ever think you would see this sight -- a bunch of Acadiana Democrats cheering a Republican?"
A surprise of the campaign was that Lambert ran well in North Louisiana, where he carried more than a dozen parishes which had supported Treen in Treen's earlier 1972 campaign against Edwards. The parishes included Morehouse and Webster. Treen dominated the [[suburb]]an parishes around Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Lambert's weakness, however, was to the west of his home base: Acadiana, where Treen ran strongly in Lafayette Parish and the nearby sugar parishes. Factions which had supported Hardy and Mouton in the primary agreed to work for Treen. In an appearance in Lafayette, Treen told the Acadiana audience that his campaign reached across party, racial, and geographic lines. Mouton, who had been an Edwards loyalist, said at the rally: "Did you ever think you would see this sight -- a bunch of Acadiana Democrats cheering a Republican?"
Treen finished with 690,691 (50.3 percent) to Lambert's 681,134 (49.7 percent). Treen won only twenty-two of the sixty-four parishes in victory, whereas he had carried twenty-seven parishes in defeat in 1972. Only ten parishes supported Treen in both 1972 and 1979, including Bossier, Caddo, Ouachita, Lincoln, East Baton Rouge, Lincoln. Treen's victory is attributed to his Acadiana margins -- Lafayette, Iberia, Terrebonne, Acais, and St. Martin parishes, where he overcame huge deficits from 1972 to win in 1979.
Treen finished with 690,691 (50.3 percent) to Lambert's 681,134 (49.7 percent). Treen won only twenty-two of the sixty-four parishes in victory, whereas he had carried twenty-seven parishes in defeat in 1972. Only ten parishes supported Treen in both 1972 and 1979, including Bossier, Caddo, Ouachita, Lincoln, East Baton Rouge, Lincoln. Treen's victory is attributed to his Acadiana margins -- Lafayette, Iberia, Terrebonne, Acais, and St. Martin parishes, where he overcame huge deficits from 1972 to win in 1979.