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'''Gerald E. Long''' (born July 9, 1944), is a rare [[Republican Party |Republican]] in the [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] [[Huey Long|Long]] political dynastyn the U.S. state of [[Louisiana]]. Specifically, he is a third [[cousin]] of the late [[Governor]]s [[Huey Long|Huey Pierce Long, Jr.]], and [[Earl Long|Earl Kemp Long]].<ref>[http://www.thetowntalk.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080114/rl KemptNEWS01/801140315 The Town Talk - www.thetowntalk.com - Alexandria-Pineville, Louisiana<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

'''Gerald E. Long''' (born July 9, 1944), is a rare [[Republican Party |Republican]] in the [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] [[Huey Long|Long]] political dynast in  [[Louisiana]]. Specifically, he is a third cousin of the late [[Governor]]s [[Huey Long|Huey Pierce Long, Jr.]], and [[Earl Long|Earl Kemp Long]].<ref>[http://www.thetowntalk.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080114/rl KemptNEWS01/801140315 The Town Talk - www.thetowntalk.com - Alexandria-Pineville, Louisiana<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

Long was elected on October 20, 2007, to fill the seat in the Louisiana State Senate]]for District 31, which includes Grand  and [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]] parishes and parts of [Rapides, Red River, Sabine, and Winn parishes. Long and former state Representative [[Rick Nowlin]] are the first two Republicans since [[Reconstruction]] to represent Natchitoches Parish in the Louisiana legislature. Nowlin was subsequently defeated in a revised districting plan in 2011 but rebounded the next year as the first elected president of Natchitoches Parish, a post he no longer holds.

Long was elected on October 20, 2007, to fill the seat in the Louisiana State Senate for District 31, which includes Grant and [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]] parishes and parts of Rapides, Red River, Sabine, and Winn parishes. Long and former state Representative [[Rick Nowlin]] are the first two Republicans since [[Reconstruction]] to represent Natchitoches Parish in the Louisiana legislature. Nowlin was subsequently defeated in a revised districting plan in 2011 but rebounded the next year as the first elected president of Natchitoches Parish, a post he no longer holds.

After he won his third Senate term in 2015 without opposition, Long's colleagues elected him as [[President of the Louisiana State Senate|Louisiana State Senate President Pro Tempore]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/local/louisiana/2016/01/11/louisiana-house-rejects-john-bel-edwards-pick-speaker/78631390/|title=Louisiana House rejects John Bel Edwards’ pick for speaker|author=Melinda Deslatte|date=January 11, 2016|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|accessdate=January 12, 2016}}</ref>

After he won his third Senate term in 2015 without opposition, Long's colleagues elected him as President of the Louisiana State Senate Pro Tempore.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/local/louisiana/2016/01/11/louisiana-house-rejects-john-bel-edwards-pick-speaker/78631390/|title=Louisiana House rejects John Bel Edwards’ pick for speaker|author=Melinda Deslatte|date=January 11, 2016|publisher=''The Shreveport Times''|accessdate=January 12, 2016}}</ref>

==Long political dynasty==

==Long political dynasty==