Changes

Donelon became a Republican on February 20, 1980, when he announced his candidacy to succeed Treen as the [[U.S. Representative]] from Louisiana's 3rd congressional district in a special election. Treen urged Republican to coalesce behind Donelon even though there were other longer-tenured Republicans who were interested in making the race. Donelon attracted three Democratic opponents in the special election. The strongest was state Representative Wilbert Joseph "Bill" Tauzin, II, then of Thibodaux in Lafourche Parish, who was the chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee. Also in the race was Democratic state Senator Anthony Guarisco, Jr., of Morgan City in St. Mary Parish, considered a "fiscal conservative" but a "social liberal", who was a strong proponent of the never ratified [[Equal Rights Amendment]]. Robert "Bob" Namer (born January 1, 1947), who criticized the other three candidates for excessive campaign spending, ran as a Democrat but later switched to the GOP. He is the executive director of National Business Consultants of New Orleans.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/robert-namer/robertnamer?valid=true&|title=Robert Namer|publisher=Mylife.com|accessdate=August 14, 2019}}</ref> <ref>''The Alexandria Town Talk,'' April 17, 1980, p. 10D</ref>

Donelon became a Republican on February 20, 1980, when he announced his candidacy to succeed Treen as the [[U.S. Representative]] from Louisiana's 3rd congressional district in a special election. Treen urged Republican to coalesce behind Donelon even though there were other longer-tenured Republicans who were interested in making the race. Donelon attracted three Democratic opponents in the special election. The strongest was state Representative Wilbert Joseph "Bill" Tauzin, II, then of Thibodaux in Lafourche Parish, who was the chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee. Also in the race was Democratic state Senator Anthony Guarisco, Jr., of Morgan City in St. Mary Parish, considered a "fiscal conservative" but a "social liberal", who was a strong proponent of the never ratified [[Equal Rights Amendment]]. Robert "Bob" Namer (born January 1, 1947), who criticized the other three candidates for excessive campaign spending, ran as a Democrat but later switched to the GOP. He is the executive director of National Business Consultants of New Orleans.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/robert-namer/robertnamer?valid=true&|title=Robert Namer|publisher=Mylife.com|accessdate=August 14, 2019}}</ref> <ref>''The Alexandria Town Talk,'' April 17, 1980, p. 10D</ref>

Tauzin filed with the Federal Election Commission a complaint which charged that Donelon's campaign donations were tainted. He cited Donelon's series of letters of credit with no interest required through the Jefferson Bank and Trust Company. Such loans violated federal election law, Tauzin noted. Donelon in turn claimed that the first Mrs. Tauzin obtained a $60,000 loan for her husband's campaign and criticized Tauzin for making "a friviolous charge . . . in the waning days of the campaign."<ref>''The Alexandria Town Talk,'' April 17, 1980, p. 10D.</ref>

Tauzin filed with the Federal Election Commission a complaint which charged that Donelon's campaign donations were tainted. He cited Donelon's series of letters of credit with no interest required through the Jefferson Bank and Trust Company. Such loans violated federal election law, Tauzin noted. Donelon in turn claimed that the first Mrs. Tauzin obtained a $60,000 loan for her husband's campaign and criticized Tauzin for making "a friviolous charge . . . in the waning days of the campaign."<ref>''[[Alexandria Town Talk]],'' April 17, 1980, p. 10D.</ref>

Former Governor [[Edwin Edwards]] had initially told Donelon, who had been an Edwards aide prior to 1975, that Edwards would not become involved in the campaign. When Treen began to campaign for Donelon, Edwards endorsed Tauzin, a former floor leader for Edwards.<ref>''Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report,'' April 12, 1980, p. 981.</ref> Donelon entered the first round of balloting as a slight favorite in that he had won some 57 percent of the vote in the parishes which then comprised the Third District in the lieutenant governor's race against Bobby Freeman just seven months earlier.<ref>''Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report,'' April 12, 1980, p. 981.</ref> Guarisco, who was endorsed by the ''New Orleans Times-Picayune,'' which had supported Treen for governor in 1979, said that he did not want the support of either Edwards or Treen because he was "independent of all that."<ref>''New Orleans Times-Picayune,'' April 19, 1980,  p. 1.</ref> Tauzin was also endorsed by Lieutenant Governor Freeman, United States Senator [[Russell Long]], and Congressman [[John Breaux]], whom Donelon would oppose eighteen years later when Breaux won his third term in the [[United States Senate]].

Former Governor [[Edwin Edwards]] had initially told Donelon, who had been an Edwards aide prior to 1975, that Edwards would not become involved in the campaign. When Treen began to campaign for Donelon, Edwards endorsed Tauzin, a former floor leader for Edwards.<ref>''Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report,'' April 12, 1980, p. 981.</ref> Donelon entered the first round of balloting as a slight favorite in that he had won some 57 percent of the vote in the parishes which then comprised the Third District in the lieutenant governor's race against Bobby Freeman just seven months earlier.<ref>''Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report,'' April 12, 1980, p. 981.</ref> Guarisco, who was endorsed by the ''New Orleans Times-Picayune,'' which had supported Treen for governor in 1979, said that he did not want the support of either Edwards or Treen because he was "independent of all that."<ref>''New Orleans Times-Picayune,'' April 19, 1980,  p. 1.</ref> Tauzin was also endorsed by Lieutenant Governor Freeman, United States Senator [[Russell Long]], and Congressman [[John Breaux]], whom Donelon would oppose eighteen years later when Breaux won his third term in the [[United States Senate]].