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→Political career
==Political career==
==Political career==
An ally of [[Huey Long]], Overton served as an attorney to "the Kingfish" when impeachment was filed against then-governor Long in 1929.<ref name=knoxvillefocus>design (May 1, 2016). [https://knoxfocus.com/archives/this-weeks-focus/huey-longs-lawyer-senator-john-overton-of-louisiana/ Huey Long’s Lawyer: Senator John Overton of Louisiana]. ''The Knoxville Focus''. Retrieved July 23, 2021.</ref> This alliance would prove crucial in propelling Overton's election to Congress. When U.S. representative James B. Aswell died in office on March 16, 1931, Overton ran for the seat as the hand-picked successor by Long<ref name=knoxvillefocus/> and won the special election to serve out the remainder of the term.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=482686 LA - District 08 Special Election Race - May 12, 1931]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved July 23, 2021.</ref>
An ally of [[Huey Long]], Overton served as an attorney to "the Kingfish" when impeachment was filed against then-governor Long in 1929.<ref name=knoxvillefocus>design (May 1, 2016). [https://knoxfocus.com/archives/this-weeks-focus/huey-longs-lawyer-senator-john-overton-of-louisiana/ Huey Long’s Lawyer: Senator John Overton of Louisiana]. ''The Knoxville Focus''. Retrieved July 23, 2021.</ref> This alliance would prove crucial in propelling Overton's election to Congress. When U.S. representative James B. Aswell died in office on March 16, 1931, Overton ran for the seat as the hand-picked successor by Long<ref name=knoxvillefocus/> and won the special election to serve out the remainder of the term.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=482686 LA - District 08 Special Election Race - May 12, 1931]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved July 23, 2021.</ref>
===U.S. Senate===
Due to the [[Jim Crow]] disenfranchisement of blacks in [[the South]], the main competition in practically all elections for the region during the time was in the Democrat primary. Overton ran for U.S. Senate in the 1932 elections coinciding with the [[United States presidential election, 1932|presidential race that year]], challenging incumbent Edwin S. Broussard. Again with the backing of Long's powerful political machine, Overton, considered an entertaining speaker,<ref name=knoxvillefocus/> handily defeated Broussard by nearly twenty points<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=399602 LA US Senate - D Primary Race - Sep 13, 1932]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved July 23, 2021.</ref> and faced no competition in the general election.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=267985 LA US Senate Race - Nov 08, 1932]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved July 23, 2021.</ref>
==References==
==References==