Changes

When William Guste announced that he would not seek a sixth term as attorney general in 1991, Ieyoub filed for the position as the leading candidate. He was challenged by two fellow Democrats, future state Treasurer and subsequent Republican convert [[John Neely Kennedy]] and Winston Riddick, and the principal Republican choice that year, former state Representative and state Senator [[Ben Bagert|Bernard J. "Ben" Bagert, Jr.]], of New Orleans. Ieyoub led the field with 447,423 votes (31 percent) to Bagert's 312,960 (22 percent), Kennedy's 288,104 (20 percent), and Riddick's 224,200 (16 percent). Two other Republicans also ran and divided 11 percent of the primary vote.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, 1991.</ref>

When William Guste announced that he would not seek a sixth term as attorney general in 1991, Ieyoub filed for the position as the leading candidate. He was challenged by two fellow Democrats, future state Treasurer and subsequent Republican convert [[John Neely Kennedy]] and Winston Riddick, and the principal Republican choice that year, former state Representative and state Senator [[Ben Bagert|Bernard J. "Ben" Bagert, Jr.]], of New Orleans. Ieyoub led the field with 447,423 votes (31 percent) to Bagert's 312,960 (22 percent), Kennedy's 288,104 (20 percent), and Riddick's 224,200 (16 percent). Two other Republicans also ran and divided 11 percent of the primary vote.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, 1991.</ref>

Ieyoub and Bagert went into the [[general election]] at the same time that former Governor [[Edwin Edwards]] was being challenged by the one-time leader of the [[Ku Klux Klan]], then state Representative [[David Duke]] of [[Jefferson Parish, Louisiana]]. Ieyoub defeated Bagert by a wider margin than that by which Edwards finished off Duke. The Calcasieu district attorney won the race by a margin of more than two to one:  1,147,592 (69 percent) to 517,660 (31 percent). Bagert lost his own Orleans Parish in the election; the defeat ended Bagert's long career in state politics. Ieyoub's 1,147,592 vote tally was the highest numerical total ever obtained by a statewide candidate in Louisiana history until that time.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, 1991.</ref>

Ieyoub and Bagert went into the [[general election]] at the same time that former Governor [[Edwin Edwards]] was being challenged by the one-time leader of the [[Ku Klux Klan]], then state Representative [[David Duke]] of Jefferson Parish. Ieyoub defeated Bagert by a wider margin than that by which Edwards finished off Duke. The Calcasieu district attorney won the race by a margin of more than two to one:  1,147,592 (69 percent) to 517,660 (31 percent). Bagert lost his own Orleans Parish in the election; the defeat ended Bagert's long career in state politics. Ieyoub's 1,147,592 vote tally was the highest numerical total ever obtained by a statewide candidate in Louisiana history until that time.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, 1991.</ref>

In 1995, Ieyoub won by an even larger margin than his historic showing in 1991. He polled 1,019,041 votes (76 percent) to 137,372 votes (10 percent) for the Republican [[Ed Tarpley]], then the district attorney for the 35th Judicial District based in Colfax. An anti-gambling activist, Tarpley lost to Ieyoub even his own Grant Parish. Two other candidates received the remaining 14 percent of the vote.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, 1995.</ref>

In 1995, Ieyoub won by an even larger margin than his historic showing in 1991. He polled 1,019,041 votes (76 percent) to 137,372 votes (10 percent) for the Republican [[Ed Tarpley]], then the district attorney for the 35th Judicial District based in Colfax. An anti-gambling activist, Tarpley lost to Ieyoub even his own Grant Parish. Two other candidates received the remaining 14 percent of the vote.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, 1995.</ref>