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'''John Wyeth Scott II''', known as '''Jock Scott''' (June 29, 1947 – April 25, 2009), was an [[attorney]] and college [[professor]] in his native [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], [[Louisiana]], who served three terms as the District 26 state representative, first as a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] (1976-1985) and then as a [[Republican Party|Republican]] (1985–1988).  

'''John Wyeth Scott II''', known as '''Jock Scott''' (June 29, 1947 – April 25, 2009), was an [[attorney]] and college [[professor]] in his native [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], [[Louisiana]], who served three terms as the District 26 state representative, first as a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] (1976–1985) and then as a [[Republican Party|Republican]] (1985–1988).  

Scott was defeated in a race for the state Senate in 1987. He also lost two bids for the [[United States House of Representatives]]: a 1985 [[special election]] in the 8th congressional district, since disbanded, when he ran as a Democrat, and in the 2004 nonpartisan blanket primary for the 5th congressional district, when he challenged Republican [[U.S. Representative]] [[Rodney Alexander]] of Jackson Parish. The district is now represented  by [[Ralph Abraham]], a departing Republican who ran unsuccessfully for [[governor]] in the 2019 nonpartisan blanket primary.  

Scott was defeated in a race for the state Senate in 1987. He also lost two bids for the [[United States House of Representatives]]: a 1985 [[special election]] in the 8th congressional district, since disbanded, when he ran as a Democrat, and in the 2004 nonpartisan blanket primary for the 5th congressional district, when he challenged Republican [[U.S. Representative]] [[Rodney Alexander]] of Jackson Parish. The district is now represented  by [[Ralph Abraham]], a departing Republican who ran unsuccessfully for [[governor]] in the 2019 nonpartisan blanket primary.  

==Background==

==Background==

Scott was a son of Nauman Steele Scott, II (1916-2001) and the former Blanche Hammond (1920–1985).[1] His maternal grandmother, [[Hilda Phelps Hammond]], was a [[New Orleans]] political activist who challenged what she considered the corruption of [[Governor]] and [[U.S. Senator]] [[Huey Long|Huey Pierce Long, Jr.]] Scott's maternal great-grandfather, Ashton Phelps (1853-1919), was the president of the publishing companies for the former ''The Times-Democrat'' (1889-1914) and ''The New Orleans Times-Picayune'' (1914-1919). In 1965, Scott graduated from Bolton High School in Alexandria. at which one of his classmates was another future Louisiana state legislator, [[Charles DeWitt]], from the neighboring District 25. The two were House colleagues from 1980 to 1988. DeWitt, later the Speaker of the Louisiana House, said that Scott always worked for the betterment of the public, not for his personal financial gain.[2]

Scott was a son of Nauman Steele Scott, II (1916–2001) and the former Blanche Hammond (1920–1985).[1] His maternal grandmother, [[Hilda Phelps Hammond]], was a [[New Orleans]] political activist who challenged what she considered the corruption of [[Governor]] and [[U.S. Senator]] [[Huey Long|Huey Pierce Long, Jr.]] Scott's maternal great-grandfather, Ashton Phelps (1853–1919), was the president of the publishing companies for the former ''The Times-Democrat'' (1889–1914) and ''The New Orleans Times-Picayune'' (1914–1919). In 1965, Scott graduated from Bolton High School in Alexandria. at which one of his classmates was another future Louisiana state legislator, [[Charles DeWitt]], from the neighboring District 25. The two were House colleagues from 1980 to 1988. DeWitt, later the Speaker of the Louisiana House, said that Scott always worked for the betterment of the public, not for his personal financial gain.[2]

In 1969, Scott received his [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree from [[Tulane University]] in [[New Orleans]]. He then graduated from the [[Louisiana State University]] Paul M. Hebert School of Law in [[Baton Rouge]]. He was in law school at the time that [[U.S. President]] [[Richard M. Nixon]] named Scott's Republican father to a new Alexandria-based U.S. District judgeship.

In 1969, Scott received his [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree from [[Tulane University]] in [[New Orleans]]. He then graduated from the [[Louisiana State University]] Paul M. Hebert School of Law in [[Baton Rouge]]. He was in law school at the time that [[U.S. President]] [[Richard M. Nixon]] named Scott's Republican father to a new Alexandria-based U.S. District judgeship.

==First congressional defeat==

==First congressional defeat==

Early in 1985, while he was still a Democrat, Jock Scott ran in the special election to choose a successor to Congressman [[Gillis Long]], who died at the time of President [[Ronald W. Reagan]]'s second inauguration. Scott faced Long's widow, the former Catherine "Cathy" Small, a native of [[Dayton]], [[Ohio]], and [[Clyde Holloway]], a conservative Republican who operated a tree nursery in Forest Hill south of Alexandria. Holloway had strongly opposed Judge Scott's desegregation orders and was making his second bid for Congress. Mrs. Long won the position outright with 61,791 votes (55.7 percent) to Scott's 27,138 ballots (24.5 percent), and Holloway's 18,013 votes (16.3 percent).[10] Cathy Long did not seek a full term in 1986. Scott, by then a Republican, was personally asked in the White House by President Reagan to seek the office. For undisclosed reasons, Scott declined to run. Holloway then went on to take the seat for the first of three consecutive terms from 1987–1993.

Early in 1985, while he was still a Democrat, Jock Scott ran in the special election to choose a successor to Congressman [[Gillis Long]], who died at the time of President [[Ronald W. Reagan]]'s second inauguration. Scott faced Long's widow, the former Catherine "Cathy" Small, a native of [[Dayton]], [[Ohio]], and [[Clyde Holloway]], a conservative Republican who operated a tree nursery in Forest Hill south of Alexandria. Holloway had strongly opposed Judge Scott's desegregation orders and was making his second bid for Congress. Mrs. Long won the position outright with 61,791 votes (55.7 percent) to Scott's 27,138 ballots (24.5 percent), and Holloway's 18,013 votes (16.3 percent).[10] Cathy Long did not seek a full term in 1986. Scott, by then a Republican, was personally asked in the White House by President Reagan to seek the office. For undisclosed reasons, Scott declined to run. Holloway then went on to take the seat for the first of three consecutive terms from 1987 to 1993.

Scott's third term in the Louisiana House featured more battles over fiscal and tax policy against Governor Edwards. He had authored two successful tax reduction measures under the Treen administration, including the indexing of [[inflation]] of state income taxes, something Reagan had promoted at the national level, and a measure that reduced state income taxes by one-third across the board.

Scott's third term in the Louisiana House featured more battles over fiscal and tax policy against Governor Edwards. He had authored two successful tax reduction measures under the Treen administration, including the indexing of [[inflation]] of state income taxes, something Reagan had promoted at the national level, and a measure that reduced state income taxes by one-third across the board.

Scott proposed that the north-south Interstate 49, which links Shreveport with [[Lafayette]] through Alexandria be completed, as originally planned, so that there would be a northeastern link as well from Monroe to Alexandria, U.S. Highway 165. He vowed if elected to work for such highway funding.

Scott proposed that the north-south Interstate 49, which links Shreveport with [[Lafayette]] through Alexandria be completed, as originally planned, so that there would be a northeastern link as well from Monroe to Alexandria, U.S. Highway 165. He vowed if elected to work for such highway funding.

Scott's hometown newspaper, thw ''[[Alexandria Town Talk]],'' which in the 1960s and 1970s, under then managing editor [[Adras LaBorde]] had pointedly refused to endorse candidates, editorially supported Scott's congressional bid. According to ''The Town Talk:

Scott's hometown newspaper, the ''[[Alexandria Town Talk]],'' which in the 1960s and 1970s, under then managing editor [[Adras LaBorde]] had pointedly refused to endorse candidates, editorially supported Scott's congressional bid. According to ''The Town Talk:

<blockquote>

<blockquote>

2. R. T. Morgan, "Jock Scott remembered as 'fearless', trustworthy," ''[[Alexandria Town Talk]],'' April 28, 2009.<br>

2. R. T. Morgan, "Jock Scott remembered as 'fearless', trustworthy," ''[[Alexandria Town Talk]],'' April 28, 2009.<br>

3. Obituary of Jock Scott, ''The Town Talk,'' April 28, 2009.<br>

3. Obituary of Jock Scott, ''The Town Talk,'' April 28, 2009.<br>

4. Louisiana Secretary of State, November 1, 1975 election results.<br>

4. Louisiana Secretary of State, November 1, 1975, election results.<br>

5. Louisiana Secretary of State, 1979 election returns.<br>

5. Louisiana Secretary of State, 1979 election returns.<br>

6. Louisiana delegation to the 1960 Democratic National Convention. Politicalgraveyard.com. May 2, 2009.<br>

6. Louisiana delegation to the 1960 Democratic National Convention. Politicalgraveyard.com. May 2, 2009.<br>