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→1960 congressional race
==1960 congressional race==
==1960 congressional race==
After he left the governorship in 1960, Earl Long decided to challenge freshman [[U.S. Representative]] Harold Barrett McSween of [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]] for renomination. In a hard-fought runoff election, Long defeated McSween though he had trailed him in the first primary. There had been a third primary candidate, former State Representative Ben F. Holt of Rapides Parish, considered a [[conservative]] Democrat. Long scored a pyrrhic victory, for he was dead a few days later, and the Democratic State Central Committee returned McSween to the ballot as the unopposed Democratic nominee in the [[general election]]. In a way, one may say that the committee nullified the results of Long's last campaign.
After he left the governorship in 1960, Earl Long decided to challenge freshman [[U.S. Representative]] Harold Barrett McSween of [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]] for renomination. In a hard-fought runoff election, Long defeated McSween though he had trailed him in the first primary. There had been a third primary candidate, former State Representative Ben F. Holt of Rapides Parish, considered a [[conservative]] Democrat. Long scored a pyrrhic victory, for he was dead a few days later, and the Democratic State Central Committee returned McSween to the ballot as the unopposed Democratic nominee in the [[general election]]. In a way, one may say that the committee nullified the results of Long's last campaign.
Dodd was the only one of Earl Long's former lieutenants who came into the 8th District to help him to campaign. He was deserted by both Russell Long and AFL-CIO President [[Victor Bussie]]. Dodd said that he came to Earl's pleas for aid despite the wishes of Mrs. Dodd and Dodd's law partners. Moreover, Dodd himself was challenging incumbent Merle Welsh for the Baton Rouge-based 6th congressional district seat on the Louisiana Board of Education in that same primary. Dodd said that he called Mrs. Long to inform her of his intentions to assist Earl, and she thanked him for helping her husband. Dodd said that Earl Long was fighting the "banking interests, the corporations, the normal anti-Long people, and all the big news media, fighting with hardly any money and no statewide politicians to help him." Dodd was also able to demonstrate to Long that he was loyal, whereas "disloyal" Earl Long had opposed Dodd's two bids for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination—1952 and 1959.
Dodd was the only one of Earl Long's former lieutenants who came into the 8th District to help him to campaign. He was deserted by both Russell Long and AFL-CIO President [[Victor Bussie]]. Dodd said that he came to Earl's pleas for aid despite the wishes of Mrs. Dodd and Dodd's law partners. Moreover, Dodd himself was challenging incumbent Merle Welsh for the Baton Rouge-based 6th congressional district seat on the Louisiana Board of Education in that same primary. Dodd said that he called Mrs. Long to inform her of his intentions to assist Earl, and she thanked him for helping her husband. Dodd said that Earl Long was fighting the "banking interests, the corporations, the normal anti-Long people, and all the big news media, fighting with hardly any money and no statewide politicians to help him." Dodd was also able to demonstrate to Long that he was loyal, whereas "disloyal" Earl Long had opposed Dodd's two bids for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination—1952 and 1959.
Dodd recalls in his memoirs that he once placed a call to Blanche at Earl's request in which Blanche "spoke very kindly about Earl and said she knew he was sick and fighting for both his physical and political life. She said [that] she had asked some of their old friends in New Orleans and elsewhere to send Earl some campaign money, and she sort of apologized for not being able to help personally. Before Earl took over the phone, she thanked me for helping him and for being the only one of his old lieutenants to come to his aid."
Dodd recalls in his memoirs that he once placed a call to Blanche at Earl's request in which Blanche "spoke very kindly about Earl and said she knew he was sick and fighting for both his physical and political life. She said [that] she had asked some of their old friends in New Orleans and elsewhere to send Earl some campaign money, and she sort of apologized for not being able to help personally. Before Earl took over the phone, she thanked me for helping him and for being the only one of his old lieutenants to come to his aid."
Moreover, according to Dodd, Long never intended to serve in Congress beyond two terms, for he was planning to enter the 1963 Democratic primary for governor. His death of course led Blanche Long to support McKeithen as her Long factional candidate for governor. The estranged Russell Long, however, endorsed a second "Long" candidate, the more liberal Congressman Gillis William Long (1923-1985).
Moreover, according to Dodd, Long never intended to serve in Congress beyond two terms, for he was planning to enter the 1963 Democratic primary for governor. His death of course led Blanche Long to support McKeithen as her Long factional candidate for governor. The estranged Russell Long, however, endorsed a second "Long" candidate, the more liberal Congressman Gillis William Long (1923-1985).