Changes

In 1988, Democratic Mayor-President James Patrick "Pat" Screen, Jr. (1943-1994), declined to seek a third term. Screen's predecessor, former Mayor-President [[Woodrow Wilson Dumas]] of Baker, came out of political retirement at the age of seventy-two to seek his old position in a crowded field in the nonpartisan blanket primary. Dumas polled 29,109 votes (29.9 percent) to McHugh's 38,629 ballots (39.7 percent). In third place was state Senator Mike Cross of Baker, with 12,741 votes (13.1 percent). Freshman state Representative Carl Crane, one of two Republicans in the race, polled only 4,554 votes (4.7 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 1, 1988.</ref> In the [[general election]], McHugh defeated Dumas, 79,134 (55.5 percent) to 63,519 (44.5 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 8, 1988.</ref>​

In 1988, Democratic Mayor-President James Patrick "Pat" Screen, Jr. (1943-1994), declined to seek a third term. Screen's predecessor, former Mayor-President [[Woodrow Wilson Dumas]] of Baker, came out of political retirement at the age of seventy-two to seek his old position in a crowded field in the nonpartisan blanket primary. Dumas polled 29,109 votes (29.9 percent) to McHugh's 38,629 ballots (39.7 percent). In third place was state Senator Mike Cross of Baker, with 12,741 votes (13.1 percent). Freshman state Representative Carl Crane, one of two Republicans in the race, polled only 4,554 votes (4.7 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 1, 1988.</ref> In the [[general election]], McHugh defeated Dumas, 79,134 (55.5 percent) to 63,519 (44.5 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 8, 1988.</ref>​

In 1992, McHugh defeated the Democrat Ron Johnson and the Republican Kim P. Carmouche having garnered 69,925 (73.3 percent) to win the post outright in the primary.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 3, 1992.</ref> In 1993, McHugh ordered trick-or-treating moved from October 31 to October 29 to avoid conflicts with Sunday evening church services. Three inches of rain spoiled the Friday evening for many. McHugh later said that he got more telephone calls about that incident than any other issue in his twelve years in office. In 1959, Mayor-President John "Jack" Christian (1911-1972) had similarly moved trick-or-treating from Saturday, October 31, to Friday, October 30, to accommodate the LSU Tigers [[football]] game against the [[University of Mississippi|Ole Miss Rebels]]. That decision proved more popular for Christian because William Abb "Billy" Cannon (1937-2018) scored an 89-yard touchdown to keep the Tigers undefeated and to win a Heisman Trophy, the only LSU player ever so honored.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/62491322.html|author=Chante Dionne Warren|title=Halloween changes a scary proposition for mayors|date=September 29, 2009|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|accessdate=December 23, 2010}}</ref>​

In 1992, McHugh defeated the Democrat Ron Johnson and the Republican Kim P. Carmouche having garnered 69,925 (73.3 percent) to win the post outright in the primary.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, October 3, 1992.</ref> In 1993, McHugh ordered trick-or-treating moved from October 31 to October 29 to avoid conflicts with Sunday evening church services. Three inches of rain spoiled the Friday evening for many. McHugh later said that he got more telephone calls about that incident than any other issue in his twelve years in office. In 1959, Mayor-President John "Jack" Christian (1911-1972) had similarly moved trick-or-treating from Saturday, October 31, to Friday, October 30, to accommodate the LSU Tigers [[football]] game against the [[University of Mississippi|Ole Miss Rebels]]. That decision proved more popular for Christian because William Abb "Billy" Cannon (1937-2018) scored an 89-yard touchdown to keep the Tigers undefeated and to win a Heisman Trophy, the only LSU player ever so honored.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/62491322.html|author=Chante Dionne Warren|title=Halloween changes a scary proposition for mayors|date=September 29, 2009|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|accessdate=December 23, 2010; no longer on-line.}}</ref>​

In 1996, McHugh, having defected to the Republican ticket, handily defeated a later mayor-president, Democratic state representative Melvin "Kip" Holden,  75,413 votes (66.1 percent) to Holden's 38,641 (33.9 percent).​<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, September 21, 1996.</ref>

In 1996, McHugh, having defected to the Republican ticket, handily defeated a later mayor-president, Democratic state representative Melvin "Kip" Holden,  75,413 votes (66.1 percent) to Holden's 38,641 (33.9 percent).​<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, September 21, 1996.</ref>