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Unusual for his time, Bagwell joined the Republican Party at a time when most whites were [[Democratic Party|Democrats]]. Louisiana  had been a one-party state for most statewide and national elections since the late 19th century, when white Democrats regained control of the state government and approved a new state constitution in 1898 that effectively disenfranchised most blacks by raising barriers to voter registration and voting. [[African Americans]] had prior to 1964 constituted the great majority of members of the Louisiana Republican Party.  

Unusual for his time, Bagwell joined the Republican Party at a time when most whites were [[Democratic Party|Democrats]]. Louisiana  had been a one-party state for most statewide and national elections since the late 19th century, when white Democrats regained control of the state government and approved a new state constitution in 1898 that effectively disenfranchised most blacks by raising barriers to voter registration and voting. [[African Americans]] had prior to 1964 constituted the great majority of members of the Louisiana Republican Party.  

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During the first decades of the 20th century, some white Republicans began to try to build up the party. In 1928, Etienne J. Caire, a [[business]]man from Edgard in St. John the Baptist Parish, polled 4 percent in the gubernatorial election in his challenge of [[Huey Long|Huey Pierce Long Jr.]]<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RB2Hxcg4zNoC&pg=PA511&lpg=PA511&dq=James+M.+McLemore+of+Louisiana&source=bl&ots=1Yi8hxLt9i&sig=gUMWwG9IvX6ust-vytitdL_u3aA&hl=en&sa=X&ei=QUBwUpyHCqrX2QWdlIGwAg&ved=0CEoQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=James%20M.%20McLemore%20of%20Louisiana&f=false|title=''Louisiana Almanac, 2008-2009''|author=[[Milburn Calhoun]]|page=511|publisher=Pelican Publishing Company|date=2008|accessdate=November 29, 2013}}</ref> In 1952, Bagwell ran as only the second  Republican candidate for governor in the 20th century.  ​

During the first decades of the 20th century, some white Republicans began to try to build up the party. In 1928, Etienne J. Caire, a [[business]]man from Edgard in St. John the Baptist Parish, polled 4 percent in the gubernatorial election in his challenge of [[Huey Long|Huey Pierce Long Jr.]]<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RB2Hxcg4zNoC&pg=PA511&lpg=PA511&dq=James+M.+McLemore+of+Louisiana&source=bl&ots=1Yi8hxLt9i&sig=gUMWwG9IvX6ust-vytitdL_u3aA&hl=en&sa=X&ei=QUBwUpyHCqrX2QWdlIGwAg&ved=0CEoQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=James%20M.%20McLemore%20of%20Louisiana&f=false|title=''Louisiana Almanac, 2008-2009''|author=[[Milburn E. Calhoun]]|page=511|publisher=Pelican Publishing Company|date=2008|accessdate=November 29, 2013}}</ref> In 1952, Bagwell ran as only the second  Republican candidate for governor in the 20th century.  ​

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In the gubernatorial [[general election]] held on April 22, 1952, Bagwell polled 4,958 votes (4 percent) of the  vote statewide in a low-turnout contest against the Democrat [[Robert F. Kennon]], a judge from [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]], who received 118,723 (96 percent). Bagwell reached double digits in only three parishes, St. James  (13 percent), Iberia]] (12.5 percent), and his own East Baton Rouge Parish (11.8 percent). In three parishes, Concordia, DeSoto, and Tensas, Bagwell received not a single vote.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PCUXAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA103&lpg=PA103&dq=Harrison+G.+Bagwell&source=bl&ots=7-PJRE9l32&sig=Du9yYdQmCViyHoo58tfKfpIHjgk&hl=en&sa=X&ei=-QSsVK_rCMGGyATVjIGgAw&ved=0CE0Q6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=Harrison%20G.%20Bagwell&f=false|title=United States Gubernatorial Elections, 1932-1952: The Official Results by State and County|pages=103–104|publisher=McFarland and Company|location=Jefferson, [[North Carolina]]|isbn=978-0-7864-7034-1|author=Michael J. Dubin|accessdate=January 6, 2015}}</ref> ​

In the gubernatorial [[general election]] held on April 22, 1952, Bagwell polled 4,958 votes (4 percent) of the  vote statewide in a low-turnout contest against the Democrat [[Robert F. Kennon]], a judge from [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]], who received 118,723 (96 percent). Bagwell reached double digits in only three parishes, St. James  (13 percent), Iberia]] (12.5 percent), and his own East Baton Rouge Parish (11.8 percent). In three parishes, Concordia, DeSoto, and Tensas, Bagwell received not a single vote.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PCUXAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA103&lpg=PA103&dq=Harrison+G.+Bagwell&source=bl&ots=7-PJRE9l32&sig=Du9yYdQmCViyHoo58tfKfpIHjgk&hl=en&sa=X&ei=-QSsVK_rCMGGyATVjIGgAw&ved=0CE0Q6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=Harrison%20G.%20Bagwell&f=false|title=United States Gubernatorial Elections, 1932-1952: The Official Results by State and County|pages=103–104|publisher=McFarland and Company|location=Jefferson, [[North Carolina]]|isbn=978-0-7864-7034-1|author=Michael J. Dubin|accessdate=January 6, 2015}}</ref> ​

Bagwell's gubernatorial showing was far below the votes secured by his fellow Republican, [[Clem S. Clarke]], in the [[United States Senate]] special general election of 1948. The [[Shreveport]] [[oil]]man polled just over 100,000 votes in his failed challenge of Democrat [[Russell Long]], older son of Huey Long.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, U. S. Senate election returns, November 2, 1948.</ref> By 2015, Republicans for the first time held both Senate seats from Louisiana.​

Bagwell's gubernatorial showing was far below the votes secured by his fellow Republican, [[Clem S. Clarke]], in the [[United States Senate]] special general election of 1948. The [[Shreveport]] [[oil]]man polled just over 100,000 votes in his failed challenge of Democrat [[Russell Long]], older son of Huey Long.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, U. S. Senate election returns, November 2, 1948.</ref> By 2015, Republicans for the first time held both Senate seats from Louisiana.​

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Bagwell said that his primary goal in running for governor was to try to establish a competitive two-party system in Louisiana. He said that the state Republican party was being held back by its traditional leaders so that they could maintain their control over the party organization.<ref>cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AQssAAAAIBAJ&sjid=scYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1070%2C4007750|title="Republican Boom Likely to Fizzle Out in South"|publisher=''Times-Daily''|date=February 25, 1952}}</ref>  Representing Louisiana's 6th congressional district, Bagwell was a delegate to the 1952 [[Republican National Convention]], which met in [[Chicago]] to nominate the ticket of [[Dwight Eisenhower]] and [[Richard M. Nixon]]<ref name=polgraveyard>{{cite web|url=http://politicalgraveyard.com/geo/LA/protestant.html|title=Harrison Garey Bagwell|publisher=The Political Graveyard|accessdate=January 6, 2015}}</ref> Bagwell assisted John Minor Wisdom in making the case for seating the pro-Eisenhower delegation, rather than the supporters of Senator [[Robert A. Taft]] of [[Ohio]]. Because Bagwell and Wisdom were successful, they were instrumental in securing the nomination for Eisenhower.<ref{{cite web|url=http://scholarlycommons.law.wlu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1642&context=wlulr |author=Joel William Friedman|title="Judge Wisdom and the 1952 Republican National Convention: Ensuring Victory for Eisenhower and a Two-Party System for Louisiana"|publisher=''Washington and Lee Law Review'', Vol. 53, No. 1|date=1996|page= 52, 92}}</ref> ​

Bagwell said that his primary goal in running for governor was to try to establish a competitive two-party system in Louisiana. He said that the state Republican party was being held back by its traditional leaders so that they could maintain their control over the party organization.<ref>cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AQssAAAAIBAJ&sjid=scYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1070%2C4007750|title="Republican Boom Likely to Fizzle Out in South"|publisher=''Times-Daily''|date=February 25, 1952}}</ref>  Representing Louisiana's 6th congressional district, Bagwell was a delegate to the 1952 [[Republican National Convention]], which met in [[Chicago]] to nominate the ticket of [[Dwight Eisenhower]] and [[Richard M. Nixon]]<ref name=polgraveyard>{{cite web|url=http://politicalgraveyard.com/geo/LA/protestant.html|title=Harrison Garey Bagwell|publisher=The Political Graveyard|accessdate=January 6, 2015}}</ref> Bagwell assisted John Minor Wisdom in making the case for seating the pro-Eisenhower delegation, rather than the supporters of Senator [[Robert A. Taft]] of [[Ohio]]. Because Bagwell and Wisdom were successful, they were instrumental in securing the nomination for Eisenhower.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://scholarlycommons.law.wlu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1642&context=wlul |author=Joel William Friedman|title="Judge Wisdom and the 1952 Republican National Convention: Ensuring Victory for Eisenhower and a Two-Party System for Louisiana"|publisher=''Washington and Lee Law Review'', Vol. 53, No. 1|date=1996|page= 52, 92}}</ref> ​

Governor Kennon endorsed the Eisenhower-Nixon ticket. Although successful nationally,Eisenhower lost the Louisiana [[electoral vote]] that year. White conservatives in the state then remained overwhelmingly Democratic.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9E05E5D8113CE53ABC4F53DFBF668389649EDE|title=LOUISIANA'S CHIEF BACKS EISENHOWER; Gov. Kennon Says General Will End 'Truman Era of Minks, Pay-Offs and Rackets'|publisher=''[[The New York Times]]''|page=1|date=September 7, 1952|accessdate=January 6, 2015}}</ref> but would by the 21st century become predominantly Republican.​

Governor Kennon endorsed the Eisenhower-Nixon ticket. Although successful nationally,Eisenhower lost the Louisiana [[electoral vote]] that year. White conservatives in the state then remained overwhelmingly Democratic.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9E05E5D8113CE53ABC4F53DFBF668389649EDE|title=LOUISIANA'S CHIEF BACKS EISENHOWER; Gov. Kennon Says General Will End 'Truman Era of Minks, Pay-Offs and Rackets'|publisher=''[[The New York Times]]''|page=1|date=September 7, 1952|accessdate=January 6, 2015}}</ref> but would by the 21st century become predominantly Republican.​

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One of the Bagwells' younger daughters, Bonnie Bagwell Messer (born September 1954), recalled in 2013 that her father had treated the neighborhood children at their home in University Acres each [[Halloween]] to hot dogs, chili, and Kool-Aid. On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of Bagwell's death, Messer said that when she was a child, "Our house was THE place to go, and he fed everyone. It has been forty years since his last Halloween at our house ... I hope all our neighbors who trick-or-treated at our house will remember him this Halloween and the love he had for Halloween and them."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150106215746/http://theadvocate.com/columnists/7441879-55/smiley-frightful-evening|title="Mr. Halloween"|author=Smiley Anders|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|date=December 2, 2013|accessdate=January 6, 2015}}</ref>​

One of the Bagwells' younger daughters, Bonnie Bagwell Messer (born September 1954), recalled in 2013 that her father had treated the neighborhood children at their home in University Acres each [[Halloween]] to hot dogs, chili, and Kool-Aid. On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of Bagwell's death, Messer said that when she was a child, "Our house was THE place to go, and he fed everyone. It has been forty years since his last Halloween at our house ... I hope all our neighbors who trick-or-treated at our house will remember him this Halloween and the love he had for Halloween and them."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150106215746/http://theadvocate.com/columnists/7441879-55/smiley-frightful-evening|title="Mr. Halloween"|author=Smiley Anders|publisher=''The Baton Rouge Advocate''|date=December 2, 2013|accessdate=January 6, 2015}}</ref>​

 

==References==​

==References==

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