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'''Joseph David Waggonner, Jr.''', known as '''Joe Waggonner''' (September 7, 1918 – October 7, 2007), was a [[Democratic]] member of the [[United States House of Representatives]] from [[Louisiana]]'s Fourth Congressional District, who served from 1961 to 1979. He was active in what was later known as the [[Conservative Democrat|Boll Weevil Democrats]], who sometimes supported [[Republican]] positions on fiscal and foreign policies.

'''Joseph David Waggonner, Jr.''', known as '''Joe Waggonner''' (September 7, 1918 – October 7, 2007), was a [[Democratic]] member of the [[United States House of Representatives]] from [[Louisiana]]'s Fourth Congressional District, who served from 1961 to 1979. He was active in what was later known as the [[Conservative Democrat|Boll Weevil Democrats]], who sometimes supported [[Republican]] positions on fiscal and foreign policies.

A businessman originally from Plain Dealing in Bossier Parish in northwestern Louisiana, Waggonner had an exemplary record in [[World War II]] and graduated from [[Louisiana Tech University]] in [[Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]]. He was long active in Louisiana Tech alumni affairs. In the 1950s, he was a member of the Bossier Parish School Board. In 1961, he served on the elected Louisiana State Board of Education. In 1959, Waggonner was an unsuccessful primary candidate for the since disbanded position of Louisiana state comptroller, having run on the strongly [[segregation]]ist intraparty ticket headed by State Senator William M. Rainach of Claiborne Parish.

A businessman originally from Plain Dealing in Bossier Parish in northwestern Louisiana, Waggonner had an exemplary record in [[World War II]] and graduated from [[Louisiana Tech University]] in [[Ruston, Louisiana|Ruston]]. He was long active in Louisiana Tech alumni affairs. In the 1950s, he was a member of the Bossier Parish School Board. In 1961, he served on the elected Louisiana State Board of Education. In 1959, Waggonner was an unsuccessful primary candidate for the since disbanded position of Louisiana state comptroller, having run on the strongly [[segregation]]ist intraparty ticket headed by State Senator [[William Rainach]] of Claiborne Parish.

Waggonner was initially elected to Congress in a special election held in December 1961 to succeed Democrat Overton Brooks, who died in office. He defeated the Republican choice, [[Charlton Lyons]], an oilman from [[Shreveport]], who subsequently ran for governor in 1964 against Democrat [[John J. McKeithen]]. Thereafter, Waggonner rarely had opposition. In 1968, he faced an [[African American]] challenger, fellow Democrat Leon Tarver of  Shreveport.

Waggonner was initially elected to Congress in a special election held in December 1961 to succeed Democrat Overton Brooks, who died in office. He defeated the Republican choice, [[Charlton Lyons]], an oilman from [[Shreveport]], who subsequently ran for governor in 1964 against Democrat [[John J. McKeithen]]. Thereafter, Waggonner rarely had opposition. In 1968, he faced an [[African American]] challenger, fellow Democrat Leon Tarver of  Shreveport.