Changes

Waggonner was initially elected to Congress in a [[special election]] held in December 1961 to succeed Democrat Thomas Overton Brooks, who died in office. He defeated the Republican choice, [[Charlton Lyons]], an oilman from [[Shreveport]] but like Waggonner's former intra-party opponent for state comptroller was a native of Abbeville in Vermilion Parish. Waggonner carried the backing of the conservative ''[[Shreveport Journal]],'' edited at the time by [[George W. Shannon]]. Lyons subsequently ran for governor in 1964 against Democrat [[John J. McKeithen]], that time with Shannon's editorial support. Thereafter, Waggonner rarely had opposition. In 1968, he faced an [[African American]] challenger, fellow Democrat Leon Tarver of  Shreveport, the brother of a current state Senator, Greg Tarver.

Waggonner was initially elected to Congress in a [[special election]] held in December 1961 to succeed Democrat Thomas Overton Brooks, who died in office. He defeated the Republican choice, [[Charlton Lyons]], an oilman from [[Shreveport]] but like Waggonner's former intra-party opponent for state comptroller was a native of Abbeville in Vermilion Parish. Waggonner carried the backing of the conservative ''[[Shreveport Journal]],'' edited at the time by [[George W. Shannon]]. Lyons subsequently ran for governor in 1964 against Democrat [[John J. McKeithen]], that time with Shannon's editorial support. Thereafter, Waggonner rarely had opposition. In 1968, he faced an [[African American]] challenger, fellow Democrat Leon Tarver of  Shreveport, the brother of a current state Senator, Greg Tarver.

In 1968, Waggonner spoke against the legislation introduced by Republican U.S. Representative Robert McClory of [[Illinois]], which designates the third Monday of February as what has become "President's Day," rather than the traditional February 22 holiday in honor of the birth of [[George Washington]]. Waggonner told the sponsors of the bill: “You have further commercialized and made further meaningless something that has the respect of the people of this country.”<ref>{{cite web|url=https://amgreatness.com/2018/02/18/make-washingtons-birthday-great/|title=Make Washington’s Birthday Great Again|author=John Fonte|publisher=Amgreatness.com|date=February 18, 2018|accessdate=February 19, 2019}}</ref>

In 1968, Waggonner spoke against the legislation introduced by [[Moderate Republican]] U.S. Representative Robert McClory of [[Illinois]], which designates the third Monday of February as what has become "President's Day," rather than the traditional February 22 holiday in honor of the birth of [[George Washington]]. Waggonner told the sponsors of the bill: “You have further commercialized and made further meaningless something that has the respect of the people of this country.”<ref>{{cite web|url=https://amgreatness.com/2018/02/18/make-washingtons-birthday-great/|title=Make Washington’s Birthday Great Again|author=John Fonte|publisher=Amgreatness.com|date=February 18, 2018|accessdate=June 28, 2020}}</ref>

After 1969, Waggonner struck up a friendship with President Richard Nixon, who was elected the previous year over the Democrat [[Hubert Humphrey]] and the [[Independent voter|Independent]] [[George Wallace]]. He became a liaison between Nixon and the House Democratic majority. Through this relationship, Waggonner was able to procure public works projects for his 4th district, including the attempt to establish year-round navigation of the Red River between Shreveport and [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]].

After 1969, Waggonner struck up a friendship with President Richard Nixon, who was elected the previous year over the Democrat [[Hubert Humphrey]] and the [[Independent voter|Independent]] [[George Wallace]]. He became a liaison between Nixon and the House Democratic majority. Through this relationship, Waggonner was able to procure public works projects for his 4th district, including the attempt to establish year-round navigation of the Red River between Shreveport and [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]].