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'''Allen Joseph Ellender''' (September 24, 1890 – July 27, 1972) was a [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] [[politician]] from Houma in Terrebonne Parish in the U.S. state of [[Louisiana]]. An original follower of [[Huey Long]], Ellender was elected in 1936 as Long's permanent successor in the [[United States Senate]], replacing Long's widow, Rose McConnell Long (1892-1970). [[Governor]] Oscar Kelly Allen (1882-1936) had won the party nomination for the Senate but died before he could be formally elected. In the second balloting, Ellender defeated [[U.S. Representative]] John Nicholas Sandlin, Sr. (1872-1957), a fellow Democrat from [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]] in Webster Parish.<ref>A minor candidate in the 1936 [[United States Senate]] race was [[Irving Ward-Steinman]] of [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]].</ref>
'''Allen Joseph Ellender''' (September 24, 1890 – July 27, 1972) was a [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] [[politician]] from Houma in Terrebonne Parish in the U.S. state of [[Louisiana]]. An original follower of [[Huey Long]], Ellender was elected in 1936 as Long's permanent successor in the [[United States Senate]], replacing Long's widow, Rose McConnell Long (1892-1970). [[Governor]] Oscar Kelly Allen (1882-1936) had won the party nomination for the Senate but died before he could be formally elected. In the second balloting, Ellender defeated [[U.S. Representative]] John Nicholas Sandlin, Sr. (1872-1957), a fellow Democrat from [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]] in Webster Parish.<ref>A minor candidate in the 1936 [[United States Senate]] race was [[Irving Ward-Steinman]] of [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]].</ref>
==Early life and career==
Ellender was a native of Terrebonne Parish in south Louisiana and a lawyer who graduated from [[Tulane University]] in [[New Orleans]].
==Louisiana state legislature==
Prior to his Senate tenure, he served from 1924 to 1936 as a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives. He was the House [[Speaker]] from 1932 until 1936. In the U.S. Senate, he was known for his support for school segregation through the signing in 1956 of the [[Southern Manifesto]]. Ellender was also an advocate of farm subsidies and the school lunch program, and he opposed the investigations into [[Communism|communist]] infiltration of the U.S. government conducted prior to 1954 by his [[Republican Party|Republican]] colleague, [[Joseph McCarthy]] of [[Wisconsin]]. Though Ellender later opposed the [[Vietnam War]], he voted for the [[Gulf of Tonkin Resolution]] of 1964. During his Senate tenure he was chairman of the Agriculture Committee and then the Appropriations Committee. He was considered a mostly [[conservative]] Democrat in comparison to his party colleagues.
==U.S. Senate==
Ellender served in the upper house of Congress from 1937 until his death in the summer of 1972. At the time he was campaigning for yet another term in the Senate. Ellender was succeeded by interim Senator [[Elaine Edwards]], the first wife of then Governor [[Edwin Edwards]]. His permanent successor was his chief primary rival in 1972, former state Senator [[J. Bennett Johnston, Jr.]], of [[Shreveport]], who held the U.S. Senate seat until his retirement in January 1997. Johnston had also been Edwin Edwards' rival for the 1971 Democratic gubernatorial nomination.
Ellender served in the upper house of Congress from 1937 until his death in the summer of 1972. At the time he was campaigning for yet another term in the Senate. Ellender was succeeded by interim Senator [[Elaine Edwards]], the first wife of then Governor [[Edwin Edwards]]. His permanent successor was his chief primary rival in 1972, former state Senator [[J. Bennett Johnston, Jr.]], of [[Shreveport]], who held the U.S. Senate seat until his retirement in January 1997. Johnston had also been Edwin Edwards' rival for the 1971 Democratic gubernatorial nomination.
In 1948, when other Southern Democrats defected to the [[Dixiecrat]] presidential campaign of [[Strom Thurmond]], Ellender remained loyal to [[Harry S. Truman]]. Although Thurmond was the official Democratic nominee in Louisiana, Truman's name was also added to the ballot by a special session of the state legislature.
In 1948, when other Southern Democrats defected to the [[Dixiecrat]] presidential campaign of [[Strom Thurmond]], Ellender remained loyal to [[Harry S. Truman]]. Although Thurmond was the official Democratic nominee in Louisiana, Truman's name was also added to the ballot by a special session of the state legislature.
In 1960, Ellender polled some 80 percent of the ballots cast in the [[general election]] against Republican [[George Reese]] of New Orleans. In 1966, Ellender overwhelmed two Democrats, Joseph Davis "J. D." DeBlieu (1912-2005), on the left, and [[Troyce Guice]], from the right.
In 1960, Ellender polled some 80 percent of the ballots cast in the [[general election]] against Republican [[George Reese]] of New Orleans. In 1966, he overwhelmed two Democrats, Joseph Davis "J. D." DeBlieu (1912-2005), on the left, and [[Troyce Guice]], from the right.
During his last two years of office, Ellender was the Dean of the United States Senate His long-term senatorial colleague was fellow Louisiana Democrat [[Russell Long]], older son of Huey Long.
During his last two years of office, Ellender was the Dean of the United States Senate His long-term senatorial colleague was fellow Louisiana Democrat [[Russell Long]], older son of Huey Long.
==Personal life==
Ellender was a non-practicing [[Roman Catholic]].
One of his nieces, Bonnie Robichaux, married [[Bob Livingston]] of New Orleans, the Republican former U.S. representative for Louisiana's 1st congressional district, a post now held by Republican [[Steve Scalise]].
One of his nieces, Bonnie Robichaux, married [[Bob Livingston]] of New Orleans, the Republican former U.S. representative for Louisiana's 1st congressional district, a post now held by Republican [[Steve Scalise]].