Changes

In the 1972 governor's race, Charlton Lyons, who had served as state Republican chairman after his own loss for governor, supported [[David C. Treen]] as his party's gubernatorial candidate. Charlton Lyons was embarrassed because Hall Lyons was running for governor too, not as a Republican primary rival to Treen, but as the projected AIP candidate on the general election ballot. Lyons convinced his son to withdraw so that conservatives could unite behind Republican Treen. This campaign was some nine months before Treen would be elected to Congress in November 1972.

In the 1972 governor's race, Charlton Lyons, who had served as state Republican chairman after his own loss for governor, supported [[David C. Treen]] as his party's gubernatorial candidate. Charlton Lyons was embarrassed because Hall Lyons was running for governor too, not as a Republican primary rival to Treen, but as the projected AIP candidate on the general election ballot. Lyons convinced his son to withdraw so that conservatives could unite behind Republican Treen. This campaign was some nine months before Treen would be elected to Congress in November 1972.

Hall Lyons questioned whether the GOP could be the permanent home of conservatives such as himself. He had grown disillusioned with the Nixon administration even before the [[Watergate]] affair triggered a collapse in Republican popularity. He also opposed many of the nationally-know Republican senators, such as Minority Leader [[Hugh Scott]] of Pennsylvania, [[Charles H. Percy]] of Illinois, and [[Jacob Javits]] of New York, who had voting records only slightly to the "right" of many Democratic senators.

Hall Lyons questioned whether the GOP could be the permanent home of conservatives such as himself. He had grown disillusioned with the Nixon administration even before the [[Watergate]] affair triggered a collapse in Republican popularity. He also opposed many of the nationally known Republican senators, such as Minority Leader [[Hugh Scott]] of Pennsylvania, [[Charles H. Percy]] of Illinois, and [[Jacob Javits]] of New York, who had voting records only slightly to the "right" of many Democratic senators.

In the fall of 1972, Hall Lyons emerged as the AIP candidate for the U.S. Senate seat formerly held by [[Allen J. Ellender]], who died during the Democratic primary campaign, and the nomination, still equivalent to election in Louisiana, went to former state senator [[J. Bennett Johnston, Jr.]] Johnston, also a native of Shreveport, had initially been elected to the Louisiana House on the same day that McKeithen had topped Charlton Lyons for the governorship. The Republican U.S. Senate nominee in 1972 was [[Ben C. Toledano]], who had lost the mayoral election in 1970 in New Orleans. Moreover, McKeithen, unable to enter the Democratic primary after Ellender's death, filed to run as an [[Independent]] in the general election.

In the fall of 1972, Hall Lyons emerged as the AIP candidate for the U.S. Senate seat formerly held by [[Allen J. Ellender]], who died during the Democratic primary campaign, and the nomination, still equivalent to election in Louisiana, went to former state senator [[J. Bennett Johnston, Jr.]] Johnston, also a native of Shreveport, had initially been elected to the Louisiana House on the same day that McKeithen had topped Charlton Lyons for the governorship. The Republican U.S. Senate nominee in 1972 was [[Ben C. Toledano]], who had lost the mayoral election in 1970 in New Orleans. Moreover, McKeithen, unable to enter the Democratic primary after Ellender's death, filed to run as an [[Independent]] in the general election.