Changes

|occupation=[[Business]]man

|occupation=[[Business]]man

|party=[[Democratic Party|Democrat]]-turned [[Republican Party|Republican]] (1978)

|party=[[Democratic Party|Democrat]]-turned [[Republican Party|Republican]] (1978)

|footnotes='''Notes'''

|footnotes='''Notes'''

(1) A native of [[New Mexico]], Wilson moved to northern Caddo Parish, [[Louisiana]], with his family and embarked on a successful business career.<br>

(1) A native of [[New Mexico]], Wilson moved to northern Caddo Parish, [[Louisiana]], with his family and embarked on a successful business career.<br>

==Leach v. Wilson==

==Leach v. Wilson==

The general election promised from the start to be a closely contested event. Wilson was clearly the "business" candidate, and Leach was the choice of "moderates," including [[African Americans]] and [[organized labor]]. Blacks then comprised 31 percent of voters in the 4th congressional district and were expected to be decisive in the outcome of the race, the first competitive one since the initial election of Waggonner in 1961 over the Republican [[Charlton Lyons]]. Ironically, Leach's later congressional voting record was clearly on the "conservative" side, like that of his predecessor Waggonner, not on the "moderate" side as most observers had anticipated.  

The general election promised from the start to be a closely contested event. Wilson was clearly the "business" candidate, and Leach was the choice of "moderates," including [[African Americans]] and [[organized labor]]. Blacks then comprised 31 percent of voters in the 4th congressional district and were expected to be decisive in the outcome of the race, the first competitive one since the initial election of Waggonner in 1961 over the Republican [[Charlton Lyons]]. Ironically, Leach's later congressional voting record was clearly on the "conservative" side, like that of his predecessor Waggonner, not on the "moderate" side as most observers had anticipated.  

While Wilson was seen as "conservative," he tried to avoid racial polarization. He pointed out that he had sent his children to a [[Segregation|desegregated]] public school in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Wilson made campaign fodder of Leach's support of numerous state tax increases, but that issue may have increased Leach's favorability ratings among public sector employees, who believe that they benefit from tax hikes.  

While Wilson was seen as "conservative," he tried to avoid racial polarization. He pointed out that he had sent his children to a [[Segregation|desegregated]] public school in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Wilson made campaign fodder of Leach's support of numerous state tax increases, but that issue may have increased Leach's favorability ratings among public sector employees, who believe that they benefit from tax hikes.  

==Running again in 1980==

==Running again in 1980==

Rebuffed by Congress, Wilson announced on April 30, 1980, Statehood Day in Louisiana, that he would challenge Leach in the 1980 nonpartisan blanket primary. A ''Shreveport Journal'' showed Wilson with a slim lead at the time in a potential re-run of a race against Leach. There was, however, a large bloc of uncommitted voters. Wilson said that he expected to raise and spend $500,000 for the second race because national Republicans had again targeted the 4th district as one of thirty-five in the nation where the GOP stood a chance of winning a Democratic seat.  

Rebuffed by Congress, Wilson announced on April 30, 1980, Statehood Day in Louisiana, that he would challenge Leach in the 1980 nonpartisan blanket primary. A ''Shreveport Journal'' showed Wilson with a slim lead at the time in a potential re-run of a race against Leach. There was, however, a large bloc of uncommitted voters. Wilson said that he expected to raise and spend $500,000 for the second race because national Republicans had again targeted the 4th district as one of thirty-five in the nation where the GOP stood a chance of winning a Democratic seat.  

Wilson said in his announcement for the 1980 race that he had gone "as far as we could in the Congress with the vote-fraud problems. I think it's now to be left up to the voters of the Fourth District to decide if there was voter fraud in the election. That will happen this fall. ... The Democrats have allowed convicted felons to serve in Congress. The Democrats wouldn't pay any attention to our forty names of bought votes. Then on top of that, Brilab [a congressional scandal]. That makes me think that people are fed up with that kind of thing in Congress."  

Wilson said in his announcement for the 1980 race that he had gone "as far as we could in the Congress with the vote-fraud problems. I think it's now to be left up to the voters of the 4th District to decide if there was voter fraud in the election. That will happen this fall. ... The Democrats have allowed convicted felons to serve in Congress. The Democrats wouldn't pay any attention to our forty names of bought votes. Then on top of that, Brilab [a congressional scandal]. That makes me think that people are fed up with that kind of thing in Congress."  

In addition to Wilson and Leach, Roemer also ran again in 1980. So did State Representative [[Forrest Dunn]] of Shreveport, a furniture store owner known for fiscal conservatism and frank expression of ideas who had supported President Ford over [[Georgia]]'s [[Jimmy Carter]] in 1976. Dunn's entry was believed to have attracted the same kinds of voters who might have otherwise preferred the Republican Wilson.  

In addition to Wilson and Leach, Roemer also ran again in 1980. So did State Representative [[Forrest Dunn]] of Shreveport, a furniture store owner known for fiscal conservatism and frank expression of ideas who had supported President Ford over [[Georgia]]'s [[Jimmy Carter]] in 1976. Dunn's entry was believed to have attracted the same kinds of voters who might have otherwise preferred the Republican Wilson.  

Another entry was the moderate-to-liberal and highly ambitious Democratic state Senator Foster Lonnie Campbell, Jr., of Bossier Parish, a former educator who had succeeded the conservative Harold Montgomery in the District 36 Senate seat in 1976. Near the end of the first phase of the campaign, Campbell had questioned Roemer's commitment to the Second Amendment.[4]

Another entry was the moderate-to-liberal and highly ambitious Democratic state Senator Foster Lonnie Campbell, Jr., of Bossier Parish, a former educator who had succeeded the conservative [[Harold Montgomery]] in the District 36 Senate seat in 1976. Near the end of the first phase of the campaign, Campbell had questioned Roemer's commitment to the Second Amendment.[4]

Former state Senator [[C. Kay Carter, Jr.]], a Democrat who served Caddo Parish from 1972 to 1976, threw his hat into the ring as well.  

Former state Senator [[C. Kay Carter, Jr.]], a Democrat who served Caddo Parish from 1972 to 1976, threw his hat into the ring as well.  

==References==

==References==

1. "Republicans meet executives," ''Minden Press-Herald,'' April 14, 1978, p. 1.<br>

1. "Republicans meet executives," ''[[Minden Press-Herald]],'' April 14, 1978, p. 1.<br>

2. ''[[Shreveport Journal]],'' November 8, 1978, p. 4A.<br>

2. ''[[Shreveport Journal]],'' November 8, 1978, p. 4A.<br>