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Unusual for his time, Bagwell joined the Republican Party at a time when most whites were [[Democratic Party|Democrats]]. Louisiana  had been a one-party state for most statewide and national elections since the late 19th century, when white Democrats regained control of the state government and approved a new state constitution in 1898 that effectively disenfranchised most blacks by raising barriers to voter registration and voting. [[African Americans]] had prior to 1964 constituted the great majority of members of the Louisiana Republican Party.  

Unusual for his time, Bagwell joined the Republican Party at a time when most whites were [[Democratic Party|Democrats]]. Louisiana  had been a one-party state for most statewide and national elections since the late 19th century, when white Democrats regained control of the state government and approved a new state constitution in 1898 that effectively disenfranchised most blacks by raising barriers to voter registration and voting. [[African Americans]] had prior to 1964 constituted the great majority of members of the Louisiana Republican Party.  

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During the first decades of the 20th century, some white Republicans began to try to build up the party. In 1928, Etienne J. Caire, a [[business]]man from Edgard in St. John the Baptist Parish, polled 4 percent in the gubernatorial election in his challenge of [[Huey Long|Huey Pierce Long Jr.]]<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RB2Hxcg4zNoC&pg=PA511&lpg=PA511&dq=James+M.+McLemore+of+Louisiana&source=bl&ots=1Yi8hxLt9i&sig=gUMWwG9IvX6ust-vytitdL_u3aA&hl=en&sa=X&ei=QUBwUpyHCqrX2QWdlIGwAg&ved=0CEoQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=James%20M.%20McLemore%20of%20Louisiana&f=false|title=''Louisiana Almanac, 2008-2009''|author=[[Milburn E. Calhoun]]|page=511|publisher=[[Pelican Publishing Company]]|date=2008|accessdate=November 29, 2013}}</ref> In 1952, Bagwell ran as only the second  Republican candidate for governor in the 20th century.  ​

During the first decades of the 20th century, some white Republicans began to try to build up the party. In 1928, Etienne J. Caire, a [[business]]man from Edgard in St. John the Baptist Parish, polled 4 percent in the gubernatorial election in his challenge of [[Huey Long|Huey Pierce Long Jr.]]<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RB2Hxcg4zNoC&pg=PA511&lpg=PA511&dq=James+M.+McLemore+of+Louisiana&source=bl&ots=1Yi8hxLt9i&sig=gUMWwG9IvX6ust-vytitdL_u3aA&hl=en&sa=X&ei=QUBwUpyHCqrX2QWdlIGwAg&ved=0CEoQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=James%20M.%20McLemore%20of%20Louisiana&f=false|title=''Louisiana Almanac, 2008-2009''|author=[[Milburn Calhoun]]|page=511|publisher=Pelican Publishing Company|date=2008|accessdate=November 29, 2013}}</ref> In 1952, Bagwell ran as only the second  Republican candidate for governor in the 20th century.  ​

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In the gubernatorial [[general election]] held on April 22, 1952, Bagwell polled 4,958 votes (4 percent) of the  vote statewide in a low-turnout contest against the Democrat [[Robert F. Kennon]], a judge from [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]], who received 118,723 (96 percent). Bagwell reached double digits in only three parishes, St. James  (13 percent), Iberia]] (12.5 percent), and his own East Baton Rouge Parish (11.8 percent). In three parishes, Concordia, DeSoto, and Tensas, Bagwell received not a single vote.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PCUXAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA103&lpg=PA103&dq=Harrison+G.+Bagwell&source=bl&ots=7-PJRE9l32&sig=Du9yYdQmCViyHoo58tfKfpIHjgk&hl=en&sa=X&ei=-QSsVK_rCMGGyATVjIGgAw&ved=0CE0Q6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=Harrison%20G.%20Bagwell&f=false|title=United States Gubernatorial Elections, 1932-1952: The Official Results by State and County|pages=103–104|publisher=McFarland and Company|location=Jefferson, [[North Carolina]]|isbn=978-0-7864-7034-1|author=Michael J. Dubin|accessdate=January 6, 2015}}</ref> ​

In the gubernatorial [[general election]] held on April 22, 1952, Bagwell polled 4,958 votes (4 percent) of the  vote statewide in a low-turnout contest against the Democrat [[Robert F. Kennon]], a judge from [[Minden, Louisiana|Minden]], who received 118,723 (96 percent). Bagwell reached double digits in only three parishes, St. James  (13 percent), Iberia]] (12.5 percent), and his own East Baton Rouge Parish (11.8 percent). In three parishes, Concordia, DeSoto, and Tensas, Bagwell received not a single vote.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PCUXAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA103&lpg=PA103&dq=Harrison+G.+Bagwell&source=bl&ots=7-PJRE9l32&sig=Du9yYdQmCViyHoo58tfKfpIHjgk&hl=en&sa=X&ei=-QSsVK_rCMGGyATVjIGgAw&ved=0CE0Q6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=Harrison%20G.%20Bagwell&f=false|title=United States Gubernatorial Elections, 1932-1952: The Official Results by State and County|pages=103–104|publisher=McFarland and Company|location=Jefferson, [[North Carolina]]|isbn=978-0-7864-7034-1|author=Michael J. Dubin|accessdate=January 6, 2015}}</ref> ​