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Despot earned his living in the oil and natural gas business as the owner of Despot Explorations, Inc.
Despot earned his living in the oil and natural gas business as the owner of Despot Explorations, Inc.
==As state GOP chairman==
==As state GOP chairman==
In 1960, Despot sponsored Republican advertisements for the presidential ticket of [[Richard M. Nixon]]and Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. Nixon and Lodge lost in Louisiana to the [[John F. Kennedy|Kennedy]]-[[Lyndon B. Johnson|Johnson]] slate of [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] electors].<ref>''Minden Press,'' October 17, 1960.</ref> In 1964, Despot rallied behind the [[Governor|gubernatorial]] candidacy of Shreveporter [[Charlton Lyons]], who waged the first serious Republican campaign in modern Louisiana history but fell far short of victory. Despot and a friend, Shreveport [[Certified Public Accountant|CPA]] [[George A. Burton]], were named by Lyons as the campaign co-chairmen, largely because it was Despot and Burton who convinced Lyons to run for governor. The winner was Democrat [[John J. McKeithen]]. While Lyons was running for governor, Despot was an unsuccessful candidate for the Caddo Parish Police Jury, now known as the Caddo Parish Commission.
In 1960, Despot sponsored Republican advertisements for the presidential ticket of [[Richard M. Nixon]]and Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. Nixon and Lodge lost in Louisiana to the [[John F. Kennedy|Kennedy]]-[[Lyndon B. Johnson|Johnson]] slate of [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] electors].<ref>''Minden Press,'' October 17, 1960.</ref> In 1964, Despot rallied behind the [[Governor|gubernatorial]] candidacy of Shreveporter [[Charlton Lyons]], who waged the first serious Republican campaign in modern Louisiana history but fell far short of victory. Despot and a friend, Shreveport [[Certified Public Accountant|CPA]] [[George A. Burton]], were named by Lyons as the campaign co-chairmen, largely because it was Despot and Burton who convinced Lyons to run for governor. The winner was Democrat [[John J. McKeithen]]. While Lyons was running for governor, Despot was an unsuccessful candidate for the Caddo Parish Police Jury, now known as the Caddo Parish Commission.