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In 1988, Despot lost his own seat on the GOP central committee when supporters of the presidential candidate, the evangelist] [[Pat Robertson]] of [[Virginia]], captured a third of the 144 seats on the committee. Despot wrote a prophetic internal memo at the time in which he warned that the Robertson forces wanted "to take control" of the state GOP. Beyond support of Robertson, the overriding issue was abortion. To Louisiana party loyalists, such as Despot, most of whom already opposed abortion, the challenge from the Robertson forces brought intra-party upheaval, which led to disastrous Republican election results in Louisiana in both 1991 and 1992.
In 1988, Despot lost his own seat on the GOP central committee when supporters of the presidential candidate, the evangelist] [[Pat Robertson]] of [[Virginia]], captured a third of the 144 seats on the committee. Despot wrote a prophetic internal memo at the time in which he warned that the Robertson forces wanted "to take control" of the state GOP. Beyond support of Robertson, the overriding issue was abortion. To Louisiana party loyalists, such as Despot, most of whom already opposed abortion, the challenge from the Robertson forces brought intra-party upheaval, which led to disastrous Republican election results in Louisiana in both 1991 and 1992.
According to Rebecca Despot, an unnamed aide to then [[U.S. Senator]] [[John Breaux]], a Democrat, told her that the outcome of Louisiana elections "right after my father was ousted would have been different had he still been the chairman. I don't think people understand the passion he felt about what he was doing and that he was a man with a mission. They took his mission away, and people will never know what that did to him."<ref name=statement/>
According to Rebecca Despot, an unnamed aide to then [[U.S. Senator]] [[John Breaux]], a Democrat, told her that the outcome of Louisiana elections "right after my father was ousted would have been different had he still been the chairman. I don't think people understand the passion he felt about what he was doing and that he was a man with a mission. They took his mission away, and people will never know what that did to him."<ref name=statement/>
==Republicans assess Despot's record==
==Republicans assess Despot's record==
Fellow Republicans throughout the state mourned Despot's death. Then chairman [[William A. Nungeser|Wiliam Aicklen "Billy" Nungesser]] of Belle Chasse in Plaquemines Parish, aid that Despot's political savvy, his close relationship with President [[George Herbert Walker Bush]], and his ability to raise campaign funds would be missed by the state GOP.
Fellow Republicans throughout the state mourned Despot's death. Then chairman [[William A. Nungeser|Wiliam Aicklen "Billy" Nungesser]] of Belle Chasse in Plaquemines Parish, aid that Despot's political savvy, his close relationship with President [[George Herbert Walker Bush]], and his ability to raise campaign funds would be missed by the state GOP.