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→Death and legacy
Honorary pallbearers included Despot friend George Burton, with whom he had long labored in Republican ranks, U.S. District Judge [[Tom Stagg]]; Shreveport businessman Dalton Woods; and Dr. George A. Belchic, Jr., who with his wife, [[Harriet Belchic]], worked with Despot in Shreveport Republican circles.
Honorary pallbearers included Despot friend George Burton, with whom he had long labored in Republican ranks, U.S. District Judge [[Tom Stagg]]; Shreveport businessman Dalton Woods; and Dr. George A. Belchic, Jr., who with his wife, [[Harriet Belchic]], worked with Despot in Shreveport Republican circles.
Within a month of Despot's death, Democratic Governor [[Buddy Roemer]] switched his allegiance to the Republican Party. Roemer's switch did not unite the feuding wings of the GOP. Because he supported abortion, the right-to-life contingent of the party rejected Roemer and coalesced around Congressman Clyde Cecil Holloway (1943-2016) of [[Rapides Parish]]. But few other Republicans would support Holloway. Holloway did win a preference poll among Republicans attending statewide endorsement caucuses. Also running for governor was the candidate who was anathema to party leaders: State Representative [[David Duke]] of Jefferson Parish]. When all the smoke had cleared, Duke eliminated Roemer from a general election berth, and Edwin Edwards staged a fourth-term victory over the unpopular Duke.
Within a month of Despot's death, Democratic Governor [[Buddy Roemer]] switched his allegiance to the Republican Party. Roemer's switch did not unite the feuding wings of the GOP. Because he supported abortion, the right-to-life contingent of the party rejected Roemer and coalesced around Congressman Clyde Cecil Holloway (1943-2016) of Rapides Parish. But few other Republicans would support Holloway. Holloway did win a preference poll among Republicans attending statewide endorsement caucuses. Also running for governor was the candidate who was anathema to party leaders: State Representative [[David Duke]] of Jefferson Parish]. When all the smoke had cleared, Duke eliminated Roemer from a general election berth, and Edwin Edwards staged a fourth-term victory over the unpopular Duke.
Thereafter, the bottom fell out politically for Despot's favorite, the first President Bush. Challenged from the right by Pat Buchanan and plagued by a troubling economy, Bush failed nationally and in Louisiana as well in the 1992 elections. Both of those developments would have been especially troubling to George J. Despot had he lived.
Thereafter, the bottom fell out politically for Despot's favorite, the first President Bush. Challenged from the right by Pat Buchanan and plagued by a troubling economy, Bush failed nationally and in Louisiana as well in the 1992 elections. Both of those developments would have been especially troubling to George J. Despot had he lived.
Despot's Republican Party papers are in the archives section of Louisiana State University in Shreveport.
Despot's Republican Party papers are in the archives section of Louisiana State University in Shreveport.