Changes

|term_start=March 1966

|term_start=March 1966

|term_end=May 1968

|term_end=May 1968

|preceded=Edgar G. "Sonny" Mouton, Jr.

|preceded=[[Edgar G. "Sonny" Mouton, Jr.]]

|succeeded=A. O. Rappelet

|succeeded=A. O. Rappelet

|relations=[[Armand Brinkhaus]]<br>

|relations=[[Armand Brinkhaus]]<br>

}}

}}

'''Roderick Luke Miller''', also known as '''Rod Miller''' (October 20, 1924 &ndash; January 15, 2005)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/166017991/roderick-luke-miller

'''Roderick Luke Miller''', also known as '''Rod Miller''' (October 20, 1924 &ndash; January 15, 2005)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/166017991/roderick-luke-miller

|title=Roderick LukFindage "Rod" Miller obituary|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=December 23, 2020}}</ref> was a [[Lafayette]] [[attorney]] and a pioneer in the development of the [[Republican Party]] in [[Louisiana]]. He was the third Republican since [[Reconstruction]] elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives and the first ever from Lafayette Parish, subsequently one of the stronger Republican-leaning parishes in the state. Miller served half of a legislative term from 1966 to 1968. He was also a member of the Republican State Central Committee and the Lafayette Parish Republican Executive Committee. Prior to his death, he had received his party's "Lifetime Service Award."

|title=Roderick Luke "Rod" Miller obituary|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=December 23, 2020}}</ref> was a [[Lafayette]] [[attorney]] and a pioneer in the development of the [[Republican Party]] in [[Louisiana]]. He was the third Republican since [[Reconstruction]] elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives and the first ever from Lafayette Parish, subsequently one of the stronger Republican-leaning parishes in the state. Miller served half of a legislative term from 1966 to 1968. He was also a member of the Republican State Central Committee and the Lafayette Parish Republican Executive Committee. Prior to his death, he had received his party's "Lifetime Service Award."

<blockquote>

<blockquote>

'''He was a good man. He had high ethics, and he was a good lawyer. His word was his bond. You could trust him completely. He left a good heritage. He will be missed. He was one of those who brought the Republican Party into a viable position in Lafayette Parish,''' said Edgar G. "Sonny" Mouton of his opponent and friend, Roderick Miller</blockquote>

'''He was a good man. He had high ethics, and he was a good lawyer. His word was his bond. You could trust him completely. He left a good heritage. He will be missed. He was one of those who brought the Republican Party into a viable position in Lafayette Parish,''' said [[Edgar G. "Sonny" Mouton, Jr.]], of his opponent and friend, Roderick Miller</blockquote>

==Background==

==Background==

Miller practiced law in Lafayette with Charles DeBaillon in the firm of DeBaillon and Miller. He ran unsuccessfully as a [[Democrat]] for a judgeship.

Miller practiced law in Lafayette with Charles DeBaillon in the firm of DeBaillon and Miller. He ran unsuccessfully as a [[Democrat]] for a judgeship.

Then Miller switched parties at the time when it was said that the GOP, with very few voters under its umbrella, could caucus in a phone booth. He was elected to the Louisiana House in a special election upset on March 22, 1966, to succeed his Democratic friend, Edgar G. "Sonny" Mouton, Jr. (pronounced MOO TAHN), Miller polled 9,210 votes (50.2 percent) to Democrat W.J. "Hook" Robicheaux's (pronounced ROW BI SHOW) 9,125 ballots (49.8 percent). Miller's margin was hence 85 votes.

Then Miller switched parties at the time when it was said that the GOP, with very few voters under its umbrella, could caucus in a phone booth. He was elected to the Louisiana House in a special election upset on March 22, 1966, to succeed his Democratic friend, [[Edgar G. "Sonny" Mouton, Jr.]] (pronounced MOO TAHN), Miller polled 9,210 votes (50.2 percent) to Democrat W. J. "Hook" Robicheaux's (pronounced ROW BI SHOW) 9,125 ballots (49.8 percent). Miller's margin was hence 85 votes.

Representative Mouton had been elected to the state senate in an earlier special election created by the resignation of state Senator Garland L. Bonin (pronounced BOH NEAN). Miller hence served the remaining two years of Mouton's House term. Miller served in the House with three other Republicans, [[Morley Hudson]] and Taylor Walters O'Hearn, both of Shreveport in Caddo Parish, and [[E. Clark Gaudin|Edward Clark Gaudin]] of Baton Rouge.

Representative Mouton had been elected to the state senate in an earlier special election created by the resignation of state Senator Garland L. Bonin (pronounced BOH NEAN). Miller hence served the remaining two years of Mouton's House term. Miller served in the House with three other Republicans, [[Morley Hudson]] and [[Taylor O'Hearn|Taylor W. O'Hearn]], both of Shreveport in Caddo Parish, and [[E. Clark Gaudin|Edward Clark Gaudin]] of Baton Rouge.

In 1968, in what turned out to be a real blunder, Miller gave up his House seat to challenge Mouton for a full term in the state senate. Mouton easily prevailed—57.1 percent of the vote to 42.9 percent for Miller. Miller's House seat also reverted to the Democrats. Indeed, as a result of the 1968 elections, there were no Republicans in the entire (House or Senate) 144-member legislature. By 2011, Republicans had majorities for the first time in both houses.

In 1968, in what turned out to be a real blunder, Miller gave up his House seat to challenge Mouton for a full term in the state senate. Mouton easily prevailed—57.1 percent of the vote to 42.9 percent for Miller. Miller's House seat also reverted to the Democrats. Indeed, as a result of the 1968 elections, there were no Republicans in the entire (House or Senate) 144-member legislature. By 2011, Republicans had majorities for the first time in both houses.

[[Category:Catholics]]

[[Category:Catholics]]

[[Category:Catholic Politicians]]

[[Category:Catholic Politicians]]

[[Category:Cajuns]]

[[Category:Cajuns]]