Changes

Fresh from his defeat as a school board member, Branton entered the 1959 Democratic primary for the Webster Parish seat in the Louisiana House. The incumbent, [[E. D. Gleason|Ernest Dewey Gleason]], died shortly after announcing plans to seek a third term. [[Governor]] [[Earl Long|Earl Kemp Long]] appointed Gleason's widow, [[Mary Smith Gleason]], to fill the remaining months of the term, as insufficient time existed for a [[special election]], which would have coincided  with the regular primary schedule. Mrs. Gleason did not seek a full term, but her son, William Ernest "Cotton" Gleason (1919-1980), an [[educator]], entered the race. Other primary candidates included businessman Frank Burnett Treat, Jr. (1923–1994), and attorney Henry Grady Hobbs (1923-2012), both of Minden.<ref name="Minden Press, January 4, 1960">'''Minden Press,'' January 4, 1960.</ref>

Fresh from his defeat as a school board member, Branton entered the 1959 Democratic primary for the Webster Parish seat in the Louisiana House. The incumbent, [[E. D. Gleason|Ernest Dewey Gleason]], died shortly after announcing plans to seek a third term. [[Governor]] [[Earl Long|Earl Kemp Long]] appointed Gleason's widow, [[Mary Smith Gleason]], to fill the remaining months of the term, as insufficient time existed for a [[special election]], which would have coincided  with the regular primary schedule. Mrs. Gleason did not seek a full term, but her son, William Ernest "Cotton" Gleason (1919-1980), an [[educator]], entered the race. Other primary candidates included businessman Frank Burnett Treat, Jr. (1923–1994), and attorney Henry Grady Hobbs (1923-2012), both of Minden.<ref name="Minden Press, January 4, 1960">'''Minden Press,'' January 4, 1960.</ref>

Branton trailed Hobbs by 130 votes in the December primary, but in the runoff election held on January 9, 1960, he defeated Hobbs by 16 votes, 4,300 (50.01 percent) to 4,284 (49.99 percent). A Branton campaign advertisement proclaimed "Remove All Doubt. There Will Be No Question if You Elect an Avowed Segregationist," a claim that Hobbs would not pursue the same segregationist policies in the legislature as would Branton. Hobbs, a native of Sarepta in central Webster Parish, was an [[attorney]] for sixty years, eighteen as the Minden city attorney. He was active on the Webster Parish Library Board, having overseen as the board president the construction of the current library in Minden during the middle 1990s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/shreveporttimes/obituary.aspx?n=henry-hobbs&pid=162069317#fbLoggedOut|title=Henry Hobbs obituary|publisher''The Shreveport Times''|date=January 2, 2013|accessdate=September 2, 2020}}</ref>

Branton trailed Hobbs by 130 votes in the December primary, but in the runoff election held on January 9, 1960, he defeated Hobbs by 16 votes, 4,300 (50.01 percent) to 4,284 (49.99 percent). A Branton campaign advertisement proclaimed "Remove All Doubt. There Will Be No Question if You Elect an Avowed Segregationist," a claim that Hobbs would not pursue the same segregationist policies in the legislature as would Branton. A native of Sarepta in central Webster Parish, Hobbs was an [[attorney]] for sixty years, eighteen as the Minden city attorney. He was active on the Webster Parish Library Board, having overseen as the board president the construction of the current library in Minden during the middle 1990s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/shreveporttimes/obituary.aspx?n=henry-hobbs&pid=162069317#fbLoggedOut|title=Henry Hobbs obituary|publisher''The Shreveport Times''|date=January 2, 2013|accessdate=September 2, 2020}}</ref>

In 1962, Branton joined his House colleague, Representative Wellborn Jack (1907-1991) of [[Shreveport]], in supporting a change in the system of how Louisiana allocates its [[electoral votes]]. The two argued that Louisiana should adopt the framework used currently only by [[Maine]] and [[Nebraska]] by which one elector is allotted for each congressional district to the winner by plurality in that district, and two at-large electoral votes are assigned to the top vote-getter statewide, plurality or majority. The plan was not adopted. It could have enabled Louisiana to choose split electors, as Alabama did in 1960. Branton said the plan would dilute the voting power of minority groups in large eastern and Midwestern cities.<ref>"Branton Predicts Finances, Integration Will Top Legislative Session," ''Minden Press,'' May 14, 1962, p. 1.</ref><ref>"Rep. Branton Has the Answe," ''Minden Herald'' (editorial), February 1, 1962, p. 2.</ref>

In 1962, Branton joined his House colleague, Representative Wellborn Jack (1907-1991) of [[Shreveport]], in supporting a change in the system of how Louisiana allocates its [[electoral votes]]. The two argued that Louisiana should adopt the framework used currently only by [[Maine]] and [[Nebraska]] by which one elector is allotted for each congressional district to the winner by plurality in that district, and two at-large electoral votes are assigned to the top vote-getter statewide, plurality or majority. The plan was not adopted. It could have enabled Louisiana to choose split electors, as Alabama did in 1960. Branton said the plan would dilute the voting power of minority groups in large eastern and Midwestern cities.<ref>"Branton Predicts Finances, Integration Will Top Legislative Session," ''Minden Press,'' May 14, 1962, p. 1.</ref><ref>"Rep. Branton Has the Answe," ''Minden Herald'' (editorial), February 1, 1962, p. 2.</ref>

In 1968, Branton opposed pay increases for assistant district attorneys in  his own 26th Judicial District, a measure introduced by his colleague [[Walter O. Bigby]] of [[Bossier City]]. In taking that position, Branton disagreed with Speaker John S. Garrett, who viewed the matter as "local" and endorsed earlier by the police juries of both parishes. According to Branton, the state could not "afford such increases in salary of politicians. I think the raise is ridiculous at a time when the state of Louisiana  is looking for additional salary increases to the working people ... and school teachers." He noted too that the assistant district attorneys are part-time employees, and most have their own law practices.<ref>"Rep. Branton Calls Pay Boost to Assistant DA's 'Ridiculous," ''Minden Press-Herald,'' June 21, 1968, p. 1.</ref>

In 1968, Branton opposed pay increases for assistant district attorneys in  his own 26th Judicial District, a measure introduced by his colleague [[Walter O. Bigby]] of [[Bossier City]]. In taking that position, Branton disagreed with Speaker John S. Garrett, who viewed the matter as "local" and endorsed earlier by the police juries of both parishes. According to Branton, the state could not "afford such increases in salary of politicians. I think the raise is ridiculous at a time when the state of Louisiana  is looking for additional salary increases to the working people ... and school teachers." He noted too that the assistant district attorneys are part-time employees, and most have their own law practices.<ref>"Rep. Branton Calls Pay Boost to Assistant DA's 'Ridiculous," ''Minden Press-Herald,'' June 21, 1968, p. 1.</ref>

After his last election to the House, Branton joined two Democratic colleagues from Shreveport, [[Algie D. Brown]] and [[Frank Fulco]], in opposition to approved legislative pay raises. The trio filed suit in East Baton Rouge Parish in a failed bid to prevent the state Treasurer]] [[Mary Evelyn Parker]] from allowing the expenditure of funds to underwrite the raises. Branton noted  that his own legislative check had more than doubled, from $204.73 net monthly to $429.72, an amount he considered too large for a citizen legislator.<ref>"Branton refuses payment under recent pay raise," ''Minden Press-Herald,'' July 29, 1969, p. 1.</ref>

After his last election to the House, Branton joined two Democratic colleagues from Shreveport, [[Algie D. Brown]] and [[Frank Fulco]], in opposition to approved legislative pay raises. The trio filed suit in East Baton Rouge Parish in a failed bid to prevent the then state Treasurer [[Mary Evelyn Parker]] from allowing the expenditure of funds to underwrite the raises. Branton noted  that his own legislative check had more than doubled, from $204.73 net monthly to $429.72, an amount he considered too large for a citizen legislator.<ref>"Branton refuses payment under recent pay raise," ''Minden Press-Herald,'' July 29, 1969, p. 1.</ref>

In 1970 in the wake of [[Segregation|school desegregation]], Branton and colleague Ford Edwards Stinson, Sr. (1914-1989), of Bossier Parish urged the repeal of the Louisiana compulsory attendance law. Branton claimed the law should end so that parents are not legally required to send their children into "deplorable school conditions."<ref>"Branton Urges Compulsory School Repeal," ''Minden Press-Herald,'' May 27, 1970, p. 1.</ref>

In 1970 in the wake of [[Segregation|school desegregation]], Branton and colleague Ford Edwards Stinson, Sr. (1914-1989), of Bossier Parish urged the repeal of the Louisiana compulsory attendance law. Branton claimed the law should end so that parents are not legally required to send their children into "deplorable school conditions."<ref>"Branton Urges Compulsory School Repeal," ''Minden Press-Herald,'' May 27, 1970, p. 1.</ref>