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→Political career
===U.S. House of Representatives===
===U.S. House of Representatives===
After running as a [[Democrat]] in the 1868 elections for the House of Representatives against incumbent [[Radical Republican]] Horace Maynard and losing by a landslide,<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=627167 TN - District 02 Race - Nov 03, 1868]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved August 25, 2021.</ref> Houk was victorious when running for the same seat a decade later in the 1878 midterms as a Republican,<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=627276 TN - District 02 Race - Nov 05, 1878]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved August 25, 2021.</ref> and re-elected six times.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=233331 Candidate - Leonidas C. Houk]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved August 25, 2021.</ref>
After running as a [[Democrat]] in the 1868 elections for the House of Representatives against incumbent [[Radical Republican]] Horace Maynard and losing by a landslide,<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=627167 TN - District 02 Race - Nov 03, 1868]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved August 25, 2021.</ref> Houk was victorious when running for the same seat a decade later in the 1878 midterms as a Republican,<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=627276 TN - District 02 Race - Nov 05, 1878]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved August 25, 2021.</ref> and re-elected six times.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=233331 Candidate - Leonidas C. Houk]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved August 25, 2021.</ref>
Largely focusing on local as opposed to national issues, Houk emphasized constituents services and provided aid to veterans.<ref name=knoxvillefocus/>
A member of the [[Stalwart]] faction in the House,<ref>[https://prabook.com/web/leonidas.houk/3759312 Lenoidas Houk]. ''Prabook''. Retrieved August 25, 2021.</ref> Houk supported Grant in his run for a third non-consecutive presidential term in [[United States presidential election, 1880|1880 election]].<ref name=tennesseeencyclopedia/> He also expressed sympathy for the struggles of poor farmers, reflecting a [[populist]] bent in his district due to the mountainous geographic nature stifling development and thus contributing to poverty.
A member of the [[Stalwart]] faction in the House,<ref>[https://prabook.com/web/leonidas.houk/3759312 Lenoidas Houk]. ''Prabook''. Retrieved August 25, 2021.</ref> Houk supported Grant in his run for a third non-consecutive presidential term in [[United States presidential election, 1880|1880 election]].<ref name=tennesseeencyclopedia/> He also expressed sympathy for the struggles of poor farmers, reflecting a [[populist]] bent in his district due to the mountainous geographic nature stifling development and thus contributing to poverty.