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==Winning and losing==

==Winning and losing==

Donelon's political career has been voluminous and topsy turvy. In 1972, he lost the race for Jefferson Parish district attorney to [[John Mamoulides]], who served four terms in the position. In 1975, as a Democrat, he ran successfully for the chairmanship of the Jefferson Parish Council (akin to county commissions in other states). He was elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives in 1982, 1983, 1987, 1991, 1995, and 1999. He resigned midway through his fifth full term to join the staff of Insurance Commissioner Robert Wooley.

Donelon's political career has been voluminous and topsy turvy. In 1972, at the age of twenty-eight, he lost his first election in the race for Jefferson Parish district attorney to [[John Mamoulides]], who served four terms in the position. In 1975, still a Democrat, he ran successfully for the chairmanship of the Jefferson Parish Council (akin to county commissions in other states). He was elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives in 1982, 1983, 1987, 1991, 1995, and 1999. He resigned midway through his fifth full term to join the staff of Insurance Commissioner Robert Wooley.

In 1979, Donelon, still a Democrat, passed up a reelection bid to the Jefferson Parish Council to make an unsuccessful race for lieutenant governor against the Democrat [[Robert Freeman]] of Plaquemine in Iberville Parish. Donelon was considered the "[[conservative]]" in that race to the "[[liberal]]" Freeman. Most of the supporters of Republican [[David C. Treen]], the narrow winner of the gubernatorial election that year, are believed to have backed Donelon, and most of the backers of Treen's general election opponent, Democrat [[Louis Lambert]], a member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission, went with Freeman.<ref>''[[Shreveport Journal]],''February 21, 1980, p. 13C.</ref>  

In 1979, Donelon, still a Democrat, passed up a reelection bid to the Jefferson Parish Council to make an unsuccessful race for lieutenant governor against the Democrat [[Robert Freeman]] of Plaquemine in Iberville Parish. Donelon was considered the "[[conservative]]" in that race to the "[[liberal]]" Freeman. Most of the supporters of Republican [[David C. Treen]], the narrow winner of the gubernatorial election that year, are believed to have backed Donelon, and most of the backers of Treen's general election opponent, Democrat [[Louis Lambert]], a member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission, went with Freeman.<ref>''[[Shreveport Journal]],''February 21, 1980, p. 13C.</ref>