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'''Challenging J. Bennett Johnston and John McKeithen'''

'''Challenging J. Bennett Johnston and John McKeithen'''

Toledano's showing propelled him in 1972 to seek the U.S. Senate seat held by 36-year incumbent Democrat Allen J. Ellender. He filed as the Republican candidate, and former state senator J. Bennett Johnston, Jr., of Shreveport challenged Ellender in the Democratic primary. Ellender died on July 27, and Johnston was left as the de facto Democratic nominee. Former Governor John McKeithen then filed as an independent because the time had passed for Democrats to enter the primary. Johnston entered the general election as the prohibitive favorite even though McKeithen had been the only governor up until that time to serve two consecutive terms and even though Richard Nixon appeared to be coasting to an easy reelection and might have some level of coattails for a candidate like Toledano.

Toledano's showing for mayor propelled him in 1972 to seek the U.S. Senate seat held by 36-year incumbent Democrat Allen J. Ellender, a native of Houma in Terrebonne Parish in south Louisiana. However, C.M. McLean of Lafayette was unopposed for the Republican senatorial nomination. When McLean withdrew, the Republican State Central Committee tapped Toledano as its nominee for the November general election. Meanwhile, former state senator J. Bennett Johnston, Jr., of Shreveport had challenged Ellender in the Democratic primary. Ellender died on July 27, and Johnston was left as the de facto Democratic nominee. Former Governor John McKeithen filed as an independent because the time had passed for Democrats to enter the primary. Johnston entered the general election as the prohibitive favorite even though McKeithen had been the only governor until that time to have served two consecutive terms and despite Richard Nixon' apparent likelihood of an easy reelection at the top of the Republican ballot.

Johnston polled 598,987 votes (55.2 percent); McKeithen drew 250,161 (23.1 percent), and Toledano finished third with 206,846 (19.1 percent). [[Hall M. Lyons]] (1923-1998) of Lafayette, son of Charlton Lyons, the "grand old man of the Louisiana GOP," polled another 28,910 votes, or 2.6 percent, as the nominee of George Wallace's former American Independent Party. Hall Lyons had filed for governor earlier in 1972 on the AIP ticket but was persuaded to withdraw in favor of Republican David C. Treen. Treen would be elected to the United States House of Representatives from the Third Congressional District in this same 1972 general election.

Johnston polled 598,987 votes (55.2 percent); McKeithen drew 250,161 (23.1 percent), and Toledano finished third with 206,846 (19.1 percent). [[Hall M. Lyons]] (1923-1998) of Lafayette, son of Charlton Lyons, the "grand old man of the Louisiana GOP," polled another 28,910 votes, or 2.6 percent, as the nominee of George Wallace's former American Independent Party. Hall Lyons had filed for governor earlier in 1972 on the AIP ticket but was persuaded to withdraw in favor of Republican David C. Treen. Treen was elected to the United States House of Representatives from the Third Congressional District in this same 1972 general election.

Toledano's performance was extremely weak. His best showing was a meager 30 percent in Jefferson Parish, which supported Treen for Congress and Nixon for president. In previously inclined Republican parishes Iberia and Caddo, for instance, Toledano failed to win even a fourth of the vote.

Toledano's performance was extremely weak. His best showing was a meager 30 percent in Jefferson Parish, which supported Treen for Congress and Nixon for president. In previously inclined Republican parishes Iberia and Caddo, for instance, Toledano failed to win even a fourth of the vote.