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'''Robert Max Ross''' (born August 5, 1933) is a retired small businessman from tiny Mangham in Richland Parish in northeast [[Louisiana]] who has been a perennial [[Republican]] candidate for public office even though he has never made a significant showing in an election.  

'''Robert Max Ross''' (August 5, 1933&ndashSeptember 15, 2009) was a small businessman from Mangham in Richland Parish in northeast [[Louisiana]] who was a perennial [[Republican]] candidate for public office even though he never made a significant showing in an election.  

Ross grew up in Mangham and graduated from Mangham High School in 1951. Thereafter, he obtained a bachelor of science degree, with a major in [[agriculture]], from [[Louisiana State University]] in [[Baton Rouge]]. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the [[U.S. Air Force]]. He is a veteran of the [[Vietnam War]]. After his military service, he returned to Mangham, where he engaged in a number of businesses, including the ownership of a mobile home park.  

Ross was born in Baskin, a village in Franklin Parish, to Robert States Ross and the former Ruby Seymour (1911-2002), but he resided in Mangham most of his life. In 1951, he graduated from Mangham High School in 1951. In 1956, he obtained a bachelor of science degree, with a major in [[agriculture]], from [[Louisiana State University]] in [[Baton Rouge]]. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the [[U.S. Air Force]], served in the [[Vietnam War]], and retired at the rank of major. After his military service, he returned to Mangham,<ref name=obit>{[cite web|url=http://www.thenewsstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/dclassifieds?Dato=20090917&Kategori=OBITUARY&Class=30&Type=CAT30200&Lopenr=90900159&Selected=3|title=Obituary of Robert Max Ross|publisher=''Monroe News Star'', September 17, 2009|accessdate=September 17, 2009}}</ref>, where he engaged in a number of businesses, including the ownership of a mobile home park.  

Ross first ran for office in December 1971 in the only Republican gubernatorial closed primary ever held in the history of Louisiana. He was soundly defeated for the GOP nomination by the Metairie attorney David Conner Treen, who had also run unsuccessfully for the [[United States House of Representatives]] from suburban [[New Orleans]] in 1962, 1964, and 1968. Treen had the support of the party leadership, including chairman Charles C. de Gravelles of Lafayette. Ross was the "outsider" in the party, whose leaders and voters preferred the "insider" Treen.  

Ross first ran for office in December 1971 in the only Republican gubernatorial closed primary ever held in the history of Louisiana. He was soundly defeated for the GOP nomination by the Metairie attorney David Conner Treen, who had also run unsuccessfully for the [[United States House of Representatives]] from suburban [[New Orleans]] in 1962, 1964, and 1968. Treen had the support of the party leadership, including chairman Charles C. de Gravelles of Lafayette. Ross was the "outsider" in the party, whose leaders and voters preferred the "insider" Treen.  

Ross also filed as a candidate for the Louisiana State Senate in the February 1, 1972, general election but was easily defeated, 78-22 percent, by incumbent Democrat Charles M. Brown of Tallulah, the seat of Madison Parish in northeastern Louisiana. While Ross was running for the state Senate, his stepfather, '''Terry Clingan''' (March 24, 1918 - December 3, 2007), the Manham town barber and later a resident of Baskin, a village in Franklin Parish, waged an unsuccessful campaign against Democratic State Representative Lantz Womack of Winnsboro, the seat of neighboring Franklin Parish. After the death of Clingan's first wife, the former Vera Wallace, he married again in 1949 -- to Ross' mother, '''Ruby Ross Clingan''' (1911-2002). The marriage lasted fifty-three years until her death. Clingan was a master Mason and a deacon of the First Baptist Church of Mangham. The Clingans are interred in Gwen Cemetery in Mangham. Ross' father was killed in an accident in a shipyard in Galveston, Texas, when Ross was a boy.

Ross also filed as a candidate for the Louisiana State Senate in the February 1, 1972, general election but was easily defeated, 78-22 percent, by incumbent Democrat Charles M. Brown of Tallulah, the seat of Madison Parish in northeastern Louisiana. While Ross was running for the state Senate, his stepfather, '''Terry Clingan''' (March 24, 1918&ndash;December 3, 2007), the Manham town barber and later a resident of Baskin, a village in Franklin Parish, waged an unsuccessful campaign against Democratic State Representative Lantz Womack of Winnsboro, the seat of neighboring Franklin Parish. After the death of Clingan's first wife, the former Vera Wallace, he married again in 1949 -- to Ross' mother. The marriage lasted fifty-three years until her death. Clingan was a master Mason and a deacon of the First Baptist Church of Mangham. The Clingans are interred at Gwin Cemetery in Mangham. Ross' father was killed in an accident in a shipyard in Galveston, Texas, when Ross was a boy.

After the 1971-1972 campaigns, Little was heard of Ross again for a decade. In 1983, he filed for the jungle primary for governor and polled a minuscule 7,625 ballots. The other Republican candidate was David Treen, by then the embattled incumbent governor, who failed in his bid for a second term. Treen received 588,508 ballots, but the easy winner was the Democratic choice, former Governor Edwin Washington Edwards, with 1,006,561 votes.  

After the 1971-1972 campaigns, Little was heard of Ross again for a decade. In 1983, he filed for the jungle primary for governor and polled a minuscule 7,625 ballots. The other Republican candidate was David Treen, by then the embattled incumbent governor, who failed in his bid for a second term. Treen received 588,508 ballots, but the easy winner was the Democratic choice, former Governor Edwin Washington Edwards, with 1,006,561 votes.