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'''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.  

'''Robert Max Ross''' (August 5, 1933–September 15, 2009) was a small businessman from Mangham in Richland Parish in northeast [[Louisiana]] who was a perennial [[Republican]] candidate for governor, U.S. senator, state senator, and mayor, but he never made a significant showing in an election.  

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 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, 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&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.

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, 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.  

Ross surfaced again in 1984, when the Louisiana GOP leadership declined to offer a challenge to entrenched incumbent [[U.S. Senator]] [[John Bennett Johnston Jr.]] of Shreveport. Several minor candidates filed against Johnston in the jungle primary but none made a showing. Some Republicans had encouraged Treen to make the race, but he demurred after his lopsided loss the previous year for governor. Ross therefore ran as the best-known of the Republican candidates against Johnston. The tally was 838,181 votes (85.7 percent) for Johnston and 86,546 votes (8.9 percent) for Ross.  

Ross surfaced again in 1984, when the Louisiana GOP leadership declined to offer a challenge to entrenched incumbent [[U.S. Senator]] [[John Bennett Johnston Jr.|J. Bennett Johnston, Jr.]], of Shreveport. Several minor candidates filed against Johnston in the jungle primary but none made a showing. Some Republicans had encouraged Treen to make the race, but he demurred after his lopsided loss the previous year for governor. Ross therefore ran as the best-known of the Republican candidates against Johnston. The tally was 838,181 votes (85.7 percent) for Johnston and 86,546 votes (8.9 percent) for Ross.  

When U.S. Senator Russell B. Long retired, Ross entered the jungle primary in September 1986 to choose a successor. He finished far to the rear, as two members of the United States House of Representatives, Republican W. Henson Moore, III, of Baton Rouge and Democrat John B. Breaux of Crowley, the seat of Acadia Parish, secured general election berths. Breaux went on to defeat Moore and held the seat for eighteen years until he retired in January 2005.  

When U.S. Senator Russell B. Long retired, Ross entered the jungle primary in September 1986 to choose a successor. He finished far to the rear, as two members of the United States House of Representatives, Republican W. Henson Moore, III, of Baton Rouge and Democrat John B. Breaux of Crowley, the seat of Acadia Parish, secured general election berths. Breaux went on to defeat Moore and held the seat for eighteen years until he retired in January 2005.  

Bennie Hixon of Monroe, Louisiana, a former principal at Mangham High School, said that Ross may have been the first Republican in Mangham. "He helped break ground for the growth of the Republican Party in Richland Parish," Hixon said. Hixon self-published ''The History of Mangham and the Big Creek-Boeuf River to 1940''.  

Bennie Hixon of Monroe, Louisiana, a former principal at Mangham High School, said that Ross may have been the first Republican in Mangham. "He helped break ground for the growth of the Republican Party in Richland Parish," Hixon said. Hixon self-published ''The History of Mangham and the Big Creek-Boeuf River to 1940''.  

Ross and his wife, Bobbi (born 1939), have a son, Kenneth Ross of Slidell in St. Tammany Parish, and three daughters. Ross is [[Baptist]]. Ross's late brother, J. Dale Ross, was a Republican leader in Jonesville in Catahoula Parish. He also had a sister, the late June Ross Rowland.

Foss died from a lengthy illness at the home of his daughter, Cathy Ross Mitchell, and her husband, Patrick Mitchell, in Baton Rouge. In addition, he is survived by his wife of fifty-one years, the former Barbara Paul (born 1939) of Simmesport, Louisiana; a son, Kenneth Ross and wife, Lottie Fields Ross, of Covington, the seat of St. Tammany Parish, and two other daughters, Tricia Ross Guidry and husband, Ricky Guidry, of Lake Charles, Louisiana, and Christy Ross Maier of Montgomery, Alabama; nine grandchildren, two sisters, Maxine Smart of Vidalia, the seat of Concordia Parish, and Jean Agnew and husband, Raymond Agnew, of Monroe. Ross's late brother, Jimmy Dale Ross, was a Republican leader in Jonesville in Catahoula Parish. He also had a third, sister, the late June Ross Rowland of Alto, Louisiana.

 

Graveside services were to be held on September 18, 2009, at Gwin Cemetery in Mangham under the direction of Mulhearn Funeral Home in Rayville, Louisiana.

Billy Hathorn, "The Republican Party in Louisiana, 1920-1980" (M.A. thesis, Northwestern State University at Natchitoches, 1980)  

Billy Hathorn, "The Republican Party in Louisiana, 1920-1980" (M.A. thesis, Northwestern State University at Natchitoches, 1980)  

http://www.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcpr&rqsdta=10050242  

[http://www.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcpr&rqsdta=10050242]

http://blog.rslc.com/blog  

[http://blog.rslc.com/blog]

http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/politics/5279326.html  

[http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/politics/5279326.html]

http://www.thenewsstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070504/UPDATES01/70504067

[http://www.thenewsstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070504/UPDATES01/70504067]

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