Henson Moore

Main article: 1986 United States Senate election in Louisiana

Moore was the first Republican to run for the United States Senate with party organizational support since 1962, when Taylor W. O'Hearn of Shreveport unsuccessfully challenged Russell Long. He was also the first candidate to declare for Long's seat after the veteran lawmaker announced his retirement effective in January 1987. He had the immediate support of Republican colleague Bob Livingston of First District, who in 1987 launched an unsuccessful bid for governor of Louisiana. Republican chairman George J. Despot of Shreveport pronounced Moore's as his party's "strongest possibility" to fill Long's seat. ^[3]

Former Governor Dave Treen at first indicated that he too might run for the Senate, but within a month endorsed Moore. Treen noted that all states on the Gulf of Mexico had at least one Republican senator at the time except for Louisiana. ^[4] Also strongly for Moore was his friend Frank Spooner, the outgoing Republican national committeeman and an oil and natural gas producer in Monroe, who had lost the 1976 race for Louisiana's 5th congressional district to the Democrat Jerry Huckaby. ^[5]

In this campaign, Moore sounded more like a candidate for governor than for the U.S. Senate, having consistently claimed that Louisiana needed "a new image". He specifically called for greater job opportunities, expanded port facilities and exports, more emphasis on tourism, and the designation of a research hospital in Louisiana. "We're going to have to use our business and commercial leaders to turn it around. Don't depend on politicians," Moore said. ^[6] Moore called for placing offshore revenues into a trust fund to support education. He demanded protection of American business from unfair foreign trade practices. ^[7]

In the nonpartisan blanket primary, Moore led fellow Representative John Breaux of Louisiana's 7th congressional district, since disbanded, with 529,433 votes (44.2 percent) to 447,328 (37.3 percent).

In the general election, Breaux turned the tables on Moore: 723,586 (52.8 percent) to 646,311 (47.2 percent), a margin of 77,275 ballots. Nationally, the Democrats regained control of the Senate for the two remaining years of the Reagan administration. Breaux held the Senate seat for eighteen years, when he was succeeded by David Vitter, the first Republican U.S. senator from the state since Reconstruction.^{[ citation needed ]}

To run for the seat Long vacated, Moore had to relinquish his House seat. Moore's seat was won in 1986 by a fellow Republican, State Representative Richard H. Baker, then of Baker, a town north of Baton Rouge in East Baton Rouge Parish. Baker held the seat until 2008, when he resigned to become a lobbyist.^{[ citation needed ]}

Post-congressional years

After his House service, U.S. President Ronald Reagan named Moore commissioner of the Panama Canal Consultative Committee (1987–1989). In April 1989, he became deputy secretary of the United States Department of Energy, having been sworn into that position by then Vice President Dan Quayle. ^[8] In 1992, Moore became White House Deputy Chief of Staff for U.S. President George Herbert Walker Bush during Bush's last year in office.

After his service in the first Bush administration, Moore was until 1995 a partner in the Texas and New York-based law firm of Bracewell & Giuliani (includes senior partner Rudolph W. Giuliani). Afterwards, he was the president and CEO of the interest group, the American Forest and Paper Association and then the president of the International Council of Forest and Paper Associations. Both positions involved considerable lobbying. Moore retired in 2007, and he and his wife, the former Carolyn Cherry, built a new home in Baton Rouge. The Moores met in Baton Rouge in May 1960 at the second inauguration of Louisiana Governor Jimmie Davis. ^[9] The couple has three children, W. H. Moore, IV, Jennifer Lee Moore, and Cherry Ann Moore.

Moore serves on the boards of directors of the American Council for Capital Formation and the United States - New Zealand Council. He is a member of the American Legion and Rotary International. He is Episcopalian and a member of Trinity Episcopal Church in Baton Rouge.

In 2002, Moore was inducted into the Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame in Winnfield.

In 2005, he accepted chairmanship of Forever LSU: The Campaign for Louisiana State University. His involvement – as spokesman and fundraiser – made a huge difference for his alma mater, future generations of students and faculty, and for Louisiana. Thanks to his leadership, the campaign reached and exceeded its $750 million goal.

On April 1, 2011, Moore was honored as the 2011 Alumnus of the Year as part of the LSU Alumni Association's Hall of Distinction. It was Moore's second time to be honored by the association; he was also inducted to the hall in 1991.

References

1. Steven Shepard (December 18, 2018). "What happened the last time there was an election do-over?". Politico Maga. Archived from the original on May 8, 2021. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
2. "Rep. Henson Moore: Americans are ready to sacrifice", Minden Press-Herald , February 18, 1985, p. 1.
3. "Moore is first to announce for Long's seat", Minden Press-Herald, February 27, 1985, p. 1.
4. "Treen backs Moore in U.S. Senator's race", Minden Press-Herald, March 26, 1985, p. 1.
5. Billy Hathorn, "Otto Passman, Jerry Huckaby, and Frank Spooner: The Louisiana Fifth Congressional District Election of 1976", Louisiana History: The Journal of the Louisiana Historical Association, LIV No. 3 (Summer 2013), p. 348.
6. "Moore: 'State Needs New Image'", Minden Press-Herald, July 18, 1986, p. 1.
7. "EWE, Moore Propose Economic Plans", Minden Press-Herald, February 7, 1986, p. 1.
8. "Moore takes oath", Minden Press-Herald, April 21, 1989, p. 1.
9. "Moore, Breaux backgrounds very similar", Minden Press-Herald, October 31, 1986, p. 6A.

• Who's Who in America, 41st edition, 1980–1981

External links

• United States Congress. "Henson Moore (id: M000923)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress .
• Louisiana Political Museum
• Appearances on C-SPAN

Henson Moore
White House Deputy Chief of Staff
In office February 3, 1992 –August 23, 1992

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by John Rarick	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Louisiana's 6th congressional district 1975–1987	Succeeded by Richard Baker
Party political offices
Vacant Title last held by Taylor W. O'Hearn	Republican nominee for U.S. Senator from Louisiana (Class 3) 1986	Vacant Title next held by Jim Donelon
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by Brad Wenstrup as Former US Representative	Order of precedence of the United States as Former US Representative	Succeeded by Charles Boustany as Former US Representative