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Jack Montgomery (Louisiana politician)
Encyclopedia
John Willard Montgomery, Sr., known as Jack Montgomery (born June 2, 1936), is an attorney
in private practice in the small city of Minden
, the seat of Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana
, who served in the 26th District of the Louisiana State Senate
(Bienville, Bossier, Claiborne, and Webster parishes) for a single four-year term from 1968—1972. He unseated incumbent
Harold Montgomery
(no relation) of Doyline
in south Webster Parish in the 1967 Democratic
runoff primary
. Four years later, the conservative Harold Montgomery staged a comeback and narrowly defeated Jack Montgomery, who did not again seek any public office.
couple, Earl W. Montgomery, an employee of International Paper Company, and the former Berniece McLeod (1908–2008). His mother was originally from Hamburg
in southern Arkansas
. After graduation in 1954 from Springhill High School, where he excelled in American football
, Montgomery, a Baptist
, entered the Catholic
-affiliated Tulane University
in New Orleans on an athletic scholarship
. In his senior year at Tulane, he was the team captain. He procured his law degree from Louisiana State University
Law Center in Baton Rouge. He opened his law practice first in Springhill, but he then relocated to the parish seat of Minden.
. Jack challenged Harold over highway construction issues. A Jack Montgomery advertisement asks why Webster Parish was then 20th among 23 North Louisiana parishes in highway funding. Bossier Parish, also part of the senatorial district, fared slightly better at 14th place.
Jack Montgomery received numerous endorsements in the race and emerged as a significant challenger. McKeithen supported Jack Montgomery; so did educators John L. Cathcart, former principal of Minden High School
and E.S. Richardson Elementary School
in Minden, Ed Olive, the principal of Springhill High School, and D.C. Wimberly, also a World War II
prisoner of war
from Springhill. A.O. Jenkins, then pastor of the large Central Baptist Church in Springhill, supported his parishioner. Others who signed a newspaper statement of support were the merchant A.J. Price, Jr., Springhill Mayor
James Allen, and Springhill newspaper publisher Danny Scott (1930–2007).
Harold led Jack in the first primary, 10,982 to 10,534, but neither had a majority. Therefore a runoff was held on December 16. The result was a stunning reversal from the original primary vote. Jack defeated Harold, 10,037 (55.1 percent) to 7,177 (44.9 percent). In the second round, more than four thousand voters who participated in the first election sat out the contest, and nearly all who failed to vote did so at Harold's expense. Harold Montgomery expressed concern that people were confused over two men named Montgomery running for the office. He quietly sat out the next four years in preparation for a rematch in the 1971 Democratic primary.
In that same runoff, Harold's ideological ally, State Representative
Parey Branton
of Shongaloo
in Webster Parish, defeated former Springhill Mayor Charles E. McConnell to win a third term in the state House, 7,619 (52.6 percent) to 6,857 (47.4 percent). Harold's defeat and Branton's close victory signaled the power of the African American
vote in view of passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Most blacks chose Democrats, but the more liberal choices within the party primaries.
in New Orleans, Harold Montgomery entered the race once more, having first run unsuccessfully in 1956 against Herman "Wimpy" Jones
, a Minden restaurant owner. In his scathing advertisement called "Public Feels Cheated", Harold Montgomery decried an assortment of matters that troubled him in Louisiana in 1971, many beyond the purview of the state Senate:
(1) a loss of confidence in government in general
(2) thievery in office
(3) appointment of "political hacks" by the governor
(4) "dope pushers"
(5) "drunk drivers" (before the problem was accented)
(6) "employees who don't work" and
(7) "politicians who continually ask for more money without showing any accomplishment in return."
Montgomery closed his ad with a prediction of high turnover in the legislative elections of 1971 and 1972, but the changes were mostly within the Democratic Party. Another Democrat, Edwin Washington Edwards, originally from Crowley
, with whom Harold had a personal friendship, succeeded McKeithen.
In a campaign ad, Jack Montgomery noted his opposition to gambling
, support for vocational education
, and aid to the handicapped.
The 1971 returns narrowly vindicated Harold Montgomery, who dislodged Jack Montgomery, 14,595 (51.2 percent) to 13,889 (48.8 percent). Jack led only in Claiborne Parish, having lost in Bienville, Bossier, and Webster. Harold Montgomery did not seek a fourth nonconsecutive term in the first ever jungle primary
held in Louisiana in November 1975.
John Montgomery, Jr., graduated in 1981 from Minden High School and in 1985 from the United States Military Academy
at West Point
, New York
. Thereafter, John, Jr. was a United States Army
airborne ranger infantry officer. He later joined the National Guard and served with the 5th Infantry Division. He received his law degree from Tulane Law School in New Orleans. He is an attorney in Quinton
in Greater Richmond
, Virginia
, and a member of the Varina School Board in suburban Henrico County
.
In 2003, Virginia Democratic Governor Mark Warner
, thereafter a U.S. Senator, appointed Montgomery as the Third Congressional District member of the board of directors of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. He was also a military aide-de-camp
to both Warner and Warner's successor as governor, Timothy M. Kaine. In 2007, Kaine, a Democrat, reappointed Montgomery to the DGIF board.
Montgomery, Jr., and his wife, the former Carole Marie Rosendorf, originally from Baltimore, Maryland
, live with their two sons, Jack and Travis, in Sandston
, Virginia. Mrs. Montgomery is a graduate of the nursing
program at Georgetown University
in Washington, D.C.
.
John Montgomery, Sr., continues his law practice at 209 Pine Street in Minden which his son represents clients in the Greater Richmond area. Jack Montgomery also served for a year as the interim municipal judge
in Minden. In 2007, he was the chairman of the board of Minden Medical Center.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
in private practice in the small city of Minden
Minden, Louisiana
Minden is a city in the American state of Louisiana. It serves as the parish seat of Webster Parish and is located twenty-eight miles east of Shreveport, the seat of Caddo Parish. The population, which has been stable since 1960, was 13,027 at the 2000 census...
, the seat of Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, who served in the 26th District of the Louisiana State Senate
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
(Bienville, Bossier, Claiborne, and Webster parishes) for a single four-year term from 1968—1972. He unseated incumbent
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
Harold Montgomery
Harold Montgomery
A. Harold Montgomery, Sr. , was an agricultural businessman and a Louisiana state senator, who is remembered as an outspoken conservative within his state's dominant Democratic Party...
(no relation) of Doyline
Doyline, Louisiana
Doyline is a village in southwestern Webster Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 841 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Minden Micropolitan Statistical Area....
in south Webster Parish in the 1967 Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
runoff primary
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
. Four years later, the conservative Harold Montgomery staged a comeback and narrowly defeated Jack Montgomery, who did not again seek any public office.
Early years and education
Montgomery was one of five children born to a SpringhillSpringhill, Louisiana
Springhill is a city in northern Webster Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 5,439 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Minden Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
couple, Earl W. Montgomery, an employee of International Paper Company, and the former Berniece McLeod (1908–2008). His mother was originally from Hamburg
Hamburg, Arkansas
Hamburg is a city in Ashley County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 3,039 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Ashley County.-Geography:...
in southern Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
. After graduation in 1954 from Springhill High School, where he excelled in American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, Montgomery, a Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
, entered the Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
-affiliated Tulane University
Tulane University
Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
in New Orleans on an athletic scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
. In his senior year at Tulane, he was the team captain. He procured his law degree from Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
Law Center in Baton Rouge. He opened his law practice first in Springhill, but he then relocated to the parish seat of Minden.
1967 state Senate campaign
Jack Montgomery entered the race for the state Senate in 1967 to challenge the two-term incumbent Harold Montgomery, who had opposed the administration of popular Governor John McKeithenJohn McKeithen
John Julian McKeithen was the 49th Governor of Louisiana, serving from 1964 to 1972. A Democrat from the town of Columbia, he was the first governor of his state in the twentieth century to serve two consecutive terms...
. Jack challenged Harold over highway construction issues. A Jack Montgomery advertisement asks why Webster Parish was then 20th among 23 North Louisiana parishes in highway funding. Bossier Parish, also part of the senatorial district, fared slightly better at 14th place.
Jack Montgomery received numerous endorsements in the race and emerged as a significant challenger. McKeithen supported Jack Montgomery; so did educators John L. Cathcart, former principal of Minden High School
Minden High School (Minden, Louisiana)
Minden High School is the public secondary educational institution in Minden, a small city of 13,000 and the seat of Webster Parish located twenty-eight miles east of Shreveport in northwestern Louisiana...
and E.S. Richardson Elementary School
E.S. Richardson Elementary School
E.S. Richardson Elementary School is a pre-kindergarten through fifth grade campus which serves parts of the eastern section of the small city of Minden, the seat of Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana. The school opened in the 1949-1950 academic year, with Wayne Wynn Williams, Sr. , as the...
in Minden, Ed Olive, the principal of Springhill High School, and D.C. Wimberly, also a World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
from Springhill. A.O. Jenkins, then pastor of the large Central Baptist Church in Springhill, supported his parishioner. Others who signed a newspaper statement of support were the merchant A.J. Price, Jr., Springhill Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
James Allen, and Springhill newspaper publisher Danny Scott (1930–2007).
Harold led Jack in the first primary, 10,982 to 10,534, but neither had a majority. Therefore a runoff was held on December 16. The result was a stunning reversal from the original primary vote. Jack defeated Harold, 10,037 (55.1 percent) to 7,177 (44.9 percent). In the second round, more than four thousand voters who participated in the first election sat out the contest, and nearly all who failed to vote did so at Harold's expense. Harold Montgomery expressed concern that people were confused over two men named Montgomery running for the office. He quietly sat out the next four years in preparation for a rematch in the 1971 Democratic primary.
In that same runoff, Harold's ideological ally, State Representative
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
Parey Branton
Parey Branton
Parey Pershing Branton, Sr. , was a businessman from Shongaloo, Louisiana, who was from 1960 to 1972 a Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from what is now District 10 in Webster Parish...
of Shongaloo
Shongaloo, Louisiana
Shongaloo is a village in Webster Parish, Louisiana, United States.West of Shongaloo on Louisiana Highway 2 is Munn Hill, a homestead of Daniel and Rebecca Munn, established on July 26, 1900....
in Webster Parish, defeated former Springhill Mayor Charles E. McConnell to win a third term in the state House, 7,619 (52.6 percent) to 6,857 (47.4 percent). Harold's defeat and Branton's close victory signaled the power of the African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
vote in view of passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Most blacks chose Democrats, but the more liberal choices within the party primaries.
Montgomery v. Montgomery again, 1971
As the McKeithen administration lost popularity in its second term, in part by opposition to higher spending reflected in the construction of the Louisiana SuperdomeLouisiana Superdome
The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA...
in New Orleans, Harold Montgomery entered the race once more, having first run unsuccessfully in 1956 against Herman "Wimpy" Jones
Herman "Wimpy" Jones
Herman "Wimpy" Jones was a businessman who served as a Democratic member of the Louisiana State Senate from Bossier and Webster parishes for a single term from 1956 to 1960...
, a Minden restaurant owner. In his scathing advertisement called "Public Feels Cheated", Harold Montgomery decried an assortment of matters that troubled him in Louisiana in 1971, many beyond the purview of the state Senate:
(1) a loss of confidence in government in general
(2) thievery in office
(3) appointment of "political hacks" by the governor
(4) "dope pushers"
(5) "drunk drivers" (before the problem was accented)
(6) "employees who don't work" and
(7) "politicians who continually ask for more money without showing any accomplishment in return."
Montgomery closed his ad with a prediction of high turnover in the legislative elections of 1971 and 1972, but the changes were mostly within the Democratic Party. Another Democrat, Edwin Washington Edwards, originally from Crowley
Crowley, Louisiana
Crowley is a city in and the parish seat of Acadia Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 14,225 at the 2000 census. The city is noted for its annual International Rice Festival. Crowley has the nickname of "Rice Capital of America", because at one time it was a major center for...
, with whom Harold had a personal friendship, succeeded McKeithen.
In a campaign ad, Jack Montgomery noted his opposition to gambling
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
, support for vocational education
Vocational education
Vocational education or vocational education and training is an education that prepares trainees for jobs that are based on manual or practical activities, traditionally non-academic, and totally related to a specific trade, occupation, or vocation...
, and aid to the handicapped.
The 1971 returns narrowly vindicated Harold Montgomery, who dislodged Jack Montgomery, 14,595 (51.2 percent) to 13,889 (48.8 percent). Jack led only in Claiborne Parish, having lost in Bienville, Bossier, and Webster. Harold Montgomery did not seek a fourth nonconsecutive term in the first ever jungle primary
Jungle primary
A nonpartisan blanket primary is a primary election in which all candidates for elected office run in the same primary regardless of political party. Under this system, the top two candidates who receive the most votes advance to the next round, as in a runoff election...
held in Louisiana in November 1975.
John W. Montgomery, Jr.
Jack Montgomery and his wife, the former Carolyn Tucker (born 1940), a 1958 graduate of Springhill High School, have three children, daughters, Elizabeth and Rebecca (born 1971), and a son, John W. Montgomery, Jr. (born May 23, 1963).John Montgomery, Jr., graduated in 1981 from Minden High School and in 1985 from the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
at West Point
West Point, New York
West Point is a federal military reservation established by President of the United States Thomas Jefferson in 1802. It is a census-designated place located in Town of Highlands in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 7,138 at the 2000 census...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Thereafter, John, Jr. was a United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
airborne ranger infantry officer. He later joined the National Guard and served with the 5th Infantry Division. He received his law degree from Tulane Law School in New Orleans. He is an attorney in Quinton
Quinton, Virginia
Quinton is a small unincorporated community in New Kent County, Virginia, United States. It is located on State Route 249 in the western portion of the county....
in Greater Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, and a member of the Varina School Board in suburban Henrico County
Henrico County, Virginia
Henrico is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United States. As of 2010, Henrico was home to 306,935 people. It is located in the Richmond-Petersburg region and is a portion of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area...
.
In 2003, Virginia Democratic Governor Mark Warner
Mark Warner
Mark Robert Warner is an American politician and businessman, currently serving in the United States Senate as the junior senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Warner was the 69th governor of Virginia from 2002 to 2006 and is the honorary chairman of...
, thereafter a U.S. Senator, appointed Montgomery as the Third Congressional District member of the board of directors of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. He was also a military aide-de-camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to both Warner and Warner's successor as governor, Timothy M. Kaine. In 2007, Kaine, a Democrat, reappointed Montgomery to the DGIF board.
Montgomery, Jr., and his wife, the former Carole Marie Rosendorf, originally from Baltimore, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, live with their two sons, Jack and Travis, in Sandston
Sandston, Virginia
Sandston is a census-designated place in Henrico County, Virginia, United States, near the state capital of Richmond. The population as of the 2010 Census was 7,571. Sandston is adjacent to the Richmond International Airport.-History:...
, Virginia. Mrs. Montgomery is a graduate of the nursing
Nursing
Nursing is a healthcare profession focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life from conception to death....
program at Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
.
John Montgomery, Sr., continues his law practice at 209 Pine Street in Minden which his son represents clients in the Greater Richmond area. Jack Montgomery also served for a year as the interim municipal judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
in Minden. In 2007, he was the chairman of the board of Minden Medical Center.