Ernest S. Clements - The Most Loyal Longite

The Most Loyal Longite

Clements served in the Louisiana State Senate from 1936 to 1944, when he gave up the seat to launch a quixotic campaign for governor. Most of his fellow Longites were openly supporting an elderly attorney and former U.S. representative, Lewis L. Morgan of Covington in St. Tammany Parish. Clements polled only 20,404 votes in the Democratic primary. The winner that year was Jimmie Davis, a popular singer and occasional actor.

In 1948, Governor Earl Long named Clements head of the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, a plum political prize. Clements, however, had expected to be named to head the highway department, a patronage distributor, and he was known for placing demanding "deadheads" on the state payroll. These are individuals who collect government checks for doing little or no productive labor. Bill Dodd said that Earl Long told Clements: "Ernest, you ain't gonna take over that highway business. You ain't got sense enough to handle it. I'm willing to put you in charge of them coons and possums . You can take it or leave it!" So Clements, unsurprisingly but offended at Long's high-handed attitude, accepted the appointment.

In 1952, he worked for the election of Judge Carlos Spaht of Baton Rouge for governor, as Long instructed him to do. However, he would have supported Dodd, the outgoing lieutenant governor who was making the first of his two unsuccessful bids for governor, had Earl Long's leash not been so long. The winner that year was Robert F. Kennon of Minden in Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana.