Legislative Service
In 1975, Campbell was elected to the Senate to succeed the retiring conservative Democrat Harold Montgomery of Doyline in Webster Parish. In a lopsided general election outcome, Campbell defeated former Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives, John Sidney Garrett of Haynesville in northern Claiborne Parish, who failed in a comeback attempt. During his Senate service, Campbell was often allied with Governor Edwin Washington Edwards. Campbell chaired the Select Committee on Consumer Affairs.
Ron Gomez, a member of the Louisiana House from Lafayette and at the time a Democrat prior to later switching parties, describes Campbell, when he was a state senator, as "always having some populist, usually anti-business legislation moving through the process. Persistent is his middle name."."
Over the years, Campbell easily won reelection to his Senate seat. In the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 24, 1987, for instance, he polled 11,080 votes (70.2 percent) over two Democrats and a Republican opponent. Democrat (later Republican) Garland Mack Garrett trailed with 3,400 votes (21.5 percent. Ivan J. Edwards received 474 votes (3 percent), and the Republican William F. "Bill" Lott, drew the remaining 835 votes (5.3 percent)
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