Editing Huey Long (section)

===Senate campaign===
Shortly after the impeachment, Long—now nicknamed "The Kingfish" after an ''[[Amos 'n' Andy]]'' character—announced his candidacy for the [[U.S. Senate]] in the 1930 Democratic primary.<ref name="heritage"/><ref>[[#Brinkley|Brinkley (1983) [1982]]], pp. 36–37.</ref> He framed his campaign as a [[referendum]]. If he won, he presumed the public supported his programs over the opposition of the legislature. If he lost, he promised to resign.<ref name="heritage"/>

His opponent was incumbent [[Joseph E. Ransdell]], the Catholic senator whom Long endorsed in 1924.<ref name="Jeansonne 1989 p. 287">[[#Jeansonne|Jeansonne (1989)]], p. 287.</ref> At 72 years old, Ransdell had served in the [[U.S. Congress]] since Long was aged six. Aligned with the establishment, Ransdell had the support of all 18 of the state's daily newspapers.<ref name="heritage"/><ref name="kane107"/> To combat this, Long purchased two new $30,000 sound trucks and distributed over two million circulars.<ref>[[#Kane|Kane (1971)]], p. 108.</ref> Although promising not to make personal attacks, Long seized on Ransdell's age, calling him "Old Feather Duster".<ref name="kane107">[[#Kane|Kane (1971)]], p. 107.</ref> The campaign became increasingly vicious, with ''[[The New York Times]]'' calling it "as amusing as it was depressing".<ref>[[#Kane|Kane (1971)]], p. 109.</ref> Long critic Sam Irby,{{efn|group=note|Irby was the uncle of Alice Lee Grosjean, Long's young personal secretary, whom he had appointed to the position of [[Secretary of State of Louisiana|Secretary of State]]. She was rumored to be his mistress.<ref name="heritage"/><ref name="sleazy"/>}} set to testify on Long's corruption to state authorities, was abducted by Long's bodyguards shortly before the election. Irby emerged after the election; he had been missing for four days. Surrounded by Long's guards, he gave a radio address in which he "confessed" that he had actually asked Long for protection.<ref name="heritage"/><ref name="sleazy"/><ref>[[#Jeansonne|Jeansonne (1989)]], pp. 289–90.</ref> The New Orleans mayor labelled it "the most heinous public crime in Louisiana history".<ref name="sleazy"/>

Ultimately, on September 9, 1930, Long defeated Ransdell by 149,640 (57.3 percent) to 111,451 (42.7 percent).<ref>[[#Kane|Kane (1971)]], p. 113.</ref><ref name="Brinkley 2011 p. 29">[[#Brinkley|Brinkley (1983) [1982]]], p. 29.</ref> There were accusations of voter fraud against Long; voting records showed people voting in alphabetical order, among them celebrities like [[Charlie Chaplin]], [[Jack Dempsey]] and [[Babe Ruth]].<ref name="leg"/>
Although his Senate term began on March 4, 1931, Long completed most of his four-year term as governor, which did not end until May 1932. He declared that leaving the seat vacant would not hurt Louisiana: "[W]ith Ransdell as Senator, the seat was vacant anyway." By occupying the governorship until January 25, 1932, Long prevented Lieutenant Governor Cyr, who threatened to undo Long's reforms, from succeeding to the office.<ref name="Hair p221-222"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/expulsion_cases/117LongOverton_expulsion.htm|title=Long/Overton Expulsion|publisher=[[United States Senate]]|access-date=July 22, 2020|archive-date=July 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200722194657/https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/expulsion_cases/117LongOverton_expulsion.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> In October 1931, Cyr learned Long was in Mississippi and declared himself the state's legitimate governor.<ref>[[#White|White (2006)]], pp. 132–33.</ref> In response, Long ordered National Guard troops to surround the Capitol to block Cyr's "coup d'état" and petitioned the Louisiana Supreme Court.<ref name="Hair p221-222">[[#Hair|Hair (1996)]], pp. 221–22.</ref><ref name="Jeansonne 1989 p. 287"/> Long successfully argued that Cyr had vacated the office of lieutenant-governor when trying to assume the governorship and had the court eject Cyr.<ref name="Hair p221-222"/><ref>{{cite court|litigants=State ex rel. Cyr v. Long|court=La.|vol=140|reporter=So.|opinion=13|date=January 22, 1932|url=https://cite.case.law/la/174/169/5422521/}}</ref>