Dave Treen | Former La. governor, 81
Former Louisiana Gov. Dave Treen, 81, who was elected in 1979 as the state's first Republican governor since Reconstruction but who lost a reelection bid to Democrat Edwin Edwards four years later, died Thursday from a respiratory illness in New Orleans.
Mr. Treen's victory over Democrat Louis Lambert was a watershed in a state long dominated by Democrats. It was a precursor to Republican growth in the state.
Mr. Treen was not destined to benefit from the rising GOP tide. His term was marked by frustration over a downturn in Louisiana's oil-based economy. - AP
