Home Local News JIMMY CARTER CAMPAIGNED IN LE MARS 48 YEARS AGO THIS WEEKEND

JIMMY CARTER CAMPAIGNED IN LE MARS 48 YEARS AGO THIS WEEKEND

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FOURTY-EIGHT YEARS AGO THIS WEEKEND THEN-GEORGIA GOVERNOR AND DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE JIMMY CARTER MADE AN APPEARANCE IN LE MARS.

CARTER AND OTHER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES WERE INVITED TO A DEMOCRATIC PARTY DINNER AT WESTMAR COLLEGE TO HONOR A LONG TIME PLYMOUTH COUNTY OFFICIAL.

JOHN DEVEREAUX WAS WORKING FOR WESTMAR AT THAT TIME AND WOULD LATER WORK ON THE CARTER CAMPAIGN IN IOWA:

CARTER1 OC……..THAT RESPONDED. :18

CARTER FLEW INTO OMAHA WHERE A SUPPORTER AGREED TO DRIVE HIM AND PRESS SECRETARY JODY POWELL HALF WAY, MEETING DEVEREAUX IN ONAWA, IOWA:

CARTER2 OC…CHEAP OPERATION. :28

THE AMBER INN STILL HAS A PLAQUE ON THE DOOR OF THE ROOM THAT CARTER SLEPT IN.

FEBRUARY 26TH, 1975, WAS THE NIGHT OF THE BANQUET AND DEVEREAUX SAYS THE EVENT RAN SMOOTHLY:

CARTER3 OC………WERE IMPRESSED. :11

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, CARTER’S CANDIDACY WAS NOT YET HELD IN HIGH REGARD:

CARTER4 OC……FOLLOWING JANUARY. :08

DEVERAUX LATER BECAME THE STATE COORDINATOR FOR CARTER IN IOWA IN 1976.

HIS CONNECTION WITH PRESIDENT CARTER LATER RESULTED IN A JOB IN WASHINGTON DC., WORKING FOR AN AGENCY STARTED BY THE CARTER ADMINISTRATION.

DEVEREAUX IS NOW RETIRED AND LIVING IN CALIFORNIA.

PHOTO COURTESY THE CARTER CENTER