Allie Edward Stakes Stephens
[1] His state political career ended with a loss in the Democratic primary for Governor in 1961, after he and Governor J. Lindsay Almond broke with the Byrd Organization, which wanted to continue its policy of massive resistance to desegregation of Virginia's schools after both the Virginia Supreme Court and a 3-judge federal panel ruled most elements unconstitutional in 1959.He continued on to graduate with both an undergraduate and a law degree in 1923, declining an offer to play for the Washington Senators farm system.After the unexpected death of lieutenant governor Lewis Preston Collins II, Stephens ran in the 3-candidate Democratic primary and won in the special election as well.However, the Byrd Organization slated Albertis Harrison (the attorney general who had supported segregation and litigation against the NAACP) as their candidate.Harrison defeated Republican H. Clyde Pearson in November, as the Byrd slate won one of its last victories as Virginia's demographics changed.