that he was sometimes called the "Christ of the Mallee" where, it was written, "few would have glanced if he had walked on water". Following the 1941 election, Premier Tom Playford approached Stott and recommended that the latter join the LCL. While Stott refused to do so, he remained a fervent admirer of Playford, and publicly praised the Premier wherever possible. In return, Playford sought to persuade the local LCL branch to refrain from running a candidate of its own against Stott in his constituency for successive elections. When the local LCL branch finally refused Playford's request, he apologised profusely to Stott and did little to support the candidate of his own party. Stott's continued electoral success cannot purely be credited to his influence within bodies like the AWF. For years he was also heavily involved with the wine and citrus industries and helped get producers in both industries significant government concessions. He was renowned for his in-depth knowledge of any issue he debated, which he achieved through prodigious research. His wife Linda, whom he married in 1926, was also a shrewd political campaigner who was heavily involved in issues around the electorate and proved a great asset for Stott. Perhaps however, his greatest asset was his reputation as a tireless campaigner who never gave up on a constituent issue; in one case Stott spent over twenty years arguing with government departments on behalf of constituents seeking to be connected to the water supply before his eventual success. Taking into account his public persona as a man with a square jaw, resonant voice and great presence who drank, smoked and owned and wagered on horses (Stott would serve as President of the South Australian Racehorse Owners' Association), and who was not afraid of condemnation by the churches for this lifestyle, Stott retained statewide popularity throughout his tenure in parliament. The 1962 election resulted in a hung parliament whereby the LCL and Labor each held 19 seats. By this time, Stott was the only independent in the chamber, and he was now in a position where he could effectively choose the next Premier. The leading ALP figures were initially hopeful of convincing Stott to support them in government (which would have made Frank Walsh the new Premier), but Playford praised Stott for his long service to South Australia. Stott threw his support to Playford, referring to him as the greatest Premier