▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Mississippi ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁since ▁Re const ruction , ▁sought ▁to ▁hold ▁Walker ' s ▁House ▁seat ▁for ▁the ▁Republican , ▁but ▁victory ▁went ▁to ▁fellow ▁State ▁Represent ative ▁G illes pie ▁V . ▁" S on ny " ▁Mont gom ery , ▁also ▁of ▁Mer id ian , ▁who ▁held ▁the ▁seat ▁for ▁ 3 0 ▁years . ▁Walker ▁tried ▁to ▁un se at ▁Mont gom ery ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁but ▁got ▁only ▁ 3 0 % ▁of ▁the ▁votes . ▁When ▁Walker ▁again ▁ran ▁for ▁the ▁Senate ▁against ▁East land ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁as ▁an ▁Independent , ▁rather ▁than ▁a ▁Republican , ▁he ▁drew ▁only ▁ 1 4 , 6 6 2 ▁votes ▁( 2 . 3 %). ▁The ▁Mod er ate ▁Republican ▁Gil ▁Car m ich ael , ▁a ▁former ▁critic ▁of ▁Walker , ▁tra iled ▁with ▁ 2 4 9 , 7 7 9 ▁votes ▁( 3 8 . 7 % ), ▁as ▁East land ▁won ▁hand ily , ▁ 3 7 5 , 1 0 2 ▁( 5 8 . 1 %). ▁ ▁Private ▁life ▁Walker ▁and ▁his ▁wife , ▁the ▁former ▁Dim ple ▁How ell ▁( 1 9 1 9 – 2 0 1 3 ), ▁the ▁last ▁surv iving ▁of ▁six ▁children ▁of ▁the ▁former ▁Em ily ▁Dor illa ▁Johnson ▁( 1 8 8 0 – 1 9 7 7 ) ▁and ▁John ▁F lem ing ▁How ell ▁( 1 8 8 2 – 1 9