Alvin Olin King (June 21, 1890 – February 21, 1958) was an American politician allied with the Democratic faction of Governor Huey Pierce Long Jr. A state senator, he was President Pro Tempore in 1931, after Long had been elected in 1930 as a US Senator.
After Long had conflict with his lieutenant governor, who was ruled to have resigned, King advanced to serve as lieutenant governor for a year. Beginning in late January 1932, he served for three and a half months as governor of Louisiana, after Long had resigned and moved to Washington, D.C.
Early life and education
King was born in Leoti in Wichita County in western Kansas – not to be confused with the city of Wichita in southern Kansas. He attended Tulane University Law School in New Orleans and began the practice of law in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana.
Political career
King had joined the Democratic Party and was elected to the Louisiana State Senate from Calcasieu Parish in the southwestern part of the state. He rose to President Pro Tempore of that body.
In 1930 Huey Long, then serving as governor, was elected from Louisiana to the United States Senate. In 1931 Dr. Paul Narcisse Cyr of Jeanerette, a physician and lieutenant governor, filed an ouster suit against Long, under "a law prohibiting dual office holding."
But Long had not resigned from the governorship, as he had some work he wanted to complete before leaving for Washington, D.C., and being sworn in as senator. The State Supreme Court rejected Cyr's suit. Long won a favorable court ruling that Cyr had given up the position of lieutenant governor by his actions.