3 Democrats seek nomination for governor

Three Democratic candidates on Tuesday are vying to take a long shot at toppling well-funded incumbent Republican Gov. Phil Bryant in November.

Madison attorney and business owner Vicki Slater and Ridgeland physician and Air Force veteran Dr. Valerie Adream Smartt Short are the obvious frontrunners, with retired firefighter Robert Gray of Jackson reporting zero campaign expenditures and making few public appearances of note.

Slater, 58, has focused her campaign on education, health care, jobs and fighting government corruption. She has appeared to have the backing of the state Democratic Party establishment and has raised more than $235,000 in campaign donations, compared to Short’s nearly $46,000.

“I’m running for governor because I believe our leadership has failed us,” Slater said. “They have failed us in education, failed us in health care and failed us with jobs.”

Slater said helping her deaf grandparents — often serving as their interpreter — when she was a child was “the Lord training me for a life of advocacy.”

“Everyone deserves a voice in this world,” Slater said. “And everyone deserves to be heard.”

Short, 56, has focused her campaign on health care, education and improving infrastructure and the economy. While she lacks some of the funding and political support Slater has, political observers say she could do well enough with African-American voters to overcome these obstacles.

“I am the only candidate with both the experience to lead and the courage to serve,” Short said.

Short grew up in a military family moving from state to state and overseas. She worked her way through medical school by joining the Air Force where she served for 10 years and earned the rank of major. She has worked in a private physician practice in Jackson since 1992 and has an independent consulting business.

Both Short and Slater support Mississippi expanding the Medicaid program to cover thousands of uninsured, working poor, as part of the federal Affordable Care Act — which Bryant and the state’s GOP leaders have opposed and thwarted.

Both Short and Slater say personal, family experiences inform their stance on the issue.

Short blames lack of health insurance and care in Mississippi for the death of her brother, whom she said died after receiving substandard care and a “poor man’s colonoscopy.” She said lack of preventive and routine care is costing the state.

“Conservatives are costing us more on long hospital stays,” Short said. “Is that the outcome we want?”

Slater said her son had a “health scare” when she did not have insurance.

“I believe no other parent should go through that experience,” Slater said. She said hospitals are suffering because of the state’s refusal to expand Medicaid and accept federal funding.

Gray also supports Medicaid expansion, and says reducing crime and illegal drugs and creating more jobs are his main priorities. He proposes creating a state lottery.

All three Democratic candidates support more funding for public education and the Initiative 42 referendum to force lawmakers to fully fund the state’s adequate education formula.

Contact Geoff Pender at (601) 961-7266 or gpender@jackson.gannett.com. Follow @GeoffPender on Twitter.