Neshoba Fair political stumping begins this week

The 126th Neshoba County Fair runs through Friday, with traditional stump speaking by local politicians beginning today and by state politicians on Wednesday and Thursday.

The fair began as an agricultural and church-camp meeting. By the late 1890s, cabins began to replace tents and wagons. Today, there are more than 600 cabins, with families gathering every summer for fellowship, food and fun including a midway with concessions and rides, live entertainment, carriage horse races and livestock shows.

The political stump speaking at the fair dates to Gov. Anselm Joseph McLaurin in 1896, and the fair has since provided a political forum for state and national politicians including President Ronald Reagan, Jack Kemp and John Glenn.

This year’s political speaking is sure to draw much attention as it comes just days before the Aug. 4 statewide and county primaries.

Political columnist Sid Salter, a longtime fairgoer and commentator, recently reported that “the political signs and placards are already nailed or stapled to virtually every flat surface” at the fairgrounds.

Wednesday

9:50 a.m. Mary H. Coleman (D), candidate for transportation commissioner, Central District

10 a.m. Dick Hall (R), candidate for transportation commissioner, Central District

10:10 a.m. Mary Hawkins Butler (R), candidate for state auditor

10:20 a.m. Stacey Pickering (R), candidate for state auditor

10:30 a.m. Ron Williams (Libertarian), candidate for lieutenant governor

10:40 a.m. Tim Johnson (D), candidate for lieutenant governor

10:50 a.m. Tate Reeves (R), candidate for lieutenant governor

1:00 p.m. Mike Hurst (R), candidate for attorney general

1:10 p.m. Jim Hood (D), candidate for attorney general

1:20 p.m. John Mosley (R), candidate for insurance commissioner

1:30 p.m. Mike Chaney (R), candidate for insurance commissioner

1:40 p.m. Addie Lee Green (D), candidate for commissioner of agriculture and commerce

Thursday

8:20 a.m. Latrice D. Notree (Reform), candidate for public service commissioner, Central District

8:30 a.m. Bruce W. Burton (D), candidate for public service commissioner, Central District

8:40 a.m.Brent Bailey (R), candidate for public service commissioner, Central District

8:50 a.m.Tony Greer (R), candidate for public service commissioner, Central District

9 a.m. Cecil Brown (D), candidate for public service commissioner, Central District

9:10 a.m. David McRae (R), candidate for state treasurer

9:20 a.m.Lynn Fitch (R), candidate for state treasurer

9:30 a.m.Cindy Hyde Smith (R), candidate for commissioner of agriculture & commerce

9:40 a.m. Delbert Hosemann (R), candidate for secretary of state

9:50 a.m.Philip Gunn (R) speaker, House of Representatives

10 a.m.Shawn O’Hara (Reform), candidate for governor

10:10 a.m. Vicki Slater (D), candidate for governor

10:20 a.m.Mitch Young (R), candidate for governor

10:30 a.m. Valerie Adrean Smartt Short (D), candidate for governor

10:40 a.m.Phil Bryant (R), candidate for governor

Neshoba County Fair Political Speaking Schedule

Today’s political speaking begins at 8:45 a.m. and will feature Neshoba County and area legislative candidates.

Political speaking Wednesday begins at 8:30 a.m., continuing with local candidates before district and statewide

politicians begin at 9:50 a.m. The schedule includes: