Why are a 'Berniecrat,' a chemist and a concrete layer running for US Senate?

During a phone interview with the Clarion Ledger, U.S. Senate candidate Jensen Bohren's cellphone plan ran out of minutes, dropping the call.

The 35-year-old from Benton quickly ran across the street to use his neighbor's.

"I'm poor," Bohren said. "I haven't pushed that fact, but I think it's evident when I'm campaigning and I'm doing it in a Walmart, or the mall. And my jacket doesn't fit."

Bohren is one of three lesser-known and low-funded candidates running in the Democratic primary for the seat held by Incumbent U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, including Jerone Garland, a chemist, and Victor Maurice, a concrete layer. None of them has held political office.

Despite slim chances, these candidates express common frustrations with the political process — the stronghold of special interests — as they seek representation for Everyman.

Bohren, a nonpracticing public school teacher, is 6 feet 6½ inches tall with a horseshoe mustache. His navy sport coat is not only ill-fitting, it doesn't match his black slacks.

His disheveled look evokes that of a popular national politician from Vermont, which is apropos, considering Bohren calls himself a "Berniecrat."

Many of Bohren's political positions, such as Medicare-for-all, legalization of marijuana, prison reform, and raising the minimum wage, are aligned with that of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders from Vermont.

His bank account makes Bohren a different kind of candidate, he said. It gives him a fresh perspective: "I know the struggle of the regular Mississippian, 'cause I go through it," he said.

He's right about being representative: Mississippi had the highest rate of poverty — more than 20 percent — and lowest median household income, $41,754, of any state in the nation for 2016.

Jerone Garland

"As a minority candidate, I talk to people every day who wish me well. They promise to hand out my cards. But they don't have any money to invest," said Garland, who said he has about $50 in his personal bank account and has raised $1,500 for his campaign. "It's not that I don't have the goodwill of the people, but the way the system is set up, it marginalizes their choices and emphasizes the person raising the most money."

Garland, a 59-year-old from near Kosciusko, presented his ideas to solve jail overcrowding to the Attala County Board of Supervisors on Monday. The criminal justice system should better utilize GPS monitoring, such as house arrest, to keep young people who "make mistakes" in society and employed instead of in jail, Garland said.

His other platform positions include expanding broadband internet access across the state through a public utility and increasing the minimum wage.

Garland grew up in Mississippi but spent most of his adult life in Houston working as a chemist for the petroleum and pharmaceutical industries, so he knows full well the state's problem with "brain drain."

"It's a shame to me the number one export of Mississippi is our children," he said. "In Mississippi, if we want to see our children who are doing well, we have to go to other states."

When he returned to Mississippi in 2000, Garland helped organize the local Boys and Girl's Club. Now, he drives a bus for the local school district and is a substitute teacher in chemistry.

Victor Maurice

Maurice, a Marine veteran, former real estate agent and current construction worker in Gulfport, said he's fed up with government, which ignores that it was "supposed to be designed at the consent of the governed."

Ultimately, if his candidacy inspires another, it's a win where he's concerned.

"I believe that this exercise is the example of a true democracy, that I can throw my hat in the race. Even if I speak to two people, by doing that, those two might speak to four, and four to eight, and eventually the belief system that I hold will be made manifest," Maurice said.

Maurice, 40, isn't pushing specific policy ideas, but his "belief system," found on the "issues" tab of his Facebook page, advocates "effective launch pads for the unfortunate," a "21st century education" and criminal justice reform.

In his free time, Maurice helps educate people in his Gulf Coast community about how to apply for loans, start a business or buy a house.

"I've always liked this idea of self-reliance and pulling yourself up by your bootstraps. And if you don't have bootstraps, we've got to find a way to make some bootstraps out of what we do have," Maurice said.

The field

Bohren, Garland and Maurice join more visible Democrats in the race: Rep. David Baria of Bay St. Louis, Rep. Omeria Scott of Laurel and venture capitalist Howard Sherman of Meridian,.

Sherman husband of actress Sela Ward, started his campaign with an initial $500,000 personal loan, and Baria raised at least $120,000 in the first month after announcing. This allowed them to deploy significant sign and media campaigns.

Besides Baria and Sherman, Bohren is the only other candidate in the race who filed a first-quarter campaign finance report by the deadline. Since he raised $1,500 — under $5,000 — the report technically wasn't required.

Bohren said he's proud he hasn't taken any political donations from any corporations or political action committees. A primary platform of his campaign is election reform, including prohibition of donations from corporations and gerrymandering.

"I have studied what's going on (in national politics) right now quite extensively, and quite frankly I'm horrified," Bohren said. "What 'We The People' want don't mean a damn thing. They (politicians) take money from donors and then they do what the donors want."

Bohren said he's received "lukewarm" responses from other statewide campaigns.

"The people ingrained in Mississippi politics are taking this as a joke. And I'm very serious about my campaign," Bohren said.

The Democratic primary is June 5, and strategists for Baria, leader of House Democrats, have joked that his name appearing first on the ballot is one of his biggest advantages at the polls.

It's indicative of the low name recognition and general lack of awareness surrounding the election for Wicker's seat, a separate race from the one to replace retired U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran.

"As much as the voter doesn't know Victor Maurice, as much as they've heard the name Sherman or Mr. Baria, they don't know them either," Maurice said.

Garland said plainly he thinks he's going to win. Maurice hopes that if he doesn't win, he at least encourages someone else to run for local office.

Bohren said he's getting more notoriety, estimating roughly 10 percent of people he meets have heard his name.

"One person actually called out to me across the Walmart parking lot," Bohren said.