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The Magnolia Political Report for October 2, 2002

Magnolia Report 28

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Magnolia Political Report
October 2, 2002
(Number 28) - Web Version
MagnoliaReport.com

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Rumor Mill
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Still no new word on Attorney General Mike Moore's intentions for 2003, but the rumors still say he will not run for reelection or for governor. However, Elder McClendon from Hattiesburg qualified for Governor (on June 18, 2001) as a Democrat and so far is the only official candidate for the post. While rumors circulated that elder Republican Party leader Wirt Yerger was considering a run for governor, apparently he will not be doing so. Yerger was the first chairman of the modern Mississippi Republican Party.

Jack Oliver, Deputy Chairman of the Republican National Committee, is expected to make a stop in Mississippi this month to help mobilize Republican grassroots activists for the Third Congressional District Race.

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Round Up
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Senator John White (D-Booneville) announced his resignation effective this coming Saturday. He has served 19 years and is chairman of the Senate Local and Private Legislation Committee. The governor will set a date for a special election to fill the unexpired term. There will be no primary race and the seat will be for the current district, not the recently redrawn legislative districts. A runoff will be held if no candidate wins more than 50% of the vote in the first election. Two of the names circulating as possible candidates include Wayne Mitchell, publisher of The Belmont & Tishomingo Journal and Ken Floyd, an attorney with Cadle & Floyd in Booneville. The winner will fill out the term until the 2003 election cycle.

The campaign web site for Kenny Griffis (www.Griffis2002.com) is up. Griffis is challenging Jim Brantley for the Third District Mississippi Court of Appeals. The Griffis Campaign seems to be moving with momentum, illustrated in part by caliber of political figures joining the campaign. Some of his top supporters include former Supreme Court Chief Justice Lenore Prather, former Third District Congressman Sonny Montgomery and College Board President Bryce Griffis (who happens to also be his cousin). Haley Barbour will be hosting a campaign event for Griffis. Several conservative lawmakers from the district (including Greg Snowden, Gary Chism, Eric Robinson, John Moore, Bill Denny and Billy Nicholson) have signed a letter of support for Griffis.

DeSoto County Supervisor John Caldwell (R) held a fundraiser recently for his campaign to become the Northern District Transportation Commissioner in November 2003. Held at Hernando's Conger Park, about 150 supporters feasted on barbecue and baked beans. Caldwell announced in June that he wouldn't seek re-election as the county's Fourth District supervisor in order to concentrate on winning the seat currently held by Zack Stewart (D) of New Albany.

State Auditor Phil Bryant was the keynote speaker at September 26's Friends of the NRA fundraising banquet at the Agricultural Museum in Jackson. Sponsors included Bryant, Lieutenant Governor Amy Tuck, Commissioner of Agriculture Lester Spell, Congressmen Chip Pickering and Ronnie Shows, Senator Richard White, Hinds County Sheriff Malcolm McMillin, Hinds County District Attorney Faye Peterson, Haley Barbour, Mike Gunn, and the Mississippi Republican Party. Secretary of State Eric Clark, State Treasurer Marshall Bennett and Senator Charlie Ross were some of the other elected officials present. Larry Nesbit, a local institutional investment banker and host of WJNT This Morning introduced Bryant. Nesbit said that in his time as state auditor, Bryant has returned over $3 million dollars in embezzled funds to Mississippi taxpayers. In otherwords, Nesbit added, that is enough money for six more special sessions.

First Lady Laura Bush visited Greenville-Weston High School in Washington County to announce a $1 million federal grant for the Teach for America Program that prepares college graduates to become teachers. State Superintendent of Education Henry Johnson and Jim and Sally Barksdale, founders of the Barksdale Reading Institute in Oxford, also attended the event. Bush recognized Lieutenant Governor Amy Tuck (D) who was unable to attend, and State Auditor Phil Bryant (R) who was the only statewide elected official present.

Alice Skelton, former executive director of the Mississippi Democratic Party, has had her lawsuit for salary and expenses during her service with them postponed until August of 2003. Hinds Circuit Court Judge Winston Kidd granted the Democrat's lawyer's motion for discovery a few days before the trial late last month. Skelton, now under contract by US Senator Bob Graham (D-FL) as director of a statewide referendum campaign, first filed her lawsuit six years ago.

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By The Numbers
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3 Days to Register to Vote for 2002 Election
34 Days till Election Day 2002
149 Days till Qualifying Deadline 2003

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Third Congressional District Race
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The television and radio airwaves have been packed with campaign commercials. While the candidates are trying to sell their messages to the voters, here is what a few political observers think about the race.

D.C.'s Political Report Rating: Republican
Campaign & Election's Odds: 20:19 Republican
Roll Call's Outlook: Leans Republican (Shows is Roll Call's 10 most vulnerable incumbent)
Congressional Quarterly Ranking: Leans Republican
Cook Political Report Overview: Leans Republican
Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball: Leans Republican

Here are some recent awards and endorsements each candidate has received.

Republican Chip Pickering:
National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB)
American Nurses Association
Mississippi Manufacturers Association
National Taxpayer's Union
Police Benevolent Association
True Blue Award from Family Research Council

Democrat Ronnie Shows:
National Association of Social Workers PAC (NASW-PACE)
Friend of Farm Bureau Award
Alliance for Retired Americans
Veterans of Foreign Wars PAC (VFW-PAC)

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Local Politics
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CALHOUN CITY - The municipal election delayed from May 2001 will be held on December 10 for a term ending June 2004. Party primaries will be held on November 12. Iris M. Fykes (D) in Ward 1, Marshall Coleman (D) in Ward 2 and Larry Bratton (R) in Ward 3 face no opposition. Dale Hays (D) and David Magness (D) will face each other in the primary for the Ward 4 post. Incumbent Wayne Crocker (D) faces challenger Kitt Bryant III (D) in the Ward 5 primary. Incumbent Mayor Chodie T. Myers Jr. (R) faces Barbara Fox in the Republican Primary.

CANTON - The Democratic Primary in Canton chose incumbent Canton Mayor Alice Scott over Rev Isaac Jackson Jr. She will face independents Fred Esco and Elizabeth Parsons in the October 22 general election, delayed from last year. Incumbent alderman at-large Dr. William Truly defeated Jerry Lousteau and will face Thomas Johnson in the general. Incumbent Ward 1 Alderman William Mosby defeated Rev. Leroy Luckett and Joe Ann Pheal with no opposition in the general. Ward 2 Alderman Jon T. Flynn was unopposed in the Democratic primary but faces Edward Thompson in the general election. Incumbent Ward 3 Alderman S.K. Desai defeated Cleotha Williams but will face former Ward 3 Alderman Charles Weems and Gregory Johnson in the general election. Ward 4 Alderman Louis Smith and Robert Chinn will face each other in a runoff on Tuesday after defeating Dorothy Thornton and Jimmie D. McKay in the primary. Ward 5 Alderman Kenneth Wayne Jones defeated Milton Harper in the primary and will face Clarence Pace in the general. Ward 6 Alderman Eric. T. Gilkey was unopposed.

LINCOLN COUNTY - On September 17, the $3.8 million school bond vote surpassed the necessary 60% vote to pass with 69% of the approximately 1,600 ballots. In unofficial results: 1,108 people voted for the bond issue while 509 votes were cast against it.

MARION COUNTY - A special election will be held in November for the District 2 seat of the Marion County School Board. The candidate elected will complete the term of Stephen Robbins who resigned in February, citing personal reasons. After his resignation, Robbins' wife Shirley Diane Robbins was appointed until the special election. In his resignation, Robbins clamed Shirley would not run for the position in the special election; however, she has since announced that she has qualified and will run for the post. She will face candidates Jodi Edwards and Houston Keith Stuckey. The term for the District 2 Seat will end Dec. 31, 2004. Voters will also choose between Bernard Nelson and Ben Sones for the District 5 School Board seat in a regularly scheduled election.

RICHLAND - Robert Craft won the alderman runoff election on September 24 with 361 votes to Don McMillan's 225 votes. Craft will succeed Clara Nell Mancil who resigned July 23 citing health problems. Tommy D. Eady and Anthony Moore did not make the runoff. Aldermen in Richland are elected at-large with no ward lines.

SOUTHAVEN - Mayor Greg Davis (R) gave a speech for the city's 9-11 Service with about 10,000 people in attendance. Lee Greenwood was the featured guest. Davis has been mentioned as a potential statewide candidate in 2003 or 2007.

WINSTON COUNTY - A special election will be held for Justice Court Judge Post One West. Eleven candidates have qualified: Thaniel Anthony, Robert Beck Sr, Gary Clark, Victor Creekmore, Nadine Maxey Estes, Cully Hudspeth, Terry Kelley, Rex Allen Smith, Charles Smyth, Billy Joe Webb Jr and John Albert Young. Last year Winston County held an election for their other justice court post and 24 candidates qualified.

YAZOO COUNTY - A Yazoo County Circuit jury threw out the results of the disputed 1999 District 5 supervisor's election and ordered a special election on the ballot during the November general election between the two candidates: incumbent Cobie Collins and challenger McArthur Straughter. Collins won the District 5 supervisor's election by 36 votes on Nov. 2, 1999.

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Images Page
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The MagnoliaReport.com Images Page has been updated. Currently there are a few pictures from Congressman Chip Pickering's campaign showing him being honored by the Family Research Council for having a perfect voting record (100%) on pro-life and pro-family issues during the 107th Congress, attending a press conference in the Cannon Building in Washington, DC discussing medical malpractice, and at the Relay for Life on the National Mall in Washington DC. Feel free to e-mail political pictures to be considered for the Images Page.

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Final Word
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Following the announcement by US Senator Bob "The Torch" Torricelli (D-NJ) that he would not finish his campaign for reelection, and the subsequent push by National Democrats to appoint someone else in his place, the following joke is making the rounds in Mississippi Republican circles. "Ole Miss Chancellor Robert Khayat is expected to announce Thursday that Ole Miss will not play #8 ranked Florida in football this Saturday. Instead, representing Ole Miss, will be the University of Miami (#1)."

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Magnolia Political Report, 2002
Brian Perry, Editor
MagnoliaReport.com
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© Magnolia Political Report 2002 • PO Box 24233 Jackson, Mississippi 39225
FAX 601.355.7885 • scoop@magnoliareport.com
Brian Perry, Editor