AP Covers 1st District Race

Laurel Leader Call:

If you listen to Mississippi Democrats long enough, they’ll have you thinking a rising tide is going to sweep another member of their party to Capitol Hill.

They point to Democratic gains in the Mississippi Legislature and the Democrat-controlled Congress.

Certainly, they reason, voters in the state want to align themselves with the political majority in Washington, and ostensibly have more of a say in the nation’s policies through those they elect.

Mississippi has two open seats in the U.S. House. One in the state’s 1st District and the other in the 3rd District.

It would be a sucker’s bet that Democrats could win 3rd District since it encompasses a heavily Republican constituency.

That’s why Democrats are focusing on the 1st District.

Mississippi already has two Democratic congressmen — U.S. Reps. Bennie Thompson and Gene Taylor. The state’s Republican congressmen, U.S. Reps. Chip Pickering and Roger Wicker, are leaving their posts.

Pickering, who represents the 3rd District, announced that he wouldn’t seek re-election this year. Gov. Haley Barbour last week appointed Wicker, who represents the 1st District, to the seat left vacant with the retirement of U.S. Sen. Trent Lott, another Republican.

Wicker will serve until a special election is held Nov. 4, and then he’ll be a candidate in that election to serve out the remainder of Lott’s term, which runs through 2012.

Democrats see this as the optimal time to win back the 1st District, held by powerhouse Democrat Jamie Whitten for more than half a century before Wicker was elected in 1994.

First elected in 1941, Whitten reached the pinnacle of his influence in 1979, when he was selected by his colleagues as chairman of the powerful House Appropriations Committee. Whitten also chaired the House agricultural subcommittee.

The Democrats are banking on history to win a slice of the state’s congressional future. Never mind that the Republican Wicker has been re-elected six times in the north Mississippi region.

Mississippi Democratic Party Chairman Wayne Dowdy, a former congressman himself, said the party would field “strong” candidates in the 1st District.

Potential Democratic contenders mentioned for the 1st District are state Rep. Steve Holland of Plantersville, former state Rep. Jamie Franks of Mooreville and Prentiss County chancery clerk Travis Childers of Booneville.

Republicans resolve to retain the district.

“It’s very important that we do maintain that as a Republican seat because this has national implications ... particularly in the House of Representatives where we want to regain control,” said Mississippi GOP Chairman Jim Herring.

Republicans considering a run for the district include former Tupelo Mayor Glenn McCullough, who is also a former member of the board of the Tennessee Valley Authority; state Sen. Alan Nunnelee of Tupelo and Southaven Mayor Greg Davis.

Dowdy acknowledged the 3rd District will be “a little more difficult” for his party to win. The district was redrawn earlier this decade after the state lost a congressional seat. Democrats said the plan favored Pickering, who defeated U.S. Rep. Ronnie Shows, D-Miss., in 2002.

Some GOP candidates for Pickering’s seat are former state Sen. Charlie Ross of Brandon, Madison County businessman David Landrum, former Pickering aide John Rounsaville of Madison and Gregg Harper, an attorney from Pearl.

The only known Democrat in the 3rd District is Joel Gill, a cattle broker from Pickens.