Republicans: Rickey Cole is a Democrat / Cole: Duh.

Republicans have a mailer out attacking the qualified, capable, and so far scandal free Rickey Cole because their candidate is vulnerable and generally not well liked.

Here is the Cole campaign's response to the statewide mailer:

he Mississippi Republican Party's only mailout in the race for Commissioner of Agriculture was delivered to voters yesterday and today, and it barely mentions Republican nominee Lester Spell. Spell was elected twelve years ago as a Democrat, and is running his first election as a Republican nominee.

Virtually all of the text on the mail piece comments on Rickey Cole, the Democratic nominee for Agriculture Commissioner. Cole, who served as chairman of the Mississippi Democratic Party from August 2001 until July 2004, is criticized by the Republican-sponsored mailout for having worked for and supported Democratic candidates. Cole responded "It isn't exactly a news flash that I am a Democrat. I am proud to carry the nomination of my party, and plan to carry it to victory on Tuesday."

The mailout mentions the fact that Rickey Cole attended the Democratic National Convention in 2000 as an Al Gore delegate, and in 2004 as a John Kerry delegate. What the Republicans omit is that then-Democrat Lester Spell was also a Gore delegate to the 2000 Democratic National Convention, and that in May of 2004, just months before he switched parties, Spell signed a pledge at the state Democratic convention to support John Kerry for President.

"There's an old saying that if you can't say anything good about someone, you ought not to mention their name. While the Republicans don't generally follow that principle, it looks like they couldn't find anything good to say about Lester Spell. About all they could do was mention his name." said Cole.

"With the potential retirement of Senator Cochran, Mississippi would lose our last influential voice for agriculture in Washington. I have worked with many of the Democratic leaders currently in power in both houses of the congress, and as commissioner I can build upon those connections to benefit Mississippi agriculture. My opponent is a man without a party, with no ties to the Democratic party that put him in office and no confidence from the Republican party he joined after the beef plant failure. Spell has no credibility, no influence and no future."

Strong conservative John Goodman offers his take in these excerpts:

I'm confused by the postcard's statement "Rickey Cole led the charge to kick conservatives out of 'his' Democratic Party." Huh? As I recall, he wanted more conservatives in the Democratic Party. He was afraid the state Democratic Party would become so liberal it would be a constant loser. Actually, the purge started AFTER he stepped down as party chair. I'd like to see evidence Cole led the charge to expel conservatives out of the Democratic Party.

As for the beef plant failure, wasn't there a goat farm failure too? Now maybe Cole is no flaming conservative like Spell. But since when is it "conservative" to waste taxpayer dollars on frivolous and idiotic projects? At least Cole knows SOMETHING about farming. Spell has been a veterinarian until he got into politics. What does HE KNOW about farming?

Let's do the state a great service on November 6th. Let's vote in an honorable man and a knowledgeable farmer for MDAC Commissioner. Let's all vote for Rickey Cole.

Let us hope that we are viewing the last grasps at state power for Lester Spell and that we will see a new day for Mississippi agriculture and consumers when Rickey Cole is elected our next Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce.

Papers Endorse Rickey Cole for Commissioner of Agriculture

The Hattiesburg American:

Rickey Cole, 41, who grew up on a truck farm in Ovett and is the former chairman of Mississippi's Democratic Party, brings strong ideas to the table.

Most importantly, he does not bring the baggage of Mississippi's $55 million bailout of the failed beef plant in 2004 - which happened on Spell's watch and for which he refuses to take any responsibility.

Cole would refocus the marketing arm of the department and work on ways to connect Mississippi farmers to wholesalers and retailers. He wants to put more Mississippi produce into Mississippi grocery stores. He would revamp the "Make Mine Mississippi" program and the farmers market in downtown Jackson, which he says was poorly thought out and has not paid back the state's investment.

The Clarion Ledger:

The 2007 race for the post of commissioner of agriculture and commerce shouldn't even be a contest, given the incumbent's inability to take responsibility for himself in office.

A wag could put it as incumbent Lester Spell against the beef plant. In this, the state loses both ways: with Spell refusing to take responsibility for the $55 million fiasco, and the fiasco itself. But, really, it's Spell vs. Spell.

But, if the plant were not an issue, how would Spell measure up? Not well.

Before the beef plant idea darkened the state's door, Spell's Southern States Meat Goat Cooperative brainchild also flopped, though less expensively and, hence, less noticeably. And, after the goat plant and as the beef plant unfolded, Spell destroyed the old and beloved Farmer's Market in Jackson in favor of a new one he wanted at the Fairgrounds that also has been unsuccessful.

The department needs a fresh approach from top to bottom, Cole told The Clarion-Ledger Editorial Board, and he's right. He wants to have the department objectively evaluated by a performance audit to determine most efficient use of taxpayer money. He wants to empower family farmers and develop resources to promote "niche" farming to help local communities' economic development. He will return accountability and support agriculture, not impose it, or waste resources.

It's time for a change. Cole is the best choice on Nov. 6.

Rickey Cole is the best choice. He deserves your consideration and support. He will be an excellent public servant and will help all of Mississippi move towards prosperity.

Cole VS. _____ in Ole Miss' Paper

The College Democrats and College Republicans at Ole Miss agreed to do a series of opposing editorials on several candidates. One of those was the race for Agricultural Commissioner. When time came for both to present their work the Republicans backed out of attempting to defend Lester Spell. Here is an excerpt of the Democrats' column on the choice for commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce:

Cole, on the other hand, has been an impressive candidate.

He vows to restore the "Country-of-Origin" labeling requirement for meat products sold in Mississippi, something that's been on the books for a while but not enforced. This is probably a good thing to have in place if there's another Mad Cow Disease scare, something that has no cure and is 100 percent fatal.

He also wants to do a better job of networking and marketing local growers and buyers.

Some people feel that cutting the state's grocery tax would put localities in a bad position. But what about the additional "fuel tax" that the people of this state have to pay for crops that are being grown elsewhere and then shipped here?

There are many factors that influence the price that is paid in the store for produce, but the price increases over the past three years, due to transportation costs alone for many vegetables in Mississippi grocery stores, is higher than the seven percent grocery tax rate itself.

Importation may not have been a big issue when the average unleaded regular price was $1.89 a gallon back in 2004, but it's nearly a dollar higher today.

The column is written by Jesse Johnson. Check It Out.