Barbour stops at nothing to protect Big Tobacco

Tomorrow, legislators return to Jackson to try once again to fill the $90 million hole in Medicaid.

Governor Barbour wants to tax hospitals to fill the gap, and while hospitals have agreed to pay such a tax, they would rather tobacco be taxed.

By threatening cuts the governor has attempted to force hospital administrators and employees to agree with his position. In fact, when questioned about their stated support for the governor's plan, representatives of the Mississippi Hospital Association testified to a House committee that they preferred the cigarette tax but were told by the governor that the hospital tax was the only option available. (Speaker of the House, Billy McCoy, to the Clarion Ledger.)

The tax will inevitably be passed on to the patients and insurance companies (because premiums aren't already high enough).

The House wants to levy a cigarette tax, not a big surprise since they were pushing this during the regular session as well.

According to numerous studies and sources, including the Partnership For a Healthy Mississippi:

Tobacco-related illnesses claims the lives of 4,700 Mississippians every year.

Tobacco use by pregnant women is a leading cause of low birth-weight infants.

Cigarette smoking doubles the likelihood of a stroke.

Teens who smoke are 3-times more likely as nonsmokers to use alcohol, 8-times more likely to use marijuana, and 22-times more likely to use cocaine.

Cigarette smokers are 2 - 4-times more likely to develop coronary heart disease than nonsmokers.

Exposure to secondhand smoke has been shown to hamper cognitive development
in children.

Tobacco's Impact to Mississippi Taxpayers
Treatment of tobacco-related illness costs the Mississippi Healthcare System $719 million each year.

Treatment of tobacco-related illness costs the state's taxpayer-supported Medicaid program $264 million each year.

For every individual Mississippian who pays taxes, $534 of your money goes to Medicaid pay to treat tobacco related illness in the state.

Tobacco use is linked to $1.41 billion in lost worker productivity annually in the state.

Amazingly, Barbour has turned this in to a Democrat vs. Republican issue. In order to protect tobacco, Barbour has pegged the Partnership as this liberal entity, dedicated to destroying our conservative values.

Obviously, if you want to improve the quality of your life and other Mississippians, and if you want to cut spending in Mississippi, you're a crazy left-wing liberal, or you support the Partnership.

Will Childers race affect Musgrove's ambitions?

Here is a little bit more from Washington Post columnist George F. Will. He does bring up an interesting topic- if Childers wins tomorrow, how will this affect Musgrove's race- also in November.

If Childers wins on Tuesday, Davis will have another crack at him in November, when the top of the Democratic ticket, whoever it is, might be a heavy weight in Childers's saddle. But Davis had better win now because Mississippians in this district know how to split their tickets. For a House record 53 years from November 1941 to January 1995, while the South was changing from solidly Democratic to solidly Republican, Mississippi's 1st District was represented by Democrat Jamie Whitten.

In 1928, when some Southern Democrats balked at voting for their party's presidential nominee, Al Smith, a Catholic, incensed party loyalists popularized the saying, "I'd vote for a yellow dog if he ran on the Democratic ticket." There are few white "yellow dog" Democrats left in the South, but many unshakable Democrats: 36 percent of Mississippians are African American, the highest percentage of any state. Mississippi has the largest number of African American elected officials, including 47 of 174 state legislators. If Obama becomes the Democratic nominee, stimulating African American turnout, Musgrove's Senate candidacy could benefit, leading the national Democratic Party to open its wallet for him.

So a Childers win on Tuesday would be a scary harbinger, and not only for House Republicans. Senate Republicans might have an unanticipated worry in an unlikely state.

Wicker leading Musgrove in campaign cash

Currently, Wicker has out-raised Musgrove by a hefty amount. This, of course, is no great surprise to us since Republicans always outraise the Democrats. The Musgrove camp, however, has done some research on where exactly all the money has come from. (Keep in mind, there are limits on donations to Federal campaigns.) I hate to put up such a long post, but it's interesting.

From the Clarion Ledger:

Republican Sen. Roger Wicker has raised more than five times the campaign cash raised by his Democratic rival, former Gov. Ronnie Musgrove. Wicker raised about $2.5 million in the first three months of the year and Musgrove raised about $447,000, according to summary pages of Federal Election Commission filings released by the candidates Tuesday.

"I am grateful for the wide range of support from thousands of donors throughout Mississippi and the rest of the nation who have chosen to invest in our campaign," Wicker said.

Gov. Haley Barbour appointed Wicker to fill former Sen. Trent Lott's seat until a special election in November.

Musgrove campaign spokesman Tim Phillips said Wicker raised campaign cash by "doling out pork" to contributors.

Wicker's campaign said 77 percent of the donors are Mississippians. But the senator's FEC report showed nearly a third of the money came from political action committees, which usually represent industry or other special interests.

Wicker's FEC report shows he transferred $545,000 from his House campaign account to his Senate account. After spending nearly $300,000, his campaign reported about $2.8 million in cash on hand on March 31.

Musgrove's campaign ended the reporting period with about $337,000 in cash.

From a Musgrove press release:

From 2002-2007, Wicker never opposed a single appropriations bill while they were being loaded with $122 billion in pork barrel spending, and he doled out a whopping $39 million in earmark goodies for his campaign contributors—attaching them to appropriations bills with no Congressional hearings or debate. Several earmarks, which Wicker slipped into appropriations bills, are directly linked to campaign contributions.

Pay To Play

In 2007, Wicker Obtained $6 Million Defense Earmark for Aurora Flight Sciences: In March 2007, Wicker requested an earmark for the company Aurora Flight Sciences “to develop a high altitude UAV to meet urgent national requirements for persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, beyond line of sight communications, and assist in further development of key technologies needed for long-term operations in near space.” An Army spokesman said that the Army did not request the appropriation. The final FY08 Defense Appropriations Bill then included $6 million for Aurora’s Orion High Altitude Long Endurance UAV. (Wicker Appropriations Letter, 3/22/07; Taxpayers for Common Sense Earmarks Database; “Wicker’s earmark elicits crititcism”,Washington Post, 1/16/08

In 2006, Wicker Supported $11 Million Earmark for Aurora Flight Sciences: In June 2006, Wicker touted the FY07 Defense Appropriations Bill, which included $11 million for Aurora Flight Sciences. (Wicker Press Release, 6/21/06)

In 2005, Wicker Supported $5.2 Million Earmark for Aurora Flight Sciences: In December 2005, Wicker touted the FY06 Defense Appropriations Bill, saying that Aurora Flight Services “will benefit from a $5.2 million project that includes production of an Orion-class UAV as well as flight testing, sensor installation and related activities on the vehicle.” (Wicker Press Release, 12/20/05)

Wicker Has Received $17,500 From Aurora Employees; They Were Top Donor in ’06 Cycle: Over the years, Aurora Flight Sciences have contributed at least $17,500 to Wicker’s campaigns. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Aurora Flights Sciences was the top donor to Wicker’s 2006 election, with employees contributing $13,000 that cycle. (Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 1/7/08)

Wicker Obtained $4 Million Defense Earmark for Miltec Corp: In March 2007, Wicker requested an earmark for Miltec Research and Technology, to develop sensor technology. The final FY08 Defense Appropriations Bill then included $4 million for Miltec. (Wicker Appropriations Letter, 3/22/07; Taxpayers for Common Sense Earmarks Database)

In 2006, Wicker Supported $2.5 Million Earmark for Miltec: In June 2006, Wicker touted the FY07 Defense Appropriations Bill, which included $2.5 million for Miltec Corporation. (Wicker Press Release, 6/21/06)

Wicker Has Received Over $24,000 From Miltec Employees: Over the years, Miltec employees have contributed at least $24,500 to Wicker’s campaigns and his leadership PAC, Responsibility & Freedom Work PAC. (Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 1/7/08)

Wicker Obtained $1 Million Earmark for Rite Kem: In March 2007, Wicker requested an earmark for Rite Kem to develop and produce an aircraft corrosion protective compound. The final FY08 Defense Appropriations Bill then included $1 million for Rite Kem. (Wicker Appropriations Letter, 3/22/07; Taxpayers for Common Sense Earmarks Database)

Less Than One Month After Requesting Earmark, Wicker Received Campaign Check From Company Exec: Less than one month after requesting the earmark for Rite Kem, company President Mark Lovil contributed $2,000 to Wicker’s campaign committee. (Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 1/7/08)

Wicker Obtained $1.2 Million Earmark for Radiance Technologies: In March 2007, Wicker requested an earmark for Radiance Technologies “to develop and demonstrate capabilities such as man-portable radar systems, reduced power consumption, greater target detection ranges, increased target discrimination, and lower operating cost.” The final FY08 Defense Appropriations Bill then included $1.2 million for Radiance Technologies. (Wicker Appropriations Letter, 3/22/07; Taxpayers for Common Sense Earmarks Database)

In 2006, Wicker Supported $2.5 Million Earmark for Radiance Technologies: In June 2006, Wicker touted the FY07 Defense Appropriations Bill, which included $2.5 million for Radiance Technologies. (Wicker Press Release, 6/21/06)

In 2005, Wicker Supported $3.1 Million Earmark for Radiance Technologies: In December 2005, Wicker touted the FY06 Defense Appropriations Bill, which included $3.1 million for Radiance Technologies. (Wicker Press Release, 12/20/05)

Wicker Has Received Over $5,000 From Radiance Tech Employees: Over the years, Radiance employees have contributed at least $5,500 to Wicker’s campaigns. (Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 1/7/08)

In 2006, Wicker Supported $2.5 Million Earmark for Planning Systems Inc: In June 2006, Wicker touted the FY07 Defense Appropriations Bill, which included $2.5 million for Planning Systems Inc. “to develop advanced reconnaissance technology for military aircraft to transmit real-time information to troops on the ground.” (Wicker Press Release, 6/21/06)

Wicker Has Received $8,000 From Planning Systems Inc: Over the years, Wicker has received at least $8,000 from Planning Systems Inc. PAC and employees. (Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 1/7/08)

1st CD Democrats

Here are some excerpts about Travis Childers & Steve Holland. Both were profiled in the Daily Journal last week.

Click on the names of each candidate to read the entire articles. Both articles are great potraits of each candidate.

Steve Holland:

The people Holland met seemed to enjoy the campaigning as much as the candidate. They hugged him, laughed with him, slapped him on the back and called him a "true Democrat."It wasn't always so.Holland flirted heavily with the Republican party during and after his college days at Mississippi State University. He worked on the staff of the state GOP and spent more than one year as political director on Republican U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran's staff. But Holland switched sides in 1983 to win the 16th District seat in the state House of Representatives. He also spent three years as an aide to the late Democratic U.S. Rep. Jamie Whitten. The Democratic party was a perfect fit, he said, even though he continues his friendships with old Republican pals like Gov. Haley Barbour."We have a macabre-kind of relationship today," Holland said.

Holland was born the third of six children to a family that farmed 5,000 acres. He grew up playing with his siblings and the children of various farm hands who helped work the land. Every day, Holland said, he took his meals in the pavilion behind the house where family and farmers alike sat at the same table and broke bread.In high school, Holland played right guard on the football team, weighing in at 162 pounds. But repeated hits left both his knees injured and made it difficult for Holland to stay active. Despite the aches, Holland kept his svelte physique all through college and into his first years in the Legislature.

"I would like nothing more than to have an office and a staff to help people and to give people a ray of hope," Holland said. "I've been advocating every second of my life for the least, the last, and the most vulnerable - poor folks, just like me."

Travis Childers:

"I've lived the challenges facing north Mississippi," Childers said while on the campaign trail Monday. "And I believe one person can make a difference. If you don't believe that, you shouldn't be in public service."A Democratic candidate for U.S. House of Representatives 1st District seat, Childers spent the afternoon greeting supporters in his hometown of Booneville, where he also serves as Prentiss County's chancery clerk.

Since qualifying for the election in January, Childers has kept a grueling schedule of campaigning while still working as chancery clerk and helping his wife, Tami, run the family's two businesses - Landmark Nursing Center and Landmark Community. The first is an 80-bed skilled-care facility; the second is an independent-living home with an on-site staff. He also owns Travis Childers Realty, but leaves the day-to-day operations to an associate.Childers doesn't mind the work. Nor does he consider unplugging the cell phone and drawing the shades to rest for a day."I'm a motivated person," he said. "If I want something, I don't give up until I get it."

Childers said he felt good about it, too: "I'm the underdog in this race," he said. "But I've been the underdog before."

Predications?

Anyone have any predictions or insight in to what could happen tomorrow in the runoffs?

1st Congressional District (Democrat)
Steve Holland or Travis Childers

1st Congressional District (Republican)
Glenn McCullough or Greg Davis

3rd Congressional District (Republican)
Gregg Harper or Charlie Ross

Send to your Republican Friends Across MS

From the jacksonfreepress.com:

The following e-mail went around the Sunday before the March 11 primary. When one of the JFP writers got it (through an account for an organization he volunteers with), it had the sender's name listed, as well as a list of other e-mail addresses it went to, including many people who work at a bank in Brookhaven and members of the local business press. We are seeking a comment from the sender.

From: xxxxxx@yahoo.com
Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2008 22:14:07 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Send to your Republican friends all across MS

Continue the chaos for the Democratic party by voting for Hillary Clinton on Tuesday. I know this will be hard for you, but it is more fun watching the Democrats implode. John McCain has secured the Republican nomination, and everyone is predicting that Obama will win MS easily. Don't let this happen. Keep the madness going for this party by voting for Clinton. Forward this on to all of your Republican friends across MS!

Obama Hal and Mal's Party

Around 8:00 tonight, after viewing the results from my couch for an hour, I wandered down to Hal and Mal's to the Obama results viewing party. There I ran into a lot of familiar faces from the week. Mike Meehan and Aaron (I am sorry I forget your last name), YOU GUYS ROCK. The joint was hopping with a large crowd filled with enthusiasm.

Former Governor Ray Mabus was in attendance. Mississippi state Senator Kenneth Jones from District 21, right her north of Jackson was also on hand. Senator Jones was one of the two men on stage with Senator Clinton in Canton for the JJH. He laughingly told me that he had been catching hell from his family, friends and constituency for his apparent backing of Senator Clinton. He was on stage for the Senator Clinton event due to his position as the Senator for Canton. We shared a good laugh about it.

I met a middle-aged black gentlemen from New Mexico name Jeffrey who used to be a college professor. He shared my pro-education views. He explained to me how the GOP had developed a stronghold in New Mexico, and how New Mexico's education rank had slipped into our league. He agreed with me that the GOP finds strength where poverty levels are high and education levels low. An uneducated electorate is vulnerable to the low-brow politics and deceit of the GOP.

I met a middle-aged white lady down from New Jersey. She just loved the culture and feel of Mississippi. We watched the returns for a while and I bored her to death with my delegate numbers breakdown. Somebody had to hear it, unfortunately for her. She was a good sport about it, but dissapeared like the wind, when I went to field a phone call.

I ran into a co-worker who is also a big Obama supporter. We joined together to cheer for the cameras when the live news broadcasts were run. I was always in the wrong place at the wrong time, and managed to share my ugly mug with the greater Jackson viewing area for the second time this week.

There was a black lady there who was passing out cards to garner support for a voter registration drive. She shared with me her disappointment with the 50% AA turnout, when they make up 65-70% of registered Democratic voters. I agree, but I mainly want tot see the overall total raised, and as of right now we had 400,000 show. I believe that is a record, but I can't find my numbers to verify. I will be in touch with her to see what she has going.

The crowd was a complete mixed bag of young, old, white, black, local, rural, and campaign workers from all over the US. Most of the campaign workers I met were enjoying the spirits, unwinding from an intense, sleep deprived run. Aaron was heading to North Carolina to start it over again, with the NC primary on May 5. Mike was heading home.

Tonight was a nice conclusion to the greatest week a Mississippi Democrat could have, especially if he is supporting Obama. I bought a great T-Shirt that on the back featured a "guilty" looking Chelsea Clinton and in large print, "Don't tell Mama, I voted for Obama".

Trimming fat or Cronyism?

Senate Bill 2680, which seeks to allow state agencies/departments/newly elected statewide officials to hire and fire at will for a year without the oversight of the state personal board.

The Republicans, including Haley Barbour, are touting that the state government should run like a business, and therefore, these measures are necessary in a tight budget year.

However, Democrats are arguing that this will open the state up to more litigation, and also promotes cronyism in state government.

What do you all think? (If there are any state employees who blog on here, please give us your thoughts as this may affect you.)

Great Candidate Created Stuff This Week

Cotton Mouth contacted 5 Democratic candidates running for federal office this year and asked them to do guest posts.

We put down two requirements for the posts:

1. We don't want a simple "this is why I'm running piece" because you can get that elsewhere.

2. Don't attack your primary opponents.

The first of those responses will run tomorrow with one to follow each day. Please stop by and leave some comments.

If you are a candidate and I didn't contact you, please e-mail us at cottonmouthblog AT gmail DOT com and I'd be happy to arrange to do the same for you.

W's Legacy

The Democratic Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives released a chart a few weeks back examining the legacy of George W. Bush, and it isn't pretty.

Some of the highlights include:

• The job creation rate in 2001 at 1.76 million per year, compared to an astonishing 396,000 per year in 2007
• The number of Americans living in poverty has rose from 31 million to 36 million.
• Nine million more people are uninsured since 2001.
• Median household income has decreased since 2001.
• The price of gas has gone from $1.39 to $3.07 since 2001.
• US trade deficit in 2001 - $380 billion; in 2007 - $759 billion.

While this cannot all entirely be blamed on Bush, the Republicans were also the ones in charge of Congress until 2007. For the full report, and sources, click here.

Use Football To Take Back the South For Democrats

See what could make good gun-toting, meat-eating, red-blooded Republican voters vote for Democrats.

So here is what Democrats need to do: Contact these players and their families and try to form a coalition. And the platform of the coalition, in the voice of the players' parents, will say, "As long as Southern states tend to favor the Republican party, and oppose the interests of black Americans, our sons will sign college football scholarships with northern schools. When Southern states begin to vote Democratic, supporting the interest of black Americans, our sons will be happy to play for Southern schools. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy watching Ohio State, Michigan, Missouri (go Tigers!) and others whip your Southern butts.

It involves football recruiting and could cause self-respecting Southerners to name their children "Hillary" and "Barack."

read more | digg story

Speaker vote today

In a few hours, members of the Mississippi House of Representatives will vote for the Speaker of the House, the most coveted and powerful position in the chamber.

Over the past few weeks, we have given you reasons why Jeff Smith would not make a good speaker. Bottom line: He is only in it to advance his own position in the political affairs of our state. He has done very little to support and promote education in our state; he has done even less to take care of the poor, elderly, and disabled; and he has done absolutely nothing to help the working-class families of Mississippi.

All the while, he calls himself a Democrat. If you're going to be a Democrat- be a Democrat and support their values. If you're going to stand with Haley Barbour and his corporate interests- change the D to and R.

Billy McCoy has always worked for the people of this State, and he is the only chance that we will not have a complete takeover of big business in the Capitol.

If you know any representatives, give them call or send them an e-mail and let them know how important it is that they vote for someone with the people of Mississippi at the top of his priority list.

More names added

According to the Daily Journal, a few more people are pondering a run for the 1st Congressional District seat.

Democrats: Brian Neely (Lee County attorney) & Travis Childers (Prentiss County Chancery Clerk)

Green Party: John Wages

Democrat Considering Open District 3 Seat

I heard a name today of someone looking at running for the 3rd Congressional District as a Democrat.

It's not a name y'all will have expected and as soon as I know he's public I'll let y'all know who.

I'm Currently Supporting John Edwards

I say "currently" because Democrats have so many great candidates this year that I'd be perfectly happy with most of them.

Happy Thanksgiving. Posting will be sporadic through the Thanksgiving holiday because I will be enjoying some quality time with the family as I hope you will too.

Think it doesn't happen here?

As the Department of Justice and Alberto Gonzales continue to be exposed as one of the most corrupt institutions under the Bush Administration, those of us back home would hardly think that it affected Mississippi. The reality, of course, is very different.

After months of inherently inflated accusations, and huge wastes of taxpayer dollars, Scott Horton of Harpers Weekly and Adam Lynch from the Jackson Free Press are examining the unjust prosecution of Justice Oliver Diaz and Mississippi attorney Paul Minor. The obvious links of corruption start not here in Mississippi, but in D.C. with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Supreme Court Justice Scalia and the U.S Attorney General's office.

Below are a few shocking experts from their articles and research. If there was ever in time a Mississippi to be appalled at our justice system and the Republican administration that has politicized it, today is the day.

Scott Horton piece:

Suddenly the Mississippi trial lawyers and their judicial allies found themselves facing an even hungrier and more powerful foe: the Bush White House Department of Justice. The absurdities of the Justice Department’s conduct were not lost on many observers. “I am still not sure what they did was illegal under the weak laws governing such activities, nor am I sure the government really proved its case,” observed Clarion-Ledger Editorial Director David Hampton. “It did to the jury, so that’s that, but I have my doubts as an observer. Didn’t convince me.”

“It is my opinion that there was too much of a political smell to this case. The extent the Republican Justice Department went to in going after a wealthy influential Democratic trial lawyer just seemed over the top. I’ve never seen anything like it. It was extraordinary,” Hampton added...

As the investigation began, a survey of local newspapers—particularly The Clarion-Ledger—shows that Minor and his fellow targets were under heavy assault. The local press began to print articles laden with innuendo and smear, and articles appeared accusing Minor of “corruption” based on information consistently linked to anonymous “sources close to the investigation.”

As a practical matter, the information could only have come from the prosecution team. And the timing of the leaks—for instance in 2003, when Haley Barbour returned to Mississippi ready to run for governor for the GOP—seemed to coincide with Republican campaign strategy. The leaks served a double purpose: They “poisoned the well” by predisposing the newspaper-reading citizenry to think that Minor and his colleagues were guilty; and they furnished fodder for the GOP election effort in which high-profile and prominent Democrats were constantly labeled “corrupt...”

The actual charges are almost incomprehensible. Several public integrity prosecutors told me they were unfamiliar of any similar case raising charges quite like these, calling them “strange” and “perhaps unique.” Most public corruption cases revolve on a quid pro quo: a public official is asked to do something for some form of compensation or reward. But in these cases there is no quid pro quo, and none is alleged. As The New York Times’ Adam Liptak observed: “The central charge against the two men is so convoluted that setting it out requires a diagram, if not a family tree: Trying to influence a libel case against Mr. Minor’s father, Mr. Minor guaranteed a loan to Justice Diaz’s former wife.”

Here’s my take in short: “Honest service mail fraud” is an effort to conjure a crime that does not exist. The “crime” here is purely political...

Minor went to court twice. The first trial resulted in a deadlocked jury. When time came for the second trial, Minor found that the judge had decided to change the rules. In the first trial, Minor had offered a great deal of exculpatory evidence. He showed that he had an established practice of making small loans and guaranteeing loans to his friends and colleagues in the legal community who couldn’t get them elsewhere. This included a series of loans and loan guarantees he made over a long period of time to black lawyers who had a notoriously difficult time securing credit from Mississippi’s racially biased banks.

The evidence showed that Minor’s guarantees made for the three judges allowing them to fund their reelection campaigns, were not out of character. It directly offset claims that his intent was corrupt. But as the second trial got under way, the presiding judge announced he had changed his mind about this evidence, and he was going to exclude it. This was a clear and conscious changing of the goalposts in mid-game, designed to help the prosecution get a conviction. And the second go-round produced that result.

From Adam Lynch...

Diaz pointed out that Lampton admitted to the press in 2005 that his first indictment against Diaz had little strength—because Diaz did not vote on any of Minor’s cases—but Lampton pressed the case, nonetheless.

“I did say that that case was the weakest,” Lampton conceded last week. “There are other things that I’m aware of regarding Diaz that caused me to refrain from commenting further on that, but it will come out later, and you’ll see. The Justice Department and I strongly disagreed on how to prosecute that case. The Justice Department got their way, and I believe there was sufficient evidence to convict him, but maybe not for what he was charged...”

The report recorded the U.S. attorneys’ federal investigation and/or indictment of 375 elected officials between January 2001 and December 2006. Shields’ data indicates that the offices of the U.S. attorneys across the nation investigated seven times as many Democratic officials as Republicans...

Lee County Democrats Tackle Grocery Tax in this Ad

This is almost identical to a previous ad targeting Senator Robertson in the Republican primary in Jackson Country, but how much originality is in political advertising anyway?

Big (total) Money Republicans (and smaller money Democrats)

Wow. Republicans continue to raise and spend substantially more than the Democrats. I'll be doing a cost breakdown right after the election to break down cost per vote for each candidate. Watch for it.

Front Page New York Times Story on John Eaves

The New York Times:

“The Eaves campaign, with its heavy emphasis on prayer and faith, says it is gaining with evangelicals and born-again Christians in Mississippi, a voting bloc making up perhaps half of the electorate here. And evangelicals are paying attention.”



“‘I’m a Democrat because Democrats invest in people; I’m a Democrat because I’m a Christian,’ [Eaves] said in a recent interview, after shaking hands at a diner in the courthouse town of Kosciusko. ‘Jesus came to help the people. He healed the sick, and he tried to help the poor. The Democrats’ core fiber is to help people. That was Jesus’ mission.’”

The Full New York Times Article