Statewide Races I'm Watching (and perhaps you'd like to, too)

STATEWIDE
You should watch the races for Governor, Attorney General, and Treasurer for big spreads.

Haley Barbour (R), Jim Hood (D) and Tate Reeves (R) will all win big.

The two races that will be nail bitingly close are the races for Agricultural Commissioner and Insurance Commissioner.

The race for Agricultural Commissioner features scandal-tainted party-switcher Lester Spell (R) and farmer and Democratic activist Rickey Cole (D).

The race for Insurance Commissioner features State Senator Mike Chaney (R) who has taken tens of thousands from insurance interests and former Mississippi Chief Financial Officer Gary Anderson (D). Anderson would be the first statewide African-American elected official.

Though losing at least half of the statewide races Democrats will retain their majority in the State House and regain their majority in the State Senate.

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.

Rickey Cole for Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce

Rickey Cole is the Democratic nominee for Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce. His opponent is Democrat turned Republican Lester Spell. Major issues in the race include the failed culled cow "beef plant," getting farmers crops to places of sale, proper regulation of grocery stores and gas stations and "country of origin labeling." Rickey Cole is the best choice for the office of Agricultural Commissioner.

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.

Cole and Spell @ The Debate

The following is one student's firsthand summary account of last night's debate provided exclusively to Cotton Mouth:

"The winner of Tuesday night's Agriculture Commissioner debate was Rickey Cole without question. Throughout the night, the 211 member audience sat anxiously to hear Commissioner Lester Spell's reason as to why the infamous $55 million dollar beef plant failed and who is to blame. Without hesitation, Spell took the lower road and accepted no blame as to the beef plant's demise. Rickey Cole charismatically mentioned how Spell should take some of the blame stating how Commissioner Spell refuses to take "1/14th of the blame," referring to the 14-member Land, Water and Timber Resources Board that initially pushed the project.

When November 6th arrives, citizens are going to remember the one question Rickey Cole asked Lester Spell; "Where's the beef?"

Democratic Candidate For Agricultural Commissioner Rickey Cole

Charlie Mitchell in the Sun Herald on the Ag. Race

The Sun Herald:

It's not about the beef plant, or at least it's not all about the failed facility at Oakland that cost Mississippi taxpayers at least $50 million.

That's a point on which the party nominees for commissioner of agriculture and commerce - Dr. Lester Spell for the Republicans and Rickey Cole for the Democrats - agree.

It's kind of surprising that they do because Spell, in office for 12 years, has been taking a lot of hits in the state's press about the implosion at Mississippi Beef Processors along with myriad jabs from Cole.

But until election day, Cole said in an interview, his focus will be on two questions: "Is your food safe?" and "Do you know where your food comes from?"

It's about the beef plant, the goat meat processing facility, the new Jackson farmers market and a half dozen smaller failures. We need someone with vision who won't simply sign the check without asking the necessary questions.

Before becoming a mover and a shaker in state Democratic politics and to a large degree since, Cole has been involved with his family's vegetable, timber, livestock, grain and hay production at Ovett in Jones County. He now lives in Utica in Hinds County, but says his experience in direct farm-to-market operations is a recipe for rural Mississippi.

"Everybody wants a Nissan factory," he said, "but it's the little businesses that make the economy grow." He told of a dairyman telling him he was selling his herd because he couldn't break even. On his way home, Cole said, he paid a record price for a gallon of milk.

Cole believes it's entirely possible for the Department of Agriculture and Commerce to foster food-crop operations in Mississippi that could operate year-round jobs and pay workers in the $14-per-hour range plus benefits. Cole said networking local growers with local buyers could save energy, keep shipping costs down and super-boost profits because consumers would pay premium prices for commodities that were fresh and wholesome.

Amen!

Small businesses create far more jobs than huge ones, but because they are spread out and gradual politicians don't usually focus on them. As Cole says you won't see the governor there when a farmer gets a bigger order and plants another row of his crop or when the barber adds a chair for his son to have a job for 40 years, but those are the jobs that build and sustain communities. We should value them and do all we can to support them. We don't generally have to bribe those folks to create jobs here.

The Sun Herald:

Rickey Cole In The Mississippi Press

The Mississippi Press:

"I will do the job much differently than it is currently being done," Ricky Cole said. "We will work to restore the department's credibility with the public and rebuild effective working relationships."

Cole served as the chairman of the Mississippi Democratic Party for three years and managed a vegetable market for 15 years. He faces 11-year incumbent Lester Spell for the post in the Nov. 6 general election.

...

"Agriculture is not some antiquated exercise in nostalgia. Mississippi farmers and cattlemen are small-business men, and most run sophisticated, wealth-producing enterprises that have major impacts on local economies," Cole said.

The Mississippi Press

Rickey Cole in the Hattiesburg American

The Hattiesburg American:
On Lester Spell criticizing him:

Told that Spell earlier on Wednesday had called him a "liberal Democrat who's misleading the voters," Cole replied, "He and I were both delegates for Al Gore to the Democratic National Convention in 2000. He and I both signed a pledge of support to John Kerry in 2004."

On the Beef Plant:

"Had I been commissioner, knowing what they knew then, I would not have been supportive of the beef plant," he said. "It was a huge investment in a business that was at the very bottom of the market."

With a realistic approach to immigration:

Asked if Mississippi industries should be punished if they hire illegal workers, Cole said, "I don't believe any right-thinking government official in this country would tell employers we're coming to fine you today for hiring illegal aliens and we're going to shut your operation down. ... The economy would grind to a halt."

The Hattiesburg American

A Funny Thing Happened At The Gas Pump

From a press release:

Agriculture Commissioner Lester Spell is apparently listening to challenger Rickey Cole’s speeches. For several weeks now, Cole has been mentioning the fact that the fuel pumps at Hubbard’s truck stop at the intersection of highways 27 and 18 in Utica had not been inspected by Spell’s office since April of 2005. This weekend, Cole noticed that each of the pumps at the station was sporting not just the usual one but three shiny new yellow inspection stickers boldly bearing “Lester Spell, Jr. D.V.M.” in prominent letters.

On his way from Ovett to Utica yesterday, Cole stopped in Collins and in Ferguson (just north of Monticello) and photographed inspection stickers at stations in those towns. The pump in Collins was last inspected in May of 2006. The pump in Ferguson hasn’t had a visit from Spell’s crack team of inspectors since February of 2003.

Whomever Spell sent to Utica to inspect the pumps at the truck stop must not have had enough time to work the whole town. The pumps at the Pit Stop on Highway 18 in Utica haven’t been inspected since April of 2005. Perhaps most disconcerting, the fuel pumps at the recently reopened convenience store at Highway 27 and Cayuga Street in Utica have not been inspected since April of 2005, even though that store just reopened a few months ago after having been closed for more than a year.

On his campaign website, Spell claims that he will “continue strong enforcement of consumer protection laws that insure safe foods and correct pricing in grocery stores and make sure customers get what they pay for at the gas pumps.”

Cole responded “Fuel pump accuracy and fuel quality hit Mississippi consumers in the pocketbook every day. Gasoline is just too high for any inaccuracy to be tolerated. Consumers can see for themselves that there are pumps around the state that Spell has not inspected for years. Once again, we have seen that Spell’s true performance in office falls far short of his self-promoting rhetoric. His credibility gap is so wide you could drive every cull cow in Mississippi through it sideways.”

Hey, Lester, Where’s the Beef Label?

From a press release:
Agriculture Commissioner candidate Rickey Cole called on incumbent Agriculture Commissioner Lester Spell to enforce state law that requires retailers to label all fresh and frozen beef with the name of the country where it was produced.

“Mississippi’s country-of-origin labeling law has been on the books for nearly five years,” said Cole, who will face Spell in the November 6 general election for state agriculture commissioner. “It is high time for Lester to wake up, do his job and enforce the law.”

State regulations that became effective Jan. 1, 2003, require all retailers who sell fresh or frozen unprocessed cuts of beef and ground beef to provide specific information as to the origin of that beef. The state department of agriculture is responsible for enforcing the law.

But no enforcement action is evident in retail stores around the state.

“Go to any grocery store in Mississippi and try to find a country-of-origin label on a pack of fresh beef,” Cole said. “Why won’t Lester stand up for Mississippi consumers and cattlemen?

“The big corporate beef packers are mixing foreign beef from Mexico, South America and who knows where into our fresh beef supply, and Spell just looks the other way. In light of recent ‘mad cow’ outbreaks and beef recalls, Mississippians have a right to know where their beef is coming from.”

Spell has written a long article on country-of-origin labeling, emphasizing his role in the Chinese catfish scare earlier this year. The article was printed in the Market Bulletin, a publication of Spell’s agency, and in this month’s Farm Bureau magazine.

Spell makes no mention of beef or his agency’s responsibilities to enforce beef labeling laws in the article. Spell does write “I am asking for your (the consumer’s) strict awareness of the country of origin labeling (COOL) on imported goods in retail establishments.”

Cole responded: “It is pretty ironic that Lester would tell the public to use ‘strict awareness of the country-of-origin labeling’ when his office is giving no attention to the enforcement of a law that would make it much easier for the public to be aware of the country of origin of the beef they feed their families.

“Maybe since his involvement with the failed Beef Plant, Lester just can’t bring himself to even talk about beef anymore. “
To read the state Department of Agriculture and Commerce regulations on country-of-origin labeling, go to: www.mdac.state.ms.us/n_library/agency_info/reg_laws/pdf/reg_conpro_meatlabel.pdf

See Democratic Candidates Live And In Person

Join Rob Smith, Jamie Franks, Gary Anderson, Rickey Cole, Rudy Warnock, Lynn Posey, and Shawn O'Hara will be speaking at the Mississippi Democratic Club in Jackson Saturday.

The Club will meet at the Jackson Municipal Art Gallery at 839 North State Street in Jackson. (Parking is available at the rear from North President Street.)

Saturday, September 8, 2007 from 9:30 - 11:30 am.

I'm leaning towards going so if you do go there's a chance you might get to meet the Cotton Mouth himself.

Rickey Cole in Downtown Jackson on Labor Day

Rickey Cole wins a spot in my heart by being the only statewide candidate to introduce good props.

At the Neshoba County Fair he had fly-swatters to bat away the flies that he said should follow around Lester and his rotten meat.

Now he has a meat hook to hold up and ask if there should be a very expensive cattle carcass be on it.

"(Incumbent Lester Spell) built a farmers market for 4 million of your tax dollars and they didn't take in enough money last year to pay the light bill." ... "That's not helping anybody, but the contractors that built that building and by the way you will see the names of the contractors that built that building on my opponent's campaign finance report. Follow the money."

Rickey Cole Rightfully Rips Spell in Greenwood

In addittion to hammering Lester Spell on the culled cow beef plant that he engineered and sold to legislature with a final price tag of $55 million dollars Rickey Cole found other failures in Lester Spell's recent history.

"Lester Spell spent $4 million on a Farmer's Market in Jackson," Cole told the group. "And it isn't taking in enough money to pay the light bill."

In his speech at the Neshoba County Fair I heard Spell defend his farmers market saying that there was a waiting list of folks wanting to have space at the market. A good question in response to that would be to ask why it is only open 3 mornings a week if the demand is so great.

Cole went on to say that Spell claims to have conducted 4,500 supermarket inspections in 2006.

"You know how many inspectors he has?" Cole asked the crowd.

After one man guessed 100, Cole told him the correct answer is 10.

"(Spell) is telling us with a straight face they did a thorough inspection with those 10 people," Cole said. "That means if those 10 inspectors worked 225 days last year, they did two stores a day. He might have done it, but he didn't do a very good job."

People expect that the food they buy at the grocery store will be safe. It is the job and duty of the Commissioner of Agriculture's office to do so. Has he accomplished his job? I don't think so.

Cole, a native of Ovett who now lives in Utica, said that while 16 people will be running for state offices in November, he is the lone candidate with rustic credentials. He also is the only one who can claim to be a farmer.

"I tell people I never did fall off the turnip truck," Cole added. "I just kept on driving.

"My home is 18 miles from the nearest incorporated town," said Cole. "When I leave, the population goes down by 10 percent."

Cole told the crowd he feels not enough is done to promote Mississippi's rural atmosphere and blue-collar culture, something he feels is the state's real strength.

I've advocated the election of Mike Sumrall partially do the regional diversity he'd bring to state government as a candidate from South Mississippi; Cole is the only candidate who would provide a rural voice in state government and I think you'd have to agree that that is a voice that is very much needed.

"There is no easy way to fix all our problems," Cole said. "But we can't fix it with one huge project. Economic development is small businesses opening. It's the people who need $10,000 or $50,000 to start a business that my office will come to work with."

Huge economic development projects (usually) look good and help politicians of both parties win re-election, but it is the Viking Range' of our state that really create jobs and support communities and if we strive to find and support home grown businesses we will be able to benefit the state far more with far less effect on our state budget. For no more irresponsible investment in failed projects while being open to supporting expanded local business a vote for Rickey Cole is the right one.

The Greenwood Commonwealth Article

First Paid Advertising for Cole and Smith?

I spotted this on the WLBT "Decision 2007" page.



I think this is the first paid advertising (other than signs and literature) for both candidates.

Justice is (partially) Served

Richard Hall (not the highway commissioner) was sentenced today.

From the Clarion Ledger:

The former owner of a beef processing plant that went belly-up, costing the state $55 million, was sentenced today to eight years in federal prison.

Richard Hall Jr. pleaded guilty in January 2006 to state mail-fraud charges and federal money-laundering charges.

He was given the maxium eight years during sentencing before U.S. District Judge Neal Biggers.

...

Biggers also ordered Carothers to pay a $40,000 fine, $250,000 in restitution to the state and the costs of his imprisonment, which will be determined by the Bureau of Prisons. The sentence was the maximum allowed under federal guidelines. Carothers is president of Carothers Construction Co., which built the 140,000-square-foot facility in 2003.

The most a judge can do is make these guys in the private sector do is pay a fine and make them do some time.

Voters can make their voices heard by voting for new watchdogs over agriculture and money by election the very capable Rickey Cole as Agricultural Commissioner and the very qualified Mike Sumrall as State Auditor.

Failed Beef Plant is Spell's Fault

Democratic nominee for Commissioner of Agriculture Rickey Cole charged today that incumbent Republican Agriculture Commissioner Lester Spell should bear most of the blame for wasting $55 million in taxpayer money on a failed beef plant.

“Lester Spell is the only elected official in this state who bears the full-time responsibility of promoting and protecting Mississippi Agriculture,” Cole said. “And in the instance of the beef plant, Spell failed miserably. The buck stops with Lester Spell.”

“His surrogates and ghost writers can blame it on the Legislature, the Mississippi Development Authority, Richard Hall, Mississippi State, the Chinese, global warming, or bad karma,” Cole said. “But in all state government matters involving agriculture in Mississippi, Lester Spell is, by virtue of his office, the principal voice, the ‘biggest bull in the woods’, so to speak.”

Cole served three years as chairman of the Mississippi Democratic Party and worked full-time for fifteen years growing and marketing fresh produce from his family’s 160 acre farm near Ovett. On the November 6thballot he faces Spell, a newly-converted Republican who served twenty years as Mayor of Richland before being elected agriculture commissioner as a Democrat twelve years ago.

Cole, has criticized Spell’s failed beef plant, calling it nothing more than a poorly planned scheme to open a “potted meat plant”. While Spell’s friends have defended him in letters that have appeared in several newspapers, Cole said that won’t help.

“Were there other elected officials involved?” Cole said. “Of course, and they have constituents in their districts who are no doubt asking them pointed questions during this election year."

“But there is only one candidate on the ballot in all eighty-two counties who can be held to account for the failure of the Beef Plant. And that candidate is the same man who, by virtue of his office, could have publicly sounded the alarm and stopped the beef plant project dead in its tracks.”

Cole said that Spell failed to do adequate research, made colossal errors in judgment, ignored expert advice and stubbornly pushed ahead long after the project was clearly doomed. And, Cole said, Spell has tried to shift blame to others rather than apologize to the people.

“Without the vocal and energetic support of our distinguished, learned and esteemed Commissioner of Agriculture Dr. Lester Spell, DVM (Spell is a veterinarian), there would never have been a Beef Plant, and the taxpayers would never have lost $55 million dollars,” Cole said.

“That is a fact which Spell and his surrogates cannot obscure, no matter how many letters they write to editors, no matter how many expensive ads they buy, and no matter how many convoluted explanations they make,” Cole said. “They need to remember an old axiom of politics: ‘When you're explaining, you’re losing.”

How I Will Vote In The Democratic Primary

Governor: Though I have said that "Louis" Fondren is the hardest working candidate out there and I respect that, I would like to have a candidate who has a chance against Barbour. I will happily cast my vote for John Arthur Eaves and watch the fireworks as he further gets under Haley Barbour's skin.

Lt. Governor: This is simple. Vote for Jamie Franks as the Democratic nominee. He's a good man and an excellent candidate.

Secretary of State: Rob Smith has more experience and expertise, but a man who won't raise money on principle is also a man who will lose in November. John Windsor is an excellent candidate and he has a good campaign team. They can win this and I'm voting for him.

State Auditor: We are lucky in this race to have three good candidates and I suspect it will go to a runoff. Brand and Ray are both good campaigners and are able. One of the two will end up as the nominee. Mike Sumrall is the only candidate in either party with experience in the Auditor's office and if the position were appointed he would be selected. As a candidate who is so clearly qualified and able I must cast my vote for Mike Sumrall.

Attorney General: Jim Hood has done an outstanding job and I'm looking forward to 4 more years.

State Treasurer: Write in William Winter. He likely doesn't want it, but there is likely no better man in Mississippi politics.

Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce: Rickey Cole is a personal friend and the only candidate that qualified. I'll gladly cast my vote for him.

Commissioner of Insurance: "Politicians and diapers need to be changed frequently, often for the same reason." George Dale has been in office since 1976. Now that he is waist deep in insurance company contributions it is time he is retired and replaced with new blood. I will vote for Gary Anderson.

(I've brought this up again for people who said they had trouble finding it)

Beef Plant Edition

I believe I snapped this one during Lester Spell's speech.

Max Phillips was the Republican nominee in 2003 and is attempting to beat Lester Spell in that primary this year.

Rickey Cole is the Democratic nominee and of the 3 appeared to have the most passion and best speech.

Here is the man himself. He said he wanted a "positive campaign" roughly a dozen times and failed to even attempt to defend his handling of the beef plant.