Lloyd Gray: Musgrove - Wicker to be a "donnybrook"

Lloyd Gray, editor of the Daily Journal, compared this years Senatorial race between Ronnie Musgrove and Roger Wicker to the 1988 contest between Trent Lott and Wayne Dowdy. Using the results from the 1988 race as a backdrop, Gray illustrates the importance of the first congressional district in the Senate race outcome. On top of that it looks like the Republicans are giving up on Greg Davis and concentrating on trying to salvage a win in the Senate race.

My advice to the Musgrove campaign. Go populist in north Mississippi. Listen to the message of Travis Childers and internalize it. By all means point out the special interest money that fuels Roger Wicker. Don't forget to point out his anti-veteran votes as well as anti-worker votes. That line of attack is a winner in north Mississippi.

The first thing Wicker has to do is carry the 1st District, and carry it big. In 1988, Lott and Dowdy basically split the rest of the state 50-50. But Lott had a higher national profile than Wicker, having been minority whip in the House and a visible member of Ronald Reagan's team, and Dowdy did not enjoy Musgrove's statewide name recognition. Additionally, there was no pull for black voters at the top of the ticket - Michael Dukakis, the Democratic nominee that year, didn't exactly excite them.

All these factors helped Lott outside his home base. Wicker will face more daunting challenges, so it is even more important that he get a huge 1st District margin - including a massive turnout in DeSoto County - as well as piling up votes in populous Republican strongholds like Rankin County scattered around the state.

Our Hearts Go Out To The Grey Ferris Family

We at Cotton Mouth have a great respect for the work and life of Grey Ferris. At his center was a good and Godly man who loved his state and worked tirelessly to improve it for his fellow citizens.

I won't bring up past fights, but I can say that my family's votes for him in his race for Lieutenant Governor in the 1999 primary are some of our proudest.

He was a decent human being and I have little doubt that at this hour he stands with his Savior. God bless him and his family.

Ronnie Musgrove, by whose side Ferris fought for education, has this comment:

“The passing of former Sen. Grey Ferris is a sad day not only for me but for all of Mississippi. My heart goes out to his wife, Jann, their two children and the rest of his family,” Musgrove said.

“Grey was a man of great character and compassion, whose legislative love was education. He was universally respected by everyone he met, whether his colleagues on the floor of the Senate or his friends and neighbors in Warren County. It has been an honor to call him my friend.”

Mississippi Democratic Party Chair Wayne Dowdy:

“Grey Ferris was a dedicated public servant who worked tirelessly with members of both political parties for the benefit of Mississippi, our residents and our children. Sen. Ferris will forever be remembered as a staunch supporter and advocate of public education, a state lawmaker who helped promote public schools while serving in the state Senate from 1992 to 2000.

“One of the senator’s greatest legacies was the fact that he, along with state Sen. Hob Bryan, were the lead authors of the Adequate Education Program – landmark legislation that revamped the public school funding formula to allow all schools to meet education standards. My sympathy and prayers go to Sen. Ferris and his family.”

He is already missed.

Wayne Dowdy Decides

Mississippi Democratic Party Chairman Wayne Dowdy has made his superdelegate decision...

From the Sun-Herald

Dowdy told The Associated Press he made his decision Wednesday after becoming convinced Obama has enough support to secure the nomination. Dowdy said he hopes Clinton is chosen for vice president.

Mississippi has seven Democrat superdelegates.

Johnnie Patton of Jackson, Everett Sanders of Natchez and Congressman Bennie Thompson are committed to Obama.

Those still uncommitted are state party Vice Chairwoman Carnelia Pettis-Fondren of Oxford and congressmen Gene Taylor and Travis Childers.

Franks for Chair

According to the Daily Journal this morning, former State Representative and candidate for lieutenant governor Jamie Franks may run for chair of the Democratic Party.

Current chair, Wayne Dowdy, will not seek reelection. Jim Herring, the chair of the Republican Party, is also stepping down this year.

Thoughts?

Wayne Dowdy Hasn't Publicly Announced

I think he's a super-delegate as party chairman so who is Wayne Dowdy going to support?

This from 3/06/08 at Mississippi's Jefferson Jackson Hamer dinner.

Dissenting Opinions On The Pro-Republican / Pro-Wicker Decision

Supreme Court Justice Graves:

GRAVES, JUSTICE, DISSENTING: ¶32. Much of what has been written by the majority in the instant case would be dismissed as mere gobbledygook but for the fact that it is being promulgated by a venerable institution in our democracy, the Mississippi Supreme Court. This majority decision erodes that veneration.

brownsox @ Daily Kos:

The majority has ruled, essentially, that a year can be intepreted as meaning 365 days, rather than a calendar year, and that the meaning of the word "shall" is ambiguous in this context and does not necessarily mean something that will occur in the future.

I agree with Justice Graves that that is a rather ridiculous intepretation, but it is what it is.

Statement by Musgrove Campaign Manager Amanda Crumley:

While it is disappointing that Governor Barbour seeks to anoint the next United States Senator from Mississippi instead of letting the people of this great state vote as quickly as possible in a currently scheduled March election and in accordance with state law, the Mississippi Supreme Court’s decision today does not change the direction of Ronnie Musgrove’s campaign for the United States Senate.

The bad news today is not that we now have a longer campaign to run, but that Mississippi will be stuck for another nine months with the same type of Washington nonsense from Roger Wicker.

Mississippi Democratic Party Chairman Wayne Dowdy:

“I respectfully disagree with the court’s decision,” Dowdy said. “We had hoped that the people would be permitted to vote as soon as possible and elect a senator rather than have a politician appoint someone to serve for a long period of time.

Republican Leadership Appoint Wicker To Seat On Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees?!? What?!?

The Democrats Respond.

From a press release:

Republican leadership in the U.S. Senate formally announced interim Sen. Roger Wicker’s committee assignments today – including a seat on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.

But with Wicker’s history of voting against veterans, his assignment on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee is surprising and troublesome.

“Sen. Wicker has proven time and again that Mississippians can’t trust him to look after our nation’s and our state’s veterans,” Wayne Dowdy, chairman of the Mississippi Democratic Party, said today.

“How can anyone think that Wicker, who has consistently voted against veterans’ health care, should be given the responsibility of caring for our servicemen and women? Wicker is clearly the wrong person for this important job and wrong for the U.S. Senate.”

Roger Wicker’s votes against veterans

While serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, Wicker voted at least 12 times against additional funding for veterans health care. Here are the votes and links where available:

• Vote No. 1050, Nov. 6, 2007

• Vote No. 87, March 17, 2005

• Vote No. 82, March 17, 2005

• Vote No. 17, Jan. 29, 2003

• Vote No. 473, Nov. 13, 2002

• Vote No. 296, July 30, 2001

• Vote No. 843, Dec. 7, 1995

• Vote No. 829, Nov. 29, 1995

• House Appropriations Committee Markup, May 10, 2006

• House Appropriations Committee Markup, July 22, 2004

• House Appropriations Committee Markup, July 21, 2003

• House Appropriations Committee Markup, July 30, 1999



Also check out our earlier post on Wicker and veterans HERE

Interim Senator Roger Wicker and Ethics

Early last month the Project on Government Oversight put out THIS report detailing possibly shady dealings in Roger Wicker's actions. That article caught Will Barwell's eye garnering THIS post discussing "Roger Wicker's Convenient Interest in Unmanned Flight." Now the Washington Post has noticed now that Wicker is a Senator and deserving of more scrutiny.

Washington Post

Over the past three years, as Aurora sought defense contracts, the Republican member of the Appropriations defense subcommittee received escalating contributions from the company's executives. Aurora was Wicker's top source of campaign funds in 2006, campaign finance records show. In 2005, the company flew the congressman on a private jet to the ribbon cutting of a manufacturing facility it opened in Wicker's Mississippi district.

And just days after Wicker's chief of staff, John Keast, left his employ in 2006, Aurora began listing the former staffer on public forms as one of its lobbyists in Washington. Wicker placed the earmark in a defense appropriations bill that became law in November 2007.

The Democrats Respond:

“Roger Wicker is the poster child for quid pro quo politics, repaying campaign cash with an even more generous earmark,” said Wayne Dowdy, chairman of the Mississippi Democratic Party.

“Sen. Wicker was elected to look out for the people of Mississippi, not to fill his campaign coffers. When the moving company relocates Wicker’s things from his House office to his temporary Senate office, I hope they leave the revolving door behind.”

Will state media respond OR like during the gubernatorial campaign can we expect crickets?

Democrats' Opinion on Senate Election

From a Press Release:

Wayne Dowdy, chairman of the Mississippi Democratic Party, issued the following statement today concerning the upcoming special election for U.S. Senate and the importance of electing a Democrat.

“We believe that Mississippians, like residents across the rest of the nation, want to elect U.S. senators who will be a part of the majority. It’s important for Mississippi voters to elect a Democrat to this key position because Democrats are the majority party.

“That way our senator will have a seat at the table in Washington and be able to participate in decisions surrounding such important issues as national security, health care, economic development and continued recovery from Hurricane Katrina.

“The Mississippi Democratic Party will field a strong, high-profile candidate who will win this important U.S. Senate seat and work hard to improve the lives of every resident in Mississippi and across this nation.

“The state party also supports the complaint Attorney General Jim Hood filed today in Hinds County Circuit Court, asking the court to enforce state law that requires the governor to call a special election for this U.S. Senate seat within 90 days of appointing an interim senator. Doing so will ensure Mississippians are represented in Washington by someone of their choice as soon as possible.

“Mississippians are dissatisfied with the direction our country is headed and it’s clear they want change. But unfortunately Roger Wicker only offers more of the Washington status quo. Voters should be given the opportunity to decide as soon as possible if they want to endorse Wicker’s status quo record or endorse new leadership that will deliver the change Mississippi is demanding.”

Yep. Democrats look to be the Majority in both houses of Congress for many years to come. A seat at the table would be helpful indeed. Wicker has been nothing short of a blind partisan; not a trait that will help Mississippi in the near future.

PS. I'm Back. (Pictures and video from my trip will follow in a week or so.) Don't be shy.

Evelyn Gandy

With great sadness, this post is about the passing of Evelyn Gandy, one of the most notable figures in Mississippi's political history. A true pioneer in our state's political arena, she was the first woman elected to as a state legislator, state treasurer, insurance commissioner and lieutenant governor.

Below are a few snippets of the great things people had to say about her. The AP is the only one covering it right now.

Wayne Dowdy, Chairman of the Mississippi Democratic Party:

"Her success serving in public office helped pave the way for an increased role by women in state government. She will always be remembered for that, along with her dedication to making Mississippi a better place."

Governor Haley Barbour:

"Evelyn Gandy was a pathfinder in Mississippi. She broke the glass ceiling for women in politics and government and did it with dignity and calm effectiveness."

John Corlew- Senate, 1976-80:

"She was absolutely a public servant in the classic sense of the words. She had no interest in doing anything but the utmost for the public good. There were no ulterior motives. There were no political considerations. She was like that for her whole career."

GOP Call For Sunshine Laws Is Laughable

From a Press Release:

The Mississippi Republican Party’s call for sunshine laws is laughable as long as Gov. Haley Barbour continues to hide the contents of his blind trust and his ties to the Washington lobbying firm he founded.

Mississippi Democratic Party officials said the state GOP and Barbour should show the people what is contained in the blind trust and outline all financial ties he may have to Barbour Griffith & Rogers in Washington.

“The Republican Party attack on Attorney General Jim Hood is a hypocritical political stunt,” said Wayne Dowdy, chairman of the Mississippi Democratic Party.

“The fact is that records of the attorney general are open for all to see, as compared to Gov. Barbour’s blind trust which leaves only the people of Mississippi blindly trusting,” Dowdy said. “And in the MCI case, Attorney General Hood won $110 million for Mississippi – an award more than 33 times greater than GOP leaders were willing to settle for. And that didn’t cost taxpayers a dime.

“Rather than engaging in phony political attacks, the Mississippi Republican Party should be for sunshine on Gov. Barbour’s blind trust so the people of Mississippi can know all of the facts behind his finances when he vetoed the tobacco tax and directed hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts to clients of his firm.”

Dowdy - "We'll Cut the Grocery Tax"

The Democratic Response to the Mississippi Economic Policy Council study:

A study released today by the Mississippi Economic Policy Council supports Mississippi Democratic Party candidates’ and leaders’ calls for a lower state sales tax on groceries.

The study says Mississippi’s sales tax of 7 cents on the dollar is especially regressive “because it fully taxes groceries – an expenditure that low-income working families cannot avoid making.” Mississippi is one of two states to fully tax food with no offsets.

“Democratic Party leaders and our nominees have been saying this for months: Reduce the sales tax on groceries and give everybody a tax break,” said Wayne Dowdy, chairman of the Mississippi Democratic Party.

“Something isn’t right when the nation’s poorest state charges a 7 percent sales tax on groceries. Mississippi residents have wanted something done about this for a long time. That’s why voters need to elect Democrats in November – we’ll cut the grocery tax.”

In 2006, Republican Gov. Haley Barbour vetoed two bills during the legislative session that would have eliminated or reduced the sales tax on groceries. Earlier this year, in the 2007 session, Barbour had a top GOP ally in the state Senate kill a similar proposal.

Barbour’s ally, state Sen. Tommy Robertson, lost his re-election bid last month.

Dowdy said electing Democrats to state and legislative office will change things in January. He said voters shouldn’t believe Barbour when he says he wants to study the state tax structure before proposing any possible cuts.

“Gov. Barbour is putting up a smoke screen,” Dowdy said. “He had a chance to give Mississippians immediate tax relief in 2006 and again this year, but he chose not to. It’s more than obvious where Gov. Barbour stands on reducing Mississippi’s grocery tax.

“Let’s go to the polls in November,” Dowdy said. “Let’s support Democratic nominees for state, district, legislative and county posts. And let’s open the 2008 legislative session in January by cutting the sales tax and helping everyone in Mississippi.”

USM Dowdy - Herring Debate

It was really bad and I don't think it'll inspire the students who attended which is sad.

They appeared to be responding to thoughts they'd brought with them without being open to what was being said. Both gave responses to questions that had little to nothing to do with the original topics.

No one ever asked about Haley Barbour and only one student asked about economic development yet job figures and Herring's love of Haley and Haley's ethics came up multiple times.

Their responses were not always clear and often included multiple unrelated topics.

Herring seemed to speak like he was being paid by the word.

The most interesting point of the night was when the following student stood up to offer a popular opinion from the students there. You needn't watch past the first minute. The response to this, like everything else, was largely disappointing.

USM Dowdy - Herring Debate

War:

Herring: There has always been an anti-war movement.
They were wrong when Hitler started and they are wrong now. (Yep, he brought up Hitler) "If we don't fight them here they're going to come back here." (Tired, old talking point)
If Democrats want to vote in Hilary Clinton or another "anti-war" candidate then they can. (Hillary Anti-war? Right.)

Dowdy: What did Iraq have to do with 9/11?
4,000 American lives have been lost. We've destabilized the region. Don't call Democrats naive.

USM Dowdy - Herring Debate

Immigration:

Dowdy: I supported the bill that was supported by President Bush and Senator Trent Lott.
Companies should be prosecuted and jailed for employing illegal immigrants (Herring then agreed)

Herring: We need security including a wall in this time. We must stop "the flood of illegal immigrants."
"We are a nation of immigrants" (How's that for a tired line?)

USM Dowdy - Herring Debate

On Youth Participation/Engagement:

Herring: "I think we need to nominate more people like Ronald Reagan"

Dowdy: Bill Clinton gave us huge surpluses; George Bush has wracked up huge debt that you're going to pay for.

Student Question: You've both failed us as parties, why should we trust you?

USM Dowdy - Herring Debate

On Photo ID:

Herring: We need fo-toe ID to stop fraud

Dowdy: Voter ID has never been proven to stop fraud.

Southern Political Retort

The "Southern Political Report" should read a couple state blogs before issuing their opinion.

Here is their view on the Republican field:

The three most likely Republican contenders are attorney Gregg Harper, chairman of the Rankin County Republican Party; state Sen. Walter Michel from Madison County; and John Rounsaville, the state director of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Office. None have formally announced, but are telling friends and associates that they are likely to run.

Somehow they left out Charlie Ross who released a letter where he says that he is seriously considering the race. Oh, the three folks who I've never heard of are the leaders. Right.

Here is their view on the Democratic field:

For the Democrats, the most prominent prospective contender is state party chair and former Congressman Ronnie Shows, who represented most of the district before the post-2000 reapportionment. Shows lost to Pickering by 64% to 35% in 2002.

I'm sure former Congressman Shows would be surprised to find that he is now State Party Chair. Also, who gets to tell Wayne Dowdy that the "Southern Political Report" has dethroned him?

Before the "Southern Political Report" decides that it can tell us how our elections will turn out perhaps it should do a simple fact check and a scan of blogs left and right in the states they are supposedly analyzing.

The (as of 2:25PM Wed. uncorrected) Full Report
The (as of 10:59PM Wed. uncorrected) Full Report

Your Next 3rd District Congressman Could Be...

Democratic:

Shawn Bullard - Former Gene Taylor Aide / President of Duetto Group
Wayne Dowdy - Current State Chair / Former Congressman / Ran for Senate against Lott in 1988 for Stennis' seat
John Eaves - Attorney / Current Dem Candidate for GOV / Former Congressional Candidate
Don Kilgore - Attorney / Former Politico
Bobby Moak - State Representative
Mike Moore - Awesome / Former Attorney General / Took on Big Tobacco and won
Ronnie Musgrove - Former Governor
Jacob Ray - Ran for Auditor this year
Ronnie Shows - Former Congressman / Defeated Delbert Hosemann in Congressional election in 1998
Rob Smith - Former State Senator / Current Dem Candidate for SOS
Joe Warren - State House Democratic Caucus Chair
Phillip West - Current Natchez Mayor
Gloria Williamson - State Senator


I'd like to thank Will Bardwell who organized most of the previous in the easy to read alphabetical order. He is a saint (The Saint of Organizing Online Information in an Easy to Digest Format). :)

Noteable Quote on "Coattails"

“It’s clear Haley’s coattails are worn, ragged and frayed."

- Mississippi Democratic Party Chairman Wayne Dowdy