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Election Shorts

Hurt suspends campaign for House District 1 Democratic congressional candidate Ken Hurt announced Wednesday he's suspending his campaign but said he will still work to influence the race. Hurt, who faced four challengers in the Democratic bid for 1st District U.S. House Representatives, said poor health and a lucrative book deal prompted his decision.

Russell tours district on bus Republican congressional candidate Randy Russell took a tour of the district by bus Feb. 14-16. He started in Oxford and made stops in several cities including Water Valley, Ripley, Iuka New Albany, Tupelo and Columbus.

Miles named Holland campaign manager Steve Holland, who is running for the 1st Congressional open seat in the March democratic primary has named former Representative Bill Miles of Fulton has been named his campaign manager. Miles served 12 years in the House, was chairman of Transportation, but did not seek re-election last year.

Republican candidates speak in Columbus The three Republican candidates for the 1st District Congressional seat vacated by Roger Wicker spoke Feb. 12 to a full audience at the Columbus-Lowndes Republican Women luncheon, according to The Columbus Commercial Dispatch newspaper. Greg Davis, Glenn McCullough Jr. and Randy Russell were all on hand.

1st District Candidate Views

We posed a set of questions to the candidates and each week for the next few weeks djournal.com will share with our readers how the candidates answered those questions.

This is the second in a series of Monday question-and-answers with candidates in the March 11 party primaries for the 1st Congressional District seat.

The dates and topics for the series:

Feb. 11 – Background, qualifications and philosophy

Today – The economy and the budget

Q:The nation is currently either in a recession or close to it. What is the role of Congress in improving the economy?

CHILDERS: We face tough times. We face challenges to small businesses and struggles to create jobs. We need a congressman who understands tough times, has started businesses, and created jobs. I have. Our leaders should have been thinking of the economic problems we face today when they passed unfair trade deals that sent jobs overseas, gave billions in subsidies to big oil companies, ignored the home mortgage crisis and kept spending as the deficit and national debt hit all-time highs. Balanced budgets, fair trade deals, and broad middle-class tax reform are the right prescription for this economy.

COLEMAN: Congress’ role in improving the economy is to handle the business of the people the same way they would handle their personal affairs. Congress needs to make sure that we have a balanced budget. Congressional leaders need to focus on economic development in rural areas as well as highly populated areas. Congress and the States need to focus more attention on a Universal Health Care Plan for every American without health care, and veterans’ issues need to be addressed. I think government should operate proactively instead of from a reactionary state especially dealing with the economy.

DAVIS: Ours is a growth economy. As such we must enact policies to ensure more growth. We can begin by ensuring the Bush tax cuts become permanent. Stimulus packages are a good start, and I support the recent proposals advancing through Congress, if undocumented workers do not receive any benefit. However, we need long-term strategies to strengthen our economy. Along with reducing our tax burden, we must reduce governmental spending and enact policies that encourage growth. As mayor, I have been very successful in helping to create a pro-growth environment. I will continue to advance such ideas in Congress.

HOLLAND: When a recession hits, the wage and hour people take the brunt of it. Last year there were 1 million foreclosures in America. They occurred because many people were convinced to take out adjustable rate mortgages that they didn't understand or couldn't afford. Most people buy only one or two homes in their lifetime, so they can't always understand the complexity of ARMs. Congress has already taken steps to stimulate the economy with certain tax breaks. I support the actions of Congress in this regard, but we need to make sure that this kind of mortgage never again rises.

HURT: Pass an economic package

McCULLOUGH: The Economic Growth Package Agreement giving rebate checks to taxpayers and tax relief to employers is a short-term response. I would ensure Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Home Loan Banks effectively do their jobs to make capital available to people in Mississippi’s 1st Congressional District to stimulate our housing market. Congress should consider long-term structural tax relief so American employers can better compete in the world economy. This, along with education attainment, technical skills training through our community colleges and linking University of Mississippi’s research capabilities to better jobs, is a long-term solution.

NEELY: The role of Congress is to enact appropriate legislation to reduce gas and food prices, to balance the budget and reduce our massive debt to foreign countries. In that regard, it is imperative that Congress takes aggressive measures to bring a quick end to the war in Iraq. The war in Iraq is draining our manpower, has added to the huge federal budget deficit, and has proved tremendously divisive to our citizens.

RUSSELL: Ours is an economy based on the free enterprise system. We need to cut burdensome governmental regulations and cut tax rates to unleash America’s true economic potential.

Q:How would you balance the need for fiscal restraint with seeking federal support for legitimate economic development needs in the 1st District?

CHILDERS: As someone who runs two businesses and has been balancing both a family and county checkbook for a long time, the budget deficits in Washington defy common sense. As chancery clerk, I balanced 16 consecutive budgets. I'll fight for the Balanced Budget Amendment and fiscal responsibility every year that I am in Congress. I will work with Democrats and Republicans to get it done. I will assemble a first-rate staff that draws, in part, from economic development experts in this district so the needs of our local communities are connected with federal resources to meet those needs.

COLEMAN: I will push for economic development in District 1 and more jobs in rural areas. I agree with other Democrats that we can’t ignore our problems at home while we face challenges overseas. I will support or introduce legislation to tie congressional salary increases to an increase in the minimum wage. I will support middle-class tax cuts as well as fiscally responsible pay-as-you-go budget rules. I will support passed legislation that encouraged investment to create jobs in struggling communities through the Renewal Communities program. I will support legislation to bring broadband Internet access to rural America.

DAVIS: I believe very strongly in cutting wasteful government spending and balancing the federal budget. We cannot continue to spend money when we can’t balance our checkbook. This is why government spending should be based on the returns it generates, just like any business. If we are going to spend money, it must be on projects that will continue to benefit us all and not on “pork barreling.” Governmental spending must be viewed as investment spending.

HOLLAND:Republicans usually take the view that the “free market” will solve everything. It has been the Democratic position that public-private partnerships are one way to spur economic development. In the global economy, it is necessary to develop these partnerships. We are still the poorest state in the union and I believe we need to be aggressive in securing federal dollars for those communities that have aggressive leadership and are seeking to develop economic development projects. We need a congressman who will be aggressive in this area. I believe in fiscal restraint, but we need the help in Mississippi.

HURT: Restrict earmarks to economic development.

McCULLOUGH: As chairman of TVA, I’ve balanced a multibillion-dollar budget while balancing the needs of business and people of the Tennessee Valley. I will support infrastructure and economic development needs in the 1st Congressional District with discipline to protect the taxpayers.

NEELY: We are spending billions on economic development, infrastructure and education systems in Iraq. There is no shortage of money. We simply need to spend our financial resources on the citizens of the United States of America and not the inhabitants of foreign nations. Public-private partnerships are essential if we are to obtain needed roads and infrastructure in a timely manner.

RUSSELL: We need to work diligently together to offer the most competitive packages for products and services that are legitimately needed by both government and private industry. We do not need to ask for taxpayer money for “bridges to nowhere.”

Q:Do you support extension of the Bush tax cuts scheduled to expire in 2010? Why or why not?

CHILDERS: When it comes to our fiscal policy, we need to re-examine our priorities. For instance, we should not be running up record deficits while oil companies are given billions of dollars in government subsidies while they make billions in additional profits. As the person who balances a checkbook for my county, for a small business and in my home, I like the idea of tax relief. My guiding principle is to balance fiscal responsibility and deficit reduction with tax relief.

COLEMAN: No, because those tax cuts are set up in the favor of big business and for the wealthy. If the budget had been balanced we would not need an economic stimulus package. That is why I am for a pay-as-you-go federal budget.

DAVIS: Absolutely. I support it for many reasons; chief among them is my belief that families know how to spend their money better than any Washington bureaucracy. As mayor of Southaven, I implemented the first municipal tax rebate in Mississippi history and I made it impossible to raise taxes without a super-majority of votes. Tax cuts encourage savings and economic growth. I will also fight to end the “death tax” that affects so many of our farmers and small business owners and their families. Our federal government has to realize enough is enough when it comes to taxing us.

HOLLAND: The Bush tax cuts have benefited the top 1 percent, the very rich. In other words, the richest of the rich have benefited from those tax cuts. The middle class needs economic help in the worst way. I would support Bush's tax cut for the rich only if it were connected to middle class tax relief.

HURT: No. It gives the rich tax breaks and not the average person.

McCULLOUGH: Yes. The people of the 1st Congressional District know how to spend their hard earned money better than Washington does. A reduction in the top tier tax rate from 39 percent to 33 percent and for lower earners from 15 percent to 10 percent will allow citizens to keep more of their money, which will help stimulate the economy.

NEELY: I believe that Americans should get every penny back from the federal government that they can get. However, what our nation needs is a complete overhaul of the tax system so that we no longer have an agency of the government whose sole purpose is to drain the average working man and woman in this country dry.

RUSSELL: Yes. As previously stated I believe in a low tax/limited government philosophy. Tax cuts have been proven to be a stimulus to economic growth, which ultimately results in greater overall tax revenue.

1st District Information

Mississippi's first congressional district is in the northeast corner of the state. It includes much of the northern portion of the state including Corinth, Columbus, Oxford, Southaven and Tupelo.

Area:  11,412 mi² Distribution:  38.36% urban, 38.4% rural Population (2006): 762,914 Median income:  $35,831 Ethnic composition:  70.5% White, 27.2% Black, 0.5% Asian, 1.8% Hispanic, 0.3% Native American, 0.8% other Occupation:  30.4% blue collar, 56.6% white collar, 13% gray collar

Party primaries for the 1st District seat are scheduled for March 11.  A runoff if needed would be held at April 1.

Election Round Up

CAMPAIGN NOTEBOOK 2/9/2008 Daily Journal Cochran endorses McCain despite recent criticisms JACKSON - It was Fred Thompson, then Mitt Romney and now John McCain. U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss., has changed his support for the Republican presidential nominee as the campaign progresses. "I am supporting John McCain for the Republican nomination for president," Cochran, R-Miss., said in a statement released Thursday. Cochran earlier had endorsed former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. "I thought he was what we needed in a chief executive, one who could help improve our economy and create new jobs," Cochran said. Romney dropped out of the Republican presidential race Thursday. Mississippi's other senator, Roger Wicker, a Republican, had endorsed former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson. Wicker has not announced his support for another candidate. U.S. Rep. Chip Pickering, R-Miss., endorsed McCain last year. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., has endorsed Democrat Barack Obama for president. Rep. Gene Taylor, D-Miss., has not announced an endorsement. Democrats go after Wicker on Web site Turnabout is fair play. Last month, Republicans went after U.S. Senate candidate Ronnie Musgrove, a Democrat. Now the Dems are going after Republican Roger Wicker of Tupelo. In the wake of the Mississippi Supreme Court ruling Wednesday affirming the Nov. 4 election date, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee launched the new Web site www.theRealWicker.com to give Mississippi voters a glimpse of Wicker's real record, they say. "From securing earmarks for his top donors and former staffers to supporting a revolving door between Congress and lobbyists, Roger Wicker has a long history of ethical lapses," the site announces. "Mississippi voters are now going to have a chance to examine his record and judge it for themselves," DSCC spokesman Matthew Miller said. "Roger Wicker has never faced the kind of scrutiny he will in this campaign, and when the voters discover his real record, they will vote for change." The Web site will be updated with new information throughout the campaign. Also seeking the seat is former U.S. Rep. Ronnie Shows of Bassfield. Which Ronnie? GOP assails Musgrove Wednesday was Ronald Reagan's birthday. It's also 174 days away from the anniversary of "Ronnie Musgrove Day" in Mississippi. The connection? Democrat Senate candidate Ronnie Musgrove, the National Republican Senatorial Campaign press office reports. In 2002, then-Gov. Musgrove issued a proclamation declaring July 29, 2002, as "Ronnie Musgrove Day" in Mississippi. Musgrove honored himself on the occasion of a successful internship program. Earlier that same year, Musgrove was asked to declare a day in honor of former President Ronald Reagan's 91st birthday. Musgrove's office declined and no record of a Ronald Reagan Day proclamation can be found on the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Web site. "I guess we know which Ronnie' Ronnie Musgrove thought was most important," NRSC Communications Director Rebecca Fisher said. Campaign Notebook is compiled by Daily Journal news editor Patsy R. Brumfield. To contribute items to it, contact her at (662) 678-1596 or patsy.brumfield@djournal.com.

EDITORIAL: On to November 2/8/2008 Daily Journal An order from the Mississippi Supreme Court setting the special senatorial election Nov. 4 - general election day - settles the issue because Attorney General Jim Hood will not appeal the decision. The 7-2 ruling, which supported Gov. Haley Barbour's decision to set the Nov. 4 date, clearly showed divisions within the court about the clarity and meaning of the disputed state statute. We still believe that clarity in the law can be achieved by legislative action, but that issue is largely moot because the law is rarely needed. The race pits Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Tupelo, appointed by Gov. Barbour to temporarily succeed the retired Trent Lott, against two Democrats: former Gov. Ronnie Musgrove, who lives in Madison County, and former U.S. Rep. Ronnie Shows of Bassfield. Wicker formerly represented the 1st Congressional District, a seat that is open and awaiting a special election date to fulfill the few months remaining in Wicker's unexpired term. Candidates in both parties have qualified for the regular party primaries, to be contested March 11, and afterward, as necessary in runoffs. It's been speculated that Gov. Barbour will not call a special election for the 1st District vacancy until after the primary is completed, reducing the likelihood that any but the party nominees for the 2008 general election would participate. All three U.S. Senate candidates have known one another for years and all are former state legislators - a typical Mississippi political situation. National partisanship is at record intensity, so the lines are clearly visible at that level, but Mississippi voters deserve better than the usual campaign boilerplate. Influence at the senatorial level has been particularly critical in the longer view of Mississippi's history because the numbers are even for every state in that chamber. What a senator does or would do in terms of state advocacy exceeds in importance the national party's standard rhetoric, especially in a presidential year. Mississippians need to know what Wicker, Shows and Musgrove think individually about earmarks for specific projects. It has often been a bread-and-butter staple across party lines for Mississippi at the congressional level, but it is a controversial question that could come to a head in the next Congress. What about the continuation of extended projects, like highway construction? How do the contenders plan to ensure that funding flows go forward or are enhanced in our state's growing economy? What about water adequacy in an era of interstate disputes about riparian rights? What about universal health care - especially universal health care coverage for all children, citizens who effectively, mostly have no advocacy or money of their own? Ten months to election day offers a lot of time for serious discussion of serious issues.

1st District Candidate Bios
	TRAVIS W. CHILDERS Age: 49 Party: Democrat Occupation: Chancery Clerk of Prentiss County, Realtor, businessman. Wife: Tami Childers Children: Dustin is in his first year of law school               at Mississippi College               Lauren is a freshman at Ole Miss. Website:  www.childersforcongress.com
	MARSHALL W. COLEMAN Age: 49 Party: Democrat Occupation: Operates Coleman's Quickstop in Derma Wife: Bernadette Coleman Children: Kegan and Kajah Coleman Website: www.colemanforcongress2008.com
	GREG DAVIS Age: 41 Party: Republican  Occupation: Mayor of Southaven Wife: The former Suzann Savage  Children:  Three young daughters Website:  www.gregdavisforcongress.com
	STEVE HOLLAND Age:  52 Party: Democrat Occupation: Member of the Mississippi House since 1983, funeral home owner. Wife: Gloria Holland   Children: Four grown children and one granddaughter. Website: www.stevehollandforcongress.com
	KEN HURT Age: 71 Party: Democrat  Occupation: Ran for 1st District seat last time against Roger Wicker and lost. Headed the Mississippi office of the Appalachian Regional Commission in mid-1980s.   Wife: Elizabeth Hurt Children: Six step-children. Website:
	GLENN McCULLOUGH JR. Age: 52 Party: Republican Occupation:  Chairman and CEO of GLM Associates, LLC, and partner in Ardillo, McCullough & Taggart, LCC, corporate consulting firms. Former mayor of Tupelo and Chairman of the Tennessee Valley Authority. Wife: Laura Annette McCullough  Children:  Vance Hudson and Glenn Thomas Website: www.glenn08.com
	BRIAN NEELY Age: 46 Party: Democrat  Occupation:  Private practice attorney in Tupelo and a former Lee County prosecuting attorney.  Wife: Shari Neely  Children: Lisa, Ivy, Julia Website: www.manta.com/coms2/dnbcompany_9pfspf
No Photo Provided	WALLY PANG Age: 66 Party: Independent Occupation: Restaurant owner Wife: Mabel Pang  Children:  Colleen, Michael, and Walter Website:
	RANDY RUSSELL Age: 55  Party: Republican  Occupation: Ophthalmologist  Wife: Amy   Children: Daughter Jocelyn and son Jordan.  Website:  www.randyrussellforcongress.com
No Photo Provided	JOHN M. WAGES, JR. Age: 47 Party: Green  Occupation: Itawamba Community College teacher Wife: Former Gwendolyn Miles    Children: Website:  www.votejohnwages.com

Election Videos

Election videos coming soon.

Presidential Election

Mississippi presidential primary March 11 Voters in Mississippi will have a chance to vote in the presidential primary March 11. Republican candidates will be vying for 39 delegates in Mississippi, while Democrats will be trying to earn the 42 delegates available for that party in the state. In all Mississippi counties, the circuit clerk's office will be open for absentee voting March 1 and March 8 from 8 a.m. until noon, state law requires.

Former GOP candidate Romney endorses McCain By LIZ SIDOTI The Associated Press BOSTON - Republican campaign dropout Mitt Romney endorsed John McCain for the party's presidential nomination Thursday and asked his national convention delegates to swing behind the likely nominee. "I am honored today to give my full support," the former Massachusetts governor said, standing alongside his former rival at his now-defunct campaign's headquarters. "I'm asking my delegates to vote for Senator McCain at the convention."

Former Republican senator to endorse Obama By MICHELLE R. SMITH The Associated Press PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Former Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee endorsed Democratic Sen. Barack Obama on Thursday, saying he is the best presidential candidate to restore the nation's credibility. In a conference call with reporters, Chafee announced his backing of the Illinois senator. Chafee, one of the more liberal Republicans in the Senate, lost his seat in 2006 to Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse. Chafee left the GOP last year and became an independent. "I believe Senator Obama is the best candidate to restore American credibility, to restore our confidence to be moral and just, and to bring people together to solve the complex issues such as the economy, the environment and global stability," Chafee said. Despite losing, he remains popular in the Ocean State and his approval ratings on election day were 63 percent. Rhode Island holds its primary March 4.

After putting appearance in doubt, Clinton says she'll be at Ohio debate The Associated Press NEW YORK - Hillary Rodham Clinton has confirmed she will be at an MSNBC debate in Ohio later this month, despite her anger over a network reporter's remark about daughter Chelsea. Both Clinton and Barack Obama will debate at Cleveland State University on Feb. 26, with Brian Williams and Tim Russert as moderators. Clinton’s team said last week she was rethinking the appearance out of anger at MSNBC’s David Shuster for suggesting the campaign had "pimped out" 27-year-old Chelsea by having her place phone calls to celebrities and delegates. Last month, MSNBC’s Chris Matthews apologized for having suggested that Clinton was a presidential candidate because of her husband's infidelities. "Although the campaign still has concerns, we did not want millions of Ohioans to miss out on an important date," said Clinton spokesman Howard Wolfson. Obama’s string of primary and caucus victories in the Democratic race make the debates that much more important to the Clinton campaign as it awaits primaries in Ohio and Texas. Shuster was suspended indefinitely for the remark, made Feb. 7 when he was a guest host for Tucker Carlson. MSNBC, owned by General Electric Co., said Thursday that the suspension will end Feb. 22.