Jackson Jambalaya

I'm really glad that Horhn got that six dollar Farish Street thingy passed.

I like that he saves money on proof readers, too.

I can hear the ads now:

Harvey Johnson....cause you thought you liked him once, changed your mind, then remembered that you hated him, elected another mayor, and maybe six months is enough to make you forget what you hated about him the prior two times....

Vote Harvey...one thing you can count on is his not really having a career to get in the way of running for elections every time a Jackson Mayor shows up at St Dominic's heart center.....

Those that can--do!! Those that can't teach,OR RUN FOR OFFICE!! Is there ANYBODY in this race other than political hacks?

Those that can--do!! Those that can't teach,OR RUN FOR OFFICE!! Is there ANYBODY in this race other than political hacks?

Harvey Johnson?! Heaven help us all. Didnt he get enough kickbacks from his cronies and The Bond Pimp to be able to retire and stop scamming the citizens?

Harvey Johnson is worse than Ray Nagin. He must have friends in high places....

When this clown's name was mentioned at the barber shop yesterday, one of the patrons said, "get thee behind me, Satan!"

Being voted out of office this last time was being given a Get Out of Jail Free Card. If he gets back in office by some fluke, he won't be so lucky next time.

Did John Horn have a 5th grader at a local inner city school come up with his little flyer thing? That is pure garbage. LOL

Someone needs to investigate the $2M dollars Harvey paid Glenda Glover on the Siemens contract for doing nothing. Where is the Feds when you need them?

He really needs to go home.

To 7:56.... Your comments reveal what is wrong with our capital city and further with our great nation. My wife has been a teacher with a giving and loving heart for all children for over 30 years. She strives to make a difference!

We do not live in Jackson but realize we must have strong education in our state. You should think first and comment later before you simply degrade a potential candidate. In speaking without thinking you degrading many more!

This appears to have become the norm in our society and I encourage you to help change. Individuals and/or groups do not deserve to be labeled in such all inclusive ways.

Sounds like a bunch of haters against an honorable man.
I wouldn't vote for him because his administration put Flowood, Pearl and Madison on the map. I think someone would be sick in the head to put this fool back in. Jack town is jacked up because of Harvey.

Why is there so much venom toward Harvey Johnson?

Harvey may have done a half-assed job the times he was in office, but I think he did the best he could.

Harvey Johnson was voted out of office twice and most likely will not make it back in. So cut him some slack and let him put his name on the ballot so his grandchildren can read about their grandfather in the history books, or in wikipedia, as a guy who never let reality stop him from trying.

Harvey Johnson does not like anyone with an opinion. He HATES ingenuity that he can't take credit for. He hates
other people and organizations actually doing things. He is not a leader. He is horrible as a mayor. HORRIBLE.

I chose to stay in Jackson while many of my friends and colleagues left. Now I'm looking at a crazy increase in my water and sewer rates and increased taxes because of years of fiscal mismanagemnt by the Johnson administration! Now Harvey Johnson has the damn gaul to say the city needs his experience!

My war cry will be, as it was during the last election,"Anybody but Harvey Johnson as mayor!"

The 9:15 comment is so confusing.

"I love Harvey and he's honorable...but, he's the reason Jackson sucks."

Why does Harvey Johnson think he is the man? Jackson needs to wake up he and his friends are dangerous. The city suffered under his tyrannical rule.

Didn't JPS sue Harvey Johnson?

Tony Yarber is the next Mayor of Jackson book it.

I wish I could comment on some of the other candidates, but they don't have a history of service--or disservice as in Harvey Johnson's case.

Does he not understand that he was defeated by an inexperienced pawn and by a political dissident because the citizens were so tired of seeing Jackson fall into further ruin by Johnson's Good Ole Boy politics?!

Johnson needs to accept the inevitable--He will NEVER be the mayor of Jackson again! I may have only one vote, but most of my family and friends are with me on this one.

Anyone but Harvey. But then again not Tony either.

I guess Horhn needs to raise some more drinking money.

Think again @9:58. Massah Bennie is behind Priester. If Massah Bennie could get Edwin Taliaferro elected, he can certainly get Priester elected.

Isn't Bennie, and Harvey best friends

Massah Bennie couldn't even get his guy Willie Robinson elected to the hinds county board of supervisors. His dwindling power is fast eroding. My guess is his Priester endorsement is going to put Bennie at risk for retirement, because Priester can't win.

Maybe he and Harvey can becoming fishing buddies and reminisce about the good old days.

My vote would be for Regina Quinn, but the word on the street is that she won't run for Mayor because she is looking at a race for Congress.

Hmmm. It's about to get interesting.

Jackson will definitely be the next Birmingham due to having issued bond projects, refinananing, and deals with Porter B. How can this guy hustle the city and county unless money is being spent. Follow the money back to you Mr. Mayor.

Porter B? That must be Porter Bingham, the "Financial Advisor" for Jackson and for Hinds County. What a joke!

There is a lawsuit in Federal Court against Harvey Johnson and members of the Jackson Redevelopment Authority alleging that a developer was screwed on a couple of downtown projects because he threw a monkey wrench in the TCI hotel deal where Harvey's boys were going to get rich from fees. Porter B was going to get almost $2M!

I am going to find the lawsuit on PACER and post it so that everyone can truly see Harvey Johnson's tactics. I read the complaint almost a year ago and immediately started my crusade to get him out of office.

But he twice ran one helluvan elaborate city employment office, the lasting disaster of which is still with us.

Just venture into any municipal building seeking service, information or assistance. Or better yet, to pay a bill or a fine.

The major difference in this guy, Stokes and Graham is that Johnson speaks with a flair of eloquent statemanship and he buttons three buttons on his suit-coat. The lieutenant HAS no suit coat and Stokes' has no buttons as tentmakers never employ them.

I didn't vote for the late Mayor, but I have to say that he got more done in 8 months that Harvey Johnson did in 8 years. We don't need him again!

Electing anyone of these people , short of electing Lee who perhaps could help best chart a different course for Jackson, will continue-on with the same results and exponential decline of Jackson.

The eventual financial, economic, and social fate of the city is on a very similar trajectory as that of Detroit. it is simply a matter of time before the State legislature, and Governor must make a decision to intervene and seize control of the local government and start trying to salvage what they can. It is inevitable, continuing on the same path will only lead to catastrophic financial failure and bankruptcy, sooner or later the employees paychecks will bounce, sooner or later...

Most of you folks are so insensitive, can we not wait find out who murdered Chockweed before a new election?

Well it's rather clear that Johnson won't get many votes. The Jumbalaya Poll/Survey may not have been scientific, but it seems to have been a good predictor of how these readers will vote--or not vote for Harvey Johnson.

I have heard that Margaret Barrett-Simon is running.

Heard that one too, Friday afternoon. Totally unconfirmed rumor.

My thoughts (I presume there are enough candidates that we'll have a run-off)

Harvey is old news, but don't count him out. He won three elections in the past, and has the highest name recognition of any candidate and possibly the largest base of built in support. I won't be surprised if he makes it into the run-off.

Horn is drunk on power. And liquor. You'd think he'd want to stay out of the news right now with his pending legal issues. No shot at making the run-off.

I don't know how many of you have actually met Priester, but he is an oddball. Name recognition will only get you so far. This reminds me of Lucien Smith's run for State Treasurer - well connected with everyone but the voters. I don't expect him to make the run-off.

Chokwe Antar may be the most likely to make the run-off if he enters the race. In America, we frequently elect the survivors of deceased politicians. And its not just a black or white thing - think John Ashcroft losing his bid for senate re-election against a dead man.

Lee has been radio silent. Who knows if he is in or out. If he is in, he's got a solid base of supporters from just a few months ago. He should have a good shot at making the run-off.

Quinn didn't get any traction in the long election cycle last year. Don't expect her to do it in 30 days. No chance of making the run-off.

Yarber is a wild card. I really don't know how much traction he'll gain outside South Jackson. He has decent name recognition, but I don't think he's done anything during his term on the council to make voters think he should be Mayor or to disqualify him from being Mayor. I put his chances at slightly less than 50% at making the run-off.

9:11 go tell that to Moody's and S and P. Bond rating same as Madison the city????

10:18 if you want any credibility, learn how to spell John Horhn's name. Duh.

Most of you folks are so insensitive, can we not wait find out who murdered Chockweed before a new election?

Kenny is on it. He and LaRooter are closely inspecting every all you can eat buffet in search of the murderer.

10:22, this is 10:18.

Please forgive me, oh, spelling lord. Nevertheless, whether I spell it, Horhn, Horne or Horn, he is a non-factor.

I have it on good authority that Buckwheat has qualified to run for mayor.

Vote Harvey, for continued promises of how great Farish St is gonna be…..not that we'll live to see it!

10:58 just made me snort loudly and wetly at work.

The only buzz for Lee is in the pants of NE Jax. Which will result in another disappointing nocturnal emission.

Barrett-Simon's FB post looks like she is strongly considering running. The city needs someone who knows what is going on. The city does not need to start over again and we need someone who knows what has and has not worked in the past and who has or has not worked in the past. We need the best of the best and the only way to get that is to elect someone who has been there through it all.

What a dilemma. I imagine every wannabe bigshot and their cousin will end up running, which will lead to a runoff. Here’s what I think of the “frontrunners”

Lee - First, anyone who thinks Lee can win after the pasting he took in last year's debate with Lumumba is kidding themselves. Nice guy, but up against CL he looked weak and ineffectual, and that image will continue to haunt him. Even Johnson, who is a good debater, could probably easily tear him a new one. He’s the prized favorite among the NE Jackson elites and GOP types, and that’s also why he won’t carry the majority of Jackson.

Horhn - No way he wins, even though he will probably overwhelmingly carry the wino vote.

Quinn - I will be disappointed if she doesn't run, as I think voters on both sides of the spectrum might give her a second and more favorable look.

Yarber – Like 10:18 it’s hard to gauge how well he plays outside of south Jackson. He’s certainly garnered favorable name recognition and has experience in city government that he can play on. He’s got a large following on social media and in the religious community. If he can overcome the anti-youth mentality that seems to prevail in recent city-wide elections, he has a good shot at a runoff.

Johnson – Gawd, I wish this jerk would just ride off into the sunset with some dignity, but he apparently lacks the desire or motivation to be anything other than Mayor. He has pretty loyal political machine that would love get back in at City Hall. I don’t see a reason for Jackson putting him back again, but given that I didn’t think he would win in 2009 means I won’t ever count him out.

Lumumba Jr – Name recognition and sympathies notwithstanding, Junior lacks the charisma and activist resume of his father, and with the exception of a few hardcore Free-the-Land Lumumba-acolytes I think he will fall out of favor quicker than anyone realizes.

The rest of the field – forgetaboutit. They are non-factors.

Not mentioned but certainly ready to run – David L. Archie. I’m sure he has a stack of reusable and interchangeable posters and yard signs he can mobilize on a moment’s notice.

I'm reserving my vote for Dot Benford..."re-select Dot"....and her egg-sucking dog.

Yarber heads some type of preachers conference for the city and he has deep ties being an administrator in the JPS school system. I think in the AA community, both of those will be huge assets to him. Lumumba Jr. will get 33% right out of the gate off the sympathy vote. Lest people forget Lee garnered 30+% of black black vote. Don't write him off so early. I heard he may not be running though

1:21 here. I've learned that there are no runoffs for a special election, so my belief is that either Johnson or Yarber will be the next mayor.

2:30, please see Miss. Code Ann. § 23-15-857, which reads in part:

"The candidate receiving a majority of the votes cast in said election shall be elected. If no candidate shall receive a majority vote at the election, the two (2) candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall have their names placed on the ballot for the election to be held two (2) weeks thereafter. The candidate receiving a majority of the votes cast in said election shall be elected. However, if no candidate shall receive a majority and there is a tie in the election of those receiving the next highest vote, those receiving the next highest vote and the candidate receiving the highest vote shall have their names placed on the ballot for the election to be held two (2) weeks thereafter, and whoever receives the most votes cast in such election shall be elected."

I agree that Johnson could likely wind up in the top two, but not Yarber.

I stand corrected, 2:43. I just saw your post in the other thread as well.

Will the women's vote not matter in this race? Or can Quinn not garner enough of it to push her to victory?

My guess is that Regina Quinn will be the only woman in the race and that she will be the next mayor of Jackson.

Wasn't Regina Quinn the only woman running last time?

Don't confuse 4:03 with facts.

Ha! Last time Regina ran there was a Chokwe Lumumba in the race. He had been a council member for 4 years, and he had assembled a solid base with his people's movement.

I bet that this time around, Quinn will be able to unite women and men with her platform.

5:22: This time, Tony Yarber is running and he has been a council member for 5 years, and he has assembled a solid base with his ministry.

But you're right, I bet this time around she will get 16% of the vote, instead of the 15% of the vote she got last time.

Also, I've got this bridge in Brooklyn to sell you.

Yarber will be your next mayor, Jackson folks. After all, he was setting up his campaign team when Chokwe Sr. checked into the hospital. He's been campaigning since Feb. 25 and, after two full weeks of work and courting donors, he has a well-oiled machine that will get him in office. I have read his impressive resume. But, I'd like to hear from people in his ward. Last I saw, South Jxn looked like a war zone and full of blight. What HAS he done, really? (Don't shoot me, I live in Ridgeland - proudly)