Jackson Jambalaya

Talk about a strong Madison support base! Looks like Billingsley came ready to be a player in this game.

I am surprised at some of the host names. What is up with so many of the establishment Republicans being hosts?

Longwitz has done nothing for NEJackson. This election will be won or lost in Madison County.

I look at this list and see people who couldn't push Longwitz around like they wanted to. That and a bunch of McDaniel supporters.

Interesting to see so many former Longwitz supporters now working for Billingsly.

I would have expected Chris McDaniel's name, given all that Billingsley did for him.

Interesting to see how many former Longwitz supporters are now for Billingsly. Being an effective senator requires more than getting your picture taken.

McDaniel has already endorsed Bill on his Facebook page. Don't expext Bill to advertise Chris Mcdaniel's support in Madison County, though. Or in NEJAX

This Senate seat is Chris McDaniel's big prize this year. Chris wants to win where the Rose Cochran thing happened. I understand why Chris wants to clear the air, but I just don't see him beating any incumbents this year. Or next year.

1:18
You just don't know many of these people!

I see both cochran and McDaniel supporters. That in itself speaks volumes.

1:36, Billingsley has been supporting political candidates for years, and if all of them were to be listed on this invitation you'd probably need a continuation sheet.

Guess if you are looking for McDaniel's name you're looking for Sen. Cochran's also, correct? after all, Bill helped Thad in the General when majority of TEA party preached stay at home/ vote Childers.

Let me join in all of this talk regarding the U.S. Senate race..who did Longwitz support? I seem to recall him doing nothing for Sen. Cochran in the primary nor most importantly in the General. So for all I know he voted for McDaniel.

Longwitz is Tea Party.

Longwitz has an ego that will be his downfall. This is an impressive list of sponsors.

This race is not about Chris McDaniel. This race is about the poor job Longwitz has done and that he no longer has the support of his constituents.

Bill is one fine man. He is a person of character!!

Mary Hawkins is drawing lines in the sand that will hurt her for state wide race. To be so smart she is being stupid here..... Wake up Mary their are 82 counties in the state and you never get involved in small ball when your playing on the big stage. Oh, and their are no Take Backs........

I see Terry May from APAC on the host list. Interesting that he would choose to get involved in this race. Good luck with that Terry.

6:32-a course via Hooked on Phonics would serve you well prior to your next decision to call someone stupid. It's there, not their. Who's stupid now? ass hat.

Further- back to the issues here, hadn't heard of Bill until this post..looked him up to see why so many are behind him..appears he's the most qualified and has strong business experience. I want to hear more on issues, but he has my attention....

Et tu Mary?

I think Bill and Terry have been friends long before this race. If I'm not mistaken their boys graduated together. I bet Terry's support doesn't have anything to do with where he works. Lots of people on this list are personal friends with Bill and Stephanie. That's what friends do.

Some of these names are pushing me to vote for Longwitz.

Nice list, but Longwitz will easily win this election. Longwitz has done a marvelous job and is not controlled by the fringes.

If you've ever dealt with Longwitz on a policy issue, you'll vote for Billingsley.

The bigger problem here is that Longwitz seems to believe he deserves to be an elected official of some sort -- any sort. Vote him out and he'll just run for something else. The guy wants to be on the public dole so badly and he won't go away. Is there some way we could vote him constable for life or something. You know, to keep from having to see him every election cycle, but to isolate him where he's powerless and we can forget about him?

Not so fast with that constable suggestion. Some constables become deputies become judges become felons.

And others become voyeurs with cameras in apartment house parking lots.

I'm just an average Joe and not politically connected so all I really know about BB is that his face was plastered all over the TV here awhile back leading the vote inspection in an effort to disenfranchise my vote. Sorry, I'll send the other guy money just out of principle since my vote wasn't good enough for him the last time around.

Lets connect the dots.... Mary Supported Cochran, Bill Supported McDaniels. Now Mary Supports Bill. All you republicans out their in Madison that TRULY support Senator Cochran should remember this when you go to vote. Say NO to Mary, Say NO to Bill. Bill and McDanials have sucked Mary into their camp and now she is meeting with them and planning on taking Cochran's seat for McDaniels any way they can. Their slogan is "Hook or Crook"......

You funny. Almost funny as the rumor I heard yesterday that said Phil forced out Jones so he could appoint Wicker so he could then appoint Harper to Wicker's seat. Too funny.

interesting list....and I hope bill wins! (Lasters appeared on list twice, guess they must really be supporting bill)

Wonder if "All you Republicans out their in Madison" at 11:49 and "their are no Take Backs" at 6:32 yesterday are related? Some people can't help but to leave their signatures. Nice try, though.

Amazing the folks here that want to make this race between Billingsby and Longwitz into a continuation of the US Senate race last year. That race is over. Cochran won. We are now in 2015 and this is a race for the MS Senate between two other candidates. Neither Cochran's nor McDaniel's name is on this ballot.

Yes - Bilingsby supported McDaniel, and did so for reasons he felt reasonable. I cannot say who Longwitz supported because as he said then - he had his own race to run and he didn't get involved in other races. Also a reasonable position. To each his own.

Myself, I supported Cochran. Yet I can respect Billingsby's support of McDaniel, even though I disagreed with his reasons. But I do agree with getting involved and being active for those you think would make the better official.

Those that make the uninformed statement about Billingsby trying to get votes thrown out should go back and check the videotape. Yes, he spent days in the Hinds County Courthouse examining the election returns, but he came out and stated that the things the McDaniel team was claiming were illegal and cause for question were in fact not and that there was no cause for questioning the voting in Hinds County. For that I gained respect for the man.

But I think the reason you see both Cochran and McDaniel supporters on his list of hosts has nothing to do with the last election, but everything to do with the upcoming election. And these folks are all smart enough to understand that the two are not related.

Thank you for adding some sanity to to the dialogue.

Trying to marginalize Bill by talking about McDaniel is no doubt Longwitz's strategy in this race. It won't work when respected Cochran supporters like Mayor Mary and Andy Taggart, among many others, are supporting Bill. There's a reason they are willing to stick their neck out for Bill. First, Bill's a genuine guy who isn't in this for himself. Second, Will has burned a lot of bridges in one short term. Half this list supported Will four years ago. That should be a sign.

A lot of people are on this list because Longwitz won't keep his word even when it is easier to do so. He can't be controlled -- read that in an earlier comment. Agreed. He can't be controlled and bound by his own word. And a lot of these donors are tired of being shaken down right before votes. The guy has the ethics of a jackal. What he did to the CJ Stewart foundation alone merits his defeat. There is NO member of the legislature with worse ethics than Longwitz, and I realize that is QUITE a statement.

This thread is a lot of big talk. After watching my friend Will get savaged by his opponent's attack machine and win last time, I kinda think it's reasonable to expect he will win as the incumbent. I hope he does. I send my elected representatives to get things done. You can't argue in good faith that Will hasn't been an effective legislator, especially considering it's his first term. Not even his opponent is arguing about Wills ability to get laws passed. If this is a list of people with grudges, then that's one thing. It's very trendy to throw med at incumbent Republicans. The question for Longwitz is whether there are enough griping people to add up to 50+% for his opponent. And I seriously, seriously doubt that. Even with all the voters in Madison County, I would bet some money that every incumbent wins big. Including Pickering. It's just the way it works. Longwitz with 56%

3:19, what happened with the CJ Stewart foundation?

The Mayor hatched a scheme to put a juvenile drug treatment center in the middle of Ingleside, a very nice, expensive neighborhood in Madison. When Will - and 250 other people - showed up to express opposition to this terrible idea, the Mayor ran for cover. She's never forgiven him for it. Two things I learned at that community meeting: Will stood up for my neighborhood, and CJ Stewart is Avery good person who got very bad advice from some people. I'm supportive of CJ, and I hear he's thriving in a much bigger and better location - the old camp Kickapoo instead of putting a treatment center across from a Catholic elementary school in Madison.

I’m on the host committee. I’ve known Bill for years. Trustworthy, experienced. A good man.

I supported McDaniel, but that has nothing to do with my support for him here.

I voted for Longwitz in the primary when he ran for county court judge, then switched my vote for the runoff. Because he lied to my face about a couple of things, but mainly because he’s the most ambitious douchebag in Mississippi.

Married into money, got to Madison County, and immediately began running for office.

Oh, and he’s a liar when he says he’s a former federal prosecutor and special prosecutor, too. You ask anybody at Madison County Justice Court if that last one is true.

He hung around for weeks, begging Allen Phillips to let him “second chair” some misdemeanor cases. So, he’s a “special prosecutor?”

And I’ll be shocked in KF posts this comment.

Wait. What? Mayor Mary wanted a juvenile treatment center in Ingleside?? Wait til Stacey Pickering sinks his teeth into that one. Auditor race will be over!

This thing just keeps getting interestinger and interestinger....

Ooooooh. Sounds like Will and Stacey both forgot the Golden Rule: Cross Mary And She Will Destroy You. Good luck boys.... sounds like Madison is getting some juvie centers! I can't wait to see this one. She should put another one in Reunion - there's a built in customer base of druggie kids there!

Wow. I'm a Democrat and I just have to say this year is going to be most fun I've had in a long time. Republiphants eating their young.

Republiphants eating their young.

That certainly is the wet dream wetting hardcore Donkeycrat sheets up and down the state.

The problem on the CJ Stewart thing - which was a day camp for underprivileged kids, not a treatment center - wasn't so much that Longwitz was against it. It was that he had begged his way onto the CJ Stewart Foundation board a month earlier and then threw them under the bus at the public meeting. Not someone who can be depended on to fight for you if the wind shifts.

If you were anywhere near that pile of insanity McDaniel you need to be kept away from making laws.

No way should Bill be elected.

Ok, here "the CJ Stewart thing." Read for yourself. It was no "day camp" and the neighbors saw it for what it was. But even so, a camp for underprivileged youth in the middle of one of Madison's nicest neighborhoods. Really, Mary??? What were you thinking? Are you seriously wanting to put one in Reunion now?

From Madison County Journal:
MADISON - Dozens of residents poured into Parkway Pentecostal Church on Tuesday to support the CJ Stewart Foundation's goal of building an outdoor sports camp for youth, while at the same time asking that the facility not be in their backyards.

Residents are worried for multiple reasons that when Down Range, an outdoor sports camp proposed on 30 acres where Parkway Pentecostal Church currently sits at 1620 Mannsdale Road, is open it will affect property values and safety.

The CJ Stewart Foundation purchased 30 acres of land from the church, which is relocating to a spot on the corner of Bozeman Road and Reunion Parkway, for $3 million with no interest. In 12-18 months, when the new church is built, the current site will be transformed into a day camp for teenagers.

CJ Stewart and members of the nonprofit Foundation board were present to answer questions, mainly about the notion that the camp would be for "troubled youth."

"I happen to do a lot of criminal cases," one resident said. "I know very well folks may be in trouble. One reason I moved to Madison from Jackson was to get away from the bad ones. I have three small children. I will not have these kids that have scrapes with the law...coming into my community and bringing whatever they have brought with them into this community.

"I'm sorry, but if you want to take them into a forest I'm 100 percent in favor of that and I'd donate to that," he added.

Another resident had similar concerns.

"I want to also say that I don't think there's anybody here that has a disagreement with the purpose," he said. "But, perception is everything. This is known as a church. When you take it over it will not be a church. Realtors understand this.

"More importantly, this is my home," he continued. "This is the place where I feel secure. I'd like to protect my home. I understand Pastor Dillon's approach. I should have his same heart, but what you're asking me to do - you're asking me to bring those same troubled youth to my home without my permission."

SWEEEEET!!! Madison FOOD FIIIIIIIIGHT!!!

I watched the news. This guy was actively working to throw out my vote in Hinds county. No thanks, I think I'll pass.

So the other shoe finally drops. Bill Billingsley is Mary's bitch. Now I gurss I can stop asking people "why is bill running?" Durr.

No, 745, he was actively working to determine the truth. McDenial was actively working to spread whatever lie fit his current grifting. Billingsby didn't go along with the lie - and told them so.

Yes, at first he was hoping to find the problems his idiotic candidate was perpetrating as truth. But when he found that there were no problems, he stood up and said so.

I never understood his support of this narcacistic candidate, but I did respect his approach once it was over. He was willing to speak out and say what others wouldn't do; and he got behind the nominee and didn't promote the McD approach of supporting Childers.

Like I said earlier - that race is over. If you like Longwitz better as a State Senator, then I would have no differences with your supporting him. Same as with Billingsby. Can make arguments for both. But I just don't buy the argument that BB was trying to kick out legitimate votes in Hinds County - even though some of the sycophants that want to see everything through those same eyeshades still don't want to believe the truth - even as he found it to be.

Let's look at the list more closely, a Mayor who won her last race with over 80% of the vote and who was on stage the night Senator Cochran won the nomination. Walter Michel, the Senator who retired from this seat and a Cochran supporter. Andy Taggart, one of the statesmen in the Republican Party and an outspoken Cochran supporter. Businessmen like Gerard Gibert, Franc Lee and Key Ramsey. Republican women like Renee Lambert. This is hardly a fringe list. Did some of these folks support McDaniel? Sure. Like 187000 other Republicans, most of whom weren't voting for Chris or in support of the Tea Party, but were voting for change.

Let's not forget, too, that Longwitz was Tea Party. He put it in ads. Spoke at their events. Wanted their help and votes. When he got in the Senate, he joined McDaniel's coalition. When it no longer was politically popular, he abandoned ship. The same thing happened with CJ Stewart. Guy was literally on the board of the organization. Got wind that it was politically unpopular, left the board and became a movement leader against it. The point really isn't whether the camp was a good idea or not. The point is that the guy will say and do anything to stay in the limelight and preserve self-interests.

I support Bill because his principles and approach to governing align with mine and because I believe he will be the best representative for the district. His strong business acumen is desperately needed at the Capitol. Huge plus and differentiator.

9:22 -- That's right. It's not about whether the location of the camp was a good idea. It was about the ethics of someone that begs to be on the board and advocate for the group and turns on the issue without any warning at a public meeting. It's about a guy that shakes down people right before votes. It's about someone that absolutely cannot keep his word. It's about a guy that is almost uniformly disliked by everyone that knows him for more than a month. There is something seriously wrong with Longwitz, and I hope he gets help for it. But, I hope we have a new Senator in the meantime while he is getting help.

Not that it should be an issue, but Mr. Longwitz is on bride number two as well. Unless there are some sort of bizarre circumstances, I'm sure number of marriages won't nor should be an issue.

I'll let this Longwitz Campaign AD speak for itself https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ

Who is shaking whom down? Longwitz or Bill. Obviously I would think it Longwitz they are talking about. If anyone knows, please do tell.

Yall can argue about who is tea party in this race but you don't have to wonder who is Tea Party on the 58th House seat race. BOMGAARS is THE TEA PARTY guy over there. Bartley is HARD CORE 100% GOP,anti-tea party, candidate. Nuff said.

We all know Will Longwitz stole the Lindbergh baby.

Will Longwitz is Josef Mengele.

@11:19 PM, LOL.

A defender of this candidate calls me uninformed yet misspells his name 6 freaking times. Bless your heart.

Mary’s never liked Rita Martinson and we see how that worked out.

Longwitz's moves in the CJ Stewart matter certainly were curious since the camp would have been directly across the street from his own home.

9:13, I don't read into the comments where he was defending Billingsley, just commenting on the last Senate election and his role in it. Never saw him attacking Longwitz or supporting Billingsley, only correcting misstatements made surrounding the post election (2014) activities. Reread the comments, and ignore the spelling issue; deal with the fact where he calls into question your misstatements. Seems to me that is more important than typo/spelling issues.

"Mary’s never liked Rita Martinson and we see how that worked out. "

You sayin' Queen Mary torched that house?!?

Shazam, Shazam, Shazam!

Actually a misspelling of his name might be appropriate. How about Bill Bixby from "The Magician". He is trying awfully hard to make his connection to McDaniel disappear.

Unforgiving bunch out here. Wonder why Billingsley/Bixby isn't getting any love for all the other political candidates he's supported over the years? If his only mistake was McDaniel I'd say that's pretty good.