Jackson Jambalaya

You can bet the Rankin County Republican Establishment (they know who they are) will put all of their efforts behind Golden Boy Guest.

I think Lynn Fitch would be a good choice. Would be good to break up Mississippi's long-standing Male Republican leadership in Washington. Would also be good to defeat the Rankin County Machine.

FYI: I'm a Rankin Countian. The politicos of the Rankin County Machine (aka the Good 'ole Boys Network aka I'll wash your back but we own you forever) are not liked by many in Rankin County.

I don't understand the Whit Hughes notion

When is the establishment candidate fundraiser in NE Jackson? as always. Harper was never late for a meal and his check in eastover. He's a sellout.

I talked to Bomgar this weekend. I pushed him, but he has no interest in running for Congress, and seems to be happy serving in the House. He has the money, credentials, and campaign know-how to make a serious run for it if he wanted to, though.

They may not be liked 10:38 but they certainly are effective.

Kingfish can you verify that BB or Longwitz is not jumping in?

Guest will be the establishment candidate in Rankin County and I wont be voting for him.

Doty 2018!

I know Harkins and think that he would be a good Congressman for the district, MS, and our country. His not running for that reason shows me that he has good values. Maybe he can serve us in the future.

The real question is "Who will he Barber Establishment Machine choose for us?"

Terrible analysis KF. A quarter mile race IS a sprint.

Gerald Barber is a kingmaker? Who knew?

Harper is maneuvering for an appointment if Cochran doesnt finish his term.......just sayin.

Damn, 12:10 you had to bring G. Barber up?? What a clown. I'm glad he's gone.....

10:38 if you want to break up the Male Republican leadership in Washington with Lynn Fitch, you would in fact accomplish that fact. (1) Not Male. (2) Not Republican. (3) Not leadership. But if Lynn Fitch chooses to run, will be fun to watch her financial backing promised for the AG race from Moore, Hood and buddies disappear because they have no interest in having someone in Congress. They want to continue to control the contracting process at the AG's office.

If you want to break the Male issue, Sen Sally Doty would be a good choice. For me, I don't vote based on genitals, but rather on ability. Sen Doty might get my (male and metro area) vote in this election but waiting to see the choices. I'm not voting on someone because the Rankin County Mafia - ahhh, machine - works behind the scene to try to control the system. This time, though, they were so vocal about it that it might well backfire on them.

I had forgotten that Harper was in Congress until he announced he was leaving.... Seriously, though, it was incredibly poor form by Gregg to tell Guest about his plans before breaking the news to his top staff. Gregg, that'll be my lasting memory of you.

SuperTalk can't win this one for Guest.

Bomgaars is out.

Fitch, as of now, plans to be in, but doesn't have a good reason why. She'd have a shot at making the runoff with genitalia-first voters except that....

Doty is planning to be in. It'll be interesting to see how two "I am woman, hear me vote" candidates whose biggest legislative efforts have been under the equal pay fallacy end up splitting that voting bloc.

Gibert is fooling himself. Him win the district that covers Starkville? Right.

We need some real candidates. Bueller? Bueller? Bueller???

There is no doubt Guest is the establishment candidate. He was a "guest" on the JT Show on Supertalk this morning for over thirty minutes of free advertising...

I was quite unhappy that Thad ran last time. Zero chance he would serve out his term. So the reason to run, is to allow the political power brokers to select the replacement. No surprise it looks like Harper has been chosen. In a fair election I might have voted for Harper. Depends on who else was running. But I very much despise the notion that the Republican leaders think the seat belongs to them and that they get to decide instead of the people. When Harper has to run for real, I hope a lot of good people stand up to challenge him. This type of thinking is hurting the party nationwide. It's the same thinking that Trump must be crazy because he's not in our political club. Never mind that Trump is making great strides to do exactly what he was elected to do. These folks have forgotten that they work for us and not the other way around.

Sally Doty is the only plausible choice I see above that is NOT owned by the Rankin County old boys club. She’s also got real credentials with campaign finance reform. That puts her WAY ahead of the career politicians in my book, and it will sell well in mail and ads.

1:03pm are you saying that Gregg told Michael Guest about his plans to not seek reelection before he told his staff? Really? That's bad taste on his part if true.

@1:39pm I hope you feel super FOOLISH when Gregg Harper isn't announced as Thad's replacement.

@2:15pm ... That's a HILARIOUS comment. I can't tell you how many times she has reached out to Rankin County "establishment" for money. OH and those times she attended Gregg Harper fundraiser as a friend of Harper's. Gah. You people have NO IDEA.

Has anyone looked at her finance report? $10,000 on hand and she's taken money from BUTLER SNOW, BETH CLAY, TOWER LOAN (Franc Lee anyone?)

Yeah... might want to research before you comment.

Thank you for spelling my name correctly, 2:32pm. Of course, a campaign contribution from me is hardly a distinguishing factor.

It's FRANC. Like in STANC.

1. Glad Harkins isn't running.
2. Wish Bomgar would.
3. Sally Doty would be a good alternative if Joel doesn't run.
4. Lord, please don't let do-nothing Greg wind up in Cochran's seat.

2:26, how true. These folks that think announcing their retirement is the road to either the appointment to a vacant seat that is not vacant and may not be, or the primary election for Governor obviously failed polysci 101. Why would someone give up a safe seat in the hope that they will get appointed to something that doesn't exist? Why would someone give up a safe seat to run for an office that they could run for (and raise campaign money for) while remaining in office?

Why Harper isn't running again is probably just what he said, along with what was implied. He wants to come home and make money which he can't do while in office. And the best way to do that is to play with the boys who like to think of themselves as kingmakers - so he sets it all up for Guest as the annointed one. But yes, he messed in his post toasties by playing the game without even telling his staff. That one failing should make this election much more interesting.

Gee Franc, I think @2:32 is lumping you in with the establishment.

I would tend to think Guest has inside tract, I am also curious as to why no one has wondered if Harper might not be running due to the revelation he was over the pay out fund for the sexual predators in congress.

I hope Gibert runs a self-funded campaign, spends a boatload of money and then loses; best result possible.

Fitch would be a horrific candidate to run. Glad Harper is out. I’d like to see Bomgar run or Gipson. I don’t like the idea of guest as a congressman.

Gipson is a joke with no name recognition. After HB 585 a few years ago he couldn’t get the support of law enforcement even if he begged. Plus, remember this seat is bigger than south Rankin County. It’s a large area very large area (starkpatch to Natchez) he might win Simpson county, but that would be about it.

Two words.... Mary Hawkins

I don't understand this thing about M. Guest. He's a decent prosecutor I suppose. But, how does that qualify him for congress? Look at his list of contributors over the 2014/2015 time period. Basically fifty lawyers and a couple of bail bondsmen.

Lynn Fitch? She held a State Personnel Board head job for a couple of years but accomplished nothing. Barbour slid her over into Employment Security for a short spell but she didn't even know the function of that agency. She managed (with her daddy's money) to get elected to the Treasurer job....but really? A coloring contest to advertise a dismal college savings program? But, the guys on Capitol Hill do need another over-the-hill bottle blonde to chase around.

We really need to consider a candidate who can bring jobs to the district...sorta like those brought to District 2 by Representative Thompson over the past 25 years. Wait!.........

We decry the lack of good candidates, yet we use words like Golden Boy, sellout, clown, genitalia first, horrific, joke, over the hill bottle blonde, and a host of other gratuitous personal comments - anonymously, of course - that have no place in any civil discussion. Some of us are sticklers for punishment, I guess, but is it any wonder that the kind of people we need don't want to be subjected to that?

Bill, if the decision making of potential candidates is based, or influenced, by what may, or may not, be posted anonymously on the internet then those potential candidates should resolve to remain non-candidates.

Whoever runs, the GOP primary will be about who show up “firstest with the mostest” with their love and loyalty to Trump. The slightest appearance of deviation will send the red-hats to another candidate.

Well, if a good candidate entered the race, s/he wouldn't be described in the same way as the bad ones. That's why bad candidates are described with the terms above, and good ones aren't. This is not hard.

Kingfish, Thank you for your insight on this matter. Unfortunately your readers tend to ruin your fabulous commentary with their know-it-all asinine remarks.

Mitch Tyner is talking about running for the seat. "I am seriously considering" is what he says over and over.

Doesn't Mitch Tyner "seriously consider" every seat that comes up for election? Kinda like Shawn O'Hara...

Harper will be named head of Mississippi College.

Bomgar is a terrible idea. After reading a couple of the bills he has authored, it's obvious he would be a bad choice. Someone needs to explain the whole "plain view doctrine" as established law