Sunday, July 24, 2022

Bill Crawford: Speculation about 2023 Statewide Races

 The upcoming November 8th general election features contested elections in all four congressional districts.

In the first district Republican incumbent Rep. Trent Kelly will face Democratic nominee Dianne Black. In the second district Democratic incumbent Rep. Bennie Thompson will face Republican nominee Brian Flowers. In the third district Republican incumbent Rep. Michael Guest will face Democratic nominee Shuwaski Young. In the fourth district Republican nominee Mike Ezell will face Democratic nominee Johnny DuPree and Libertarian nominee Alden Johnson. The three incumbents are expected to win handily. Ezell is favored in the fourth district.

While these races will garner most voters’ attention over the next 15 weeks, many politicians and political kingmakers already have their eyes focused on 2023 statewide elections.

Lots of speculation centers on the governor’s race. Republican adversaries think Gov. Tate Reeves may be vulnerable. A recent poll showed Reeves’ 55% favorable rating among Republicans more than 25 points lower than previous GOP governors in their third year. Some are pushing House Speaker Philip Gunn and Secretary of State Michael Watson to run. Others are scouring the state for an accomplished business or civic leader to get in the race.

The latest scuttlebutt says Gunn will run for governor or nothing (his favorable poll rating was just 27%), businessman and IHL Board member Tommy Duff said no, and 2019 candidate Bill Waller, Jr., is not interested. On the Democratic side speculation centers on Northern District Public Service Commissioner Brandon Pressley. Is he ready to step out of his safe post and try to become the first Democratic governor to be elected this century? Ronnie Musgrove was the last one in 1999.

In the lieutenant governor’s race speculation centers, as it has in recent years, around state Sen. Chris McDaniel. Did Michael Cassidy’s surprise showing in the third congressional district primary this year whet McDaniel’s appetite to take on Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann? Hosemann has won his previous elections handily, but some in the more conservative wing of the party would like to see a McDaniel type elected. That recent poll showed Hosemann’s favorable rating among Republicans at 40%.

What will Republican incumbents Attorney General Lynn Fitch and State Auditor Shad White do? Both are riding high from positive publicity – Finch for her right to life win in the U.S. Supreme Court and White for his crackdowns on government corruption. Will either seek to move up or just be content to build war chests for future opportunities? Current betting is they will stay put. State Treasurer David McRae, Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney, and Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson, also Republican incumbents, are expected to seek re-election.

If Watson runs for governor, though, one of the above may run for secretary of state.

Will Democrats be a factor? So long as Mississippi remains a majority Republican state Democrats will find it hard to win. Indeed, the only potential Democratic candidate gaining any speculative attention is Pressley. And few expect Democrats to show any new strength this November.

FYI – only Reeves, Hosemann, and Gunn were included in the Blueprint Polling survey.

“My soul, wait in silence for God alone, for my expectation is from him” – Psalm 62:5.

Crawford is a syndicated columnist from Jackson.

 

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have voted for Governor Tate & Lt Governor Hoseman every time they have run for office; BUT NOT THIS TIME!!!!!!!! Tate & Hoseman "LIED" to the people of Mississippi!!! What happen to letting the people of Mississippi decide on the flag?????? Instead of Tate & Hoseman let there hand pick people choose the flag!!!!! I will vote for a "DEMOCRATE" before I vote for those 2 guys!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Will Democrats be a factor?

No.

Crawford conveniently omits sharing that Blueprint Polling is actually Chism Strategies. Caveat Emptor.

Anonymous said...

Maybe it is sacrilege to admit this, but I think Mississippi would be better off with a Democrat governor next time around. Not a flaming liberal but a moderate if that is possible. Complete Republican domination has given us gridlock and a germ like Tater does not give us any standing among the many other Red states. At this point the Republican party in Mississippi is only concerned with maintaining the machine and not moving Mississippi forward. A little balance might usher some new ideas worth pursuing.

Anonymous said...

10:03 AM, Chism Strategies? Say no more. Brad Chism can't hit the broad side of a barn with his polls. Just ask Mike Espy. Then ask Mike a second time.

That'sMisterDeplorableToYou said...

I'm gonna go WAAAAAAAAAY out on a limb here, gaze into my crystal ball and predict that Bennie Thompson will trounce, overwhelm, spank and otherwise soundly defeat Republican Brian Flowers.

Anonymous said...

Good grief, let the flag thing go.

Anonymous said...

"Then ask Mike a second time."

OUCH.

Anonymous said...

I stand with — well, pretty close to, anyway — 10:01. But I want to add to that some Gunn control as well.

Break up this game in which the blue team bullies own the bat and the red team bullies own the ball and nobody else gets to play. Vote Green, vote Reform, vote Constitution, vote Tax Payers, hell, vote anything just to throw the apparatchik sonzabitches out on their asses and into the streets where they belong.

Anonymous said...

Hell, no, 11:26. I ain’t fergittin’.

County Cletus said...

10:55…. Yeah. Easy to win when the votes are already counted. Bolton alone doesn’t have the votes but BT manages a win every time. Rigged.

Anonymous said...

The runoff between Cassidy and warmonger, Pelosi supporting Guest shows that voting in MS is a waste of time, and the power elite will get what they want every time. May as well just plan on Tate Reeves being re-elected and then Hyde-Smith retiring from the Senate in 2026 and Reeves running for and winning that seat.

Anonymous said...

Tater is a traitor.

Hoseman gave us the hose, man.

And Gunn shot us in the back.

The people should have gotten a chance to vote on changing the flag, as promised. I will vote against anyone who sold us out to the mob in 2020.

Anonymous said...

4:50 The flag? Give it a rest fella. How do you function always looking backwards? Amazing!

Anonymous said...

The old flag is dead, how is that one issue worth throwing away a vote on?

Anonymous said...

The sad thing is that there is not a decent candidate from either party. All of them are mediocre at best.

Anonymous said...

The sad thing is that there is not a decent candidate from either party. All of them are mediocre at best.

Anonymous said...

I see Gunn sitting tight til 2027, goes out on top as Speaker. McDaniel gives Delbert a run but falls short, to out there for the majority. Lynn hopefully gets an appointment and we then can get a real AG, possibly Shad? Andy and Watson sit tight both distancing themselves from McDanielites(Watson) MPVR(Andy). As for Cassidy? The Navy ain’t through him, after that pans out he and his partner will move back to the North.

Anonymous said...

6:10 is the man to whom we must pay heed. He's the businessman who brought all those jobs to Mississipians once our betters made that flag right.

Anonymous said...

If Presley is as smart of a politician as he's supposed to be, he'll start mending fences with older Democratic women in a hurry.

Older women do the real work of the party. And some of those old gals are crafty enough to send him crawling back to PSC in a hot minute.


Anonymous said...

I am a Republican but I don’t like of the Republican choices but there is no way in hell that I would vote for a democrat. Anyone saying they would is not a true Republican with the country being the way it is.

Anonymous said...

Any regular on this blog could have written that article. By the way, the sky is blue.

Anonymous said...

Gunn was the force behind over turning Roe. He has been for a decade. Lynn just got to put her name on the case.

Anonymous said...

2:06, maybe Cassidy's loss simply means that not all conservatives are wacko, ignorant, McDaniel type conspiracy theorists. Doesn't bode well for McDaniel.

Anonymous said...

9:14
Nailed it! That was 100% Gunn’s push. People can say what they want about him but he has guts. Also agreed Lynn had zero to do with it and hopefully the future voters see that while she plots her next move.

Anonymous said...

9:15
Agreed, unfortunately they are a loud obnoxious bunch though.


Recent Comments

Search Jackson Jambalaya

Subscribe to JJ's Youtube channel

Archives

Trollfest '09

Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


Note: Security provided by INS.

Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

Note: Security provided by INS
.