State of Mississippi secondary Archives: on Principles & Values

Cindy Hyde-Smith: Follows Trump principles to "make America great again"

Mike Espy: Emulate Clinton's style, comfortable in mixed-race crowds

A: Yes. I wanted to be known as President Clinton's best friend in the Black Caucus. They used me a lot, during the campaign, to answer charges. The Sister Souljah thing was one [where Jesse Jackson criticized Clinton on race].

Q: What was Bill Clinton's relationship with Jesse Jackson?

A: Jesse was used to being the emissary for white politicians in the black community, and Bill didn't need that. He could go himself. Bill operated in a world that was truly diverse, where he was comfortable, and Jesse operated in a world that was a bit limited. He was the foremost black leader, and Bill wanted to be the foremost leader. That's where they began to diverge, and it was resented in some ways. I tend to follow Bill Clinton's style of leadership, where you're comfortable in all crowds, where you don't compromise your principles, but you try to explain what you did. That's how I try to pattern myself.

Mike Espy: Jungle primary on Nov. 6; runoff election on Nov. 27

The runoff is baked into Espy's campaign strategy against Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith and conservative firebrand Chris McDaniel, Republicans who he'll face in a so-called "jungle" primary special election Nov. 6 to finish the final two years of GOP Sen. Thad Cochran's six-year term. Cochran retired in April citing health reasons, and Hyde-Smith was named to replace him until the election determined a successor. If none of the candidates receive 50 percent of the vote on Nov. 6, the top two finishers will square off in a Nov. 27 runoff.

The thinking about runoffs goes like this: A black candidate in the South could easily win a multi-candidate primary, as long as they get most of the black vote, which could be as high as the mid-to-low 30s. But in a one-on-one contest, the potential to add to that total is diminished.

Mike Espy: Jungle primary on Nov. 6; runoff election on Nov. 27

The runoff is baked into Espy's campaign strategy against Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith and conservative firebrand Chris McDaniel, Republicans who he'll face in a so-called "jungle" primary special election Nov. 6 to finish the final two years of GOP Sen. Thad Cochran's six-year term. Cochran retired in April citing health reasons, and Hyde-Smith was named to replace him until the election determined a successor. If none of the candidates receive 50 percent of the vote on Nov. 6, the top two finishers will square off in a Nov. 27 runoff.

The thinking about runoffs goes like this: A black candidate in the South could easily win a multi-candidate primary, as long as they get most of the black vote, which could be as high as the mid-to-low 30s. But in a one-on-one contest, the potential to add to that total is diminished.

Rev. Jesse Jackson: Abolish runoff elections; they hurt black candidates

The thinking about runoffs goes like this: A black candidate in the South could easily win a multi-candidate primary, as long as they get most of the black vote, which could be as high as the mid-to-low 30s. But in a one-on-one contest, the potential to add to that total is diminished.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, who made the abolishing runoffs a cornerstone of his unsuccessful 1984 Democratic presidential campaign, said "Historically, and in many instances today, whites support white candidate regardless of how qualified an African-American candidate is.

"Even if Mike Espy does make it to the runoff in Mississippi it is unlikely that he will win the runoff--whatever runoff system is used in Mississippi" despite having the highest percentage of African-American residents in the country at 37 percent, Jackson said.

Robert Gray: Confederate flag shouldn't be associated with state flag

Roger Wicker: OpEd: Ties Musgrove to Obama to demonstrate liberal record

Wicker's ability to tie the liberal record of Obama to Musgrove that was the deciding difference in the debate. By bringing up the issue of Judicial appointments as they might affect the Second Amendment as well as abortion and traditional marriage, Wicker demonstrated the continuing difficulty of any Democrat in a statewide election, regardless of how conservative they might be.

Ronnie Musgrove: OpEd: Distancing himself from Obama

Wicker's ability to tie the liberal record of Obama to Musgrove that was the deciding difference in the debate. By bringing up the issue of Judicial appointments as they might affect the Second Amendment as well as abortion and traditional marriage, Wicker demonstrated the continuing difficulty of any Democrat in a statewide election, regardless of how conservative they might be.