By a vote of 7-2, the Mississippi Supreme Court sided with Republican Governor Haley Barbour by ruling that the special election for the Senate seat currently held by Roger Wicker should be held in November 2008. This is great news for Senator Wicker and Governor Barbour.
It’s unfortunate that we lost this battle, but we still have a strong candidate in Governor Musgrove. Musgrove now has 9 months to make his case across Mississippi. He’s done it before, and he’ll do it again.
(One for the good guys – promoted by DavidNYC)
Hinds County Judge Bobby Delaughter ruled a couple of hours ago that Governor Barbour (R) exceeded his authority in declaring the special election be held in November 2008 to fill former Senator Trent Lott’s seat.
The Judge ruled that the special election will now have to be held on or before March 19, 2008! Expect this to go to the state Supreme Court.
This is great news for state Democrats. I’m sure Chuck Schumer is breathing a nice sigh of relief… for now.
For those unfamiliar with Judge Delaughter – who I know personally to be a great, fairminded judge – refer to the movie Ghosts of Mississippi. Alec Baldwin does a good job playing Bobby.
By a very close vote of 62-60, Speaker Billy McCoy (D) will retain the gavel for the next four years. He fended off a very aggressive challenge from fellow Rep. Jeff Smith (D). Smith is a close ally of Gov. Haley Barbour (R), and Smith’s election to Speaker was seen by many as having a DINO weilding the gavel. With Speaker McCoy holding onto power in the House, Governor Barbour will have someone keep him in check over his second term.
Great news for Mississippi!
[Diary edited for copyright concerns. – Mgmt.]
Some words about the new open seat in Mississippi from Jackson’s Clarion-Ledger newspaper…
Outgoing state Rep. Jamie Franks said it’s unlikely he will run against state Rep. Steve Holland for the congressional seat Roger Wicker’s recent appointment to the U.S. Senate left vacant.
“And I don’t believe he would run against me either,” Franks said of his friend and fellow representative. Both are Democrats from north Mississippi.
Wicker was appointed Monday by Gov. Haley Barbour to the Senate seat Trent Lott vacated. A special election is to be called within 60 days, Barbour said, then held within 60 days after that.
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State Rep. Steve Holland (D) is a former Republican, folks. He used to work for Congressman Thad Cochran (R-MS) back in his younger days. He once said that he didn’t leave the Republican Party; it left him. Now that he’s had time to wise up and become a Democrat, Holland has made his way into the ranks of power in the MS Legislature. He’s a committee chairman and close confidant of House Speaker Billy McCoy (D). I don’t see why Holland would give up such power to move to Washington. Jamie Franks will soon be a former member of the House. It’s not like he has much to do these days anyway… other than be a lawyer.