David Landrum and Voter ID

Because this blog followed that campaign so much in 2008:

Ipse Blogit - David Landrum Lectures Us On The Importance of Voting

Sid Salter has an interesting blog post about an email he received from David Landrum, businessman and former candidate for the Republican nomination for Mississippi's Third Congressional District seat. Seems that Mr. Landrum is raising money for a ballot initiative to amend the State Constitution to require voter identification.

Is this the same David Landrum who lost all credibility when the voting records showed that HE HADN'T VOTED AT ALL in past elections?

And then claimed that the voting records had been tampered with?

And then didn't dispute that the records his own campaign used to "prove" he had voted were false?

Yep, I think it's the same person.

Maybe Mr. Landrum isn't the best guy to take the lead in the fight for the integrity of the election rolls in Mississippi?

DA: Sautermeister cleared

Roll action cleared by DA - Madison County Herald - An investigation by the Madison County district attorney's office found no criminal intent by Election Commissioner Sue Sautermeister when she inactivated more than 10,000 voters before the March primary election. District Attorney Michael Guest, in response to an inquiry by The Madison County Herald, said last month his office concluded its investigation and does not anticipate any further proceedings.

The names, while not purged from the system, were removed from the voter registration books and had to be restored by the Secretary of State's office before the March presidential and congressional primaries. Some of the names removed belonged to residents who have voted in recent elections. Congressional candidate David Landrum, whose name was on the March ballot, was removed from the poll book along with his wife. "No voters were removed from the voter rolls," Sautermeister said. "I was simply doing what I was elected to do, namely keep the voter rolls maintained and accurate."

The district attorney's worked with the FBI and the Secretary of State in determining that "there were more people on the voter rolls than there are actual voters. So a clean-up was merited in an effort to bring the voter records into compliance with the law," Guest said. "Our investigation determined the following: that the election commissioner had requested funds to notify those that were being removed from the rolls but didn't receive the requested funding; that the records that were deleted were added back into the system before any election was held; and we uncovered no evidence that the election commissioner was removing names, in an attempt to illegally disenfranchise those whose names were removed, or to impede the outcome of an election. Therefore no criminal intent was uncovered. To that end, it is the decision of this office that unless new information develops this case should not move forward.

Sautermeister said that Madison County's voter rolls are "so bloated with names of people who have died or moved out of Madison County that it is 122 percent of the county's entire population including those under the age of 18. "Counting an estimate of 10,000 who are under 18, this then means that a good percentage of the names on the Madison County voter roll is not eligible to vote. This situation is a very large open door to voter fraud, and I will continue to do all I can to properly correct the situation," she said.

Landrum Endorses Harper

Dear Friends and Supporters,

Over the past 5 months, I have campaigned throughout the entire 3rd Congressional District and spent time with some wonderful people. I have also had the opportunity to campaign with all the candidates who initially ran in the Republican Primary.

Throughout the Primary, I have had the opportunity to see firsthand the character and motivation of each candidate. Now that we did not make it to the runoff, I believe I should let you know what I have seen on the campaign trail.

Throughout the debates, forums, and joint appearances, one of my opponents stood out of the crowd. This candidate has the convictions, passion, and the heart to serve the people of the 3rd District, which I think is vital for our next Congressman. This candidate has run a clean campaign and has refused to participate in the typical mudslinging or personal attacks used by other campaigns - either through television commercials or through word of mouth. I respect this candidate as a man of faith with a servant's heart.

That is why, in the Republican Runoff on April 1st, I am going to be supporting Gregg Harper for Congress and I humbly ask for your consideration to do the same. I have talked with Gregg about the issues that matter to me, and I feel confident he will address these issues as our next Congressman.

If you would like to help Gregg by volunteering for his campaign, donating to his campaign, or if you would just like more information, you can visit his website at www.greggharperforcongress.com or you can call his office at (601) 420.2211.

Again, thank you for your support during our campaign.

Sincerely,
David Landrum

Salter Blog: Harper Mo

ClarionLedger.com - Sid Salter Blog - Harper's momentum growing? - A $500 per person/couple fundraiser for 3rd District congressional candidate Gregg Harper of Pearl will get underway this afternoon in downtown Jackson at the Electric Building. With Harper now facing first primary frontrunner and former Rankin County legislator Charlie Ross in the GOP second primary, it's likely that Harper's support from fans of Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant — and possibly from Bryant himself — will begin to manifest itself in the runoff showdown with Ross. Ross angered Bryant during their 2007 Republican primary tilt over what Bryant considered negative ads attacking Bryant. At any rate, there was no love lost between Bryant and Ross after that campaign despite Ross making an endorsement of Bryant in his general election race with former Democratic state Rep. Jamie Franks of Mooreville.

ClarionLedger.com - Sid Salter Blog - 3rd District runoff: What to look for in the next 12 days... - In the 3rd Congressional District runoff election, first primary frontrunner Charlie Ross faces the dubious task of trying to hold his lead with reduced turnout and to pick up the support of his vanquished opponents. He faces that task with Republicans loyal to Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant now actively working against him — still stinging from the Bryant-Ross GOP primary in 2007. Many of David Landrum's supporters blame Ross, rightly or wrongly, for their candidate's problems in the first primary.Bryant attended Harper's Tuesday night $500 a person reception in downtown Jackson at the Electric Building.On the up side, Ross has the support of the Club For Growth. On the down side, CFG has a reputation for negative campaigning. Going negative is a highly risky strategy for Ross on several levels. While Ross will pick up the tort reform crowd in the runoff from other candidates, his appeal to other groups is limited.Gregg Harper will get the vast majority of evangelical Republican support. Supporters of David Landrum are far more likely to gravitate to Harper than to Ross. Harper has the superior ground game in Rankin County and as he showed in the first primary, in the rural areas of the district. Lauderdale County is vital in this matchup for Ross. A lower turnout is likely to favor Harper, who knows how to get his folks to the polls.Advantage? I think Harper is well-positioned to win this GOP runoff. He kept his campaign clean, worked his ground game and raised just enough money to stay on television. As evidenced by last night's reception, Harper's finding it easier to raise money in the second primary.

Roll Call: Runoffs Loom

Roll Call - Magnolia State Runoffs Loom - In the central Mississippi 3rd district, where Rep. Chip Pickering (R) is retiring at the end of this Congress, Pickens Alderman Joel Gill (D) will face the winner of the April 1 Republican runoff between state Sen. Charlie Ross and former Ranking County Republican Chairman Gregg Harper. In the crowded race, Ross, who was no doubt helped by the name recognition he built during a failed 2007 campaign for lieutenant governor, took 33 percent of the vote on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Harper edged out wealthy businessman David Landrum by about 1,800 votes to make the runoff with 28 percent.

Two weeks ago Landrum seemed to be a sure bet to make the runoff based on his strong media presence in the district that was funded by $545,000 of his own money. But a controversy, first stirred up by former Pickering aide John Rounsaville — who took just 10 percent of the vote in Tuesday’s primary — over whether Landrum voted in past state elections, took its toll on the businessman. The controversy turned into a firestorm. Late last week, Landrum lashed out at Rounsaville and Ross in a television spot that insinuated the two were involved in “dirty” campaign tactics.

Of the four top contenders in the race, Harper turned out to be the only candidate to avoid being caught up in the mudslinging that developed and his strong grassroots campaign allowed him to slip, somewhat under the radar, into the runoff.

In a head to head matchup with Ross, Harper won’t be under the radar any longer. But Harper does have a few things going for him in the runoff. First, by being able to avoid the Landrum voting record firestorm he might earn the endorsement of Landrum in the runoff. A spokesman for Landrum said Wednesday that any endorsement decision by Landrum wouldn’t be coming until next week at the earliest. Harper’s other asset is that he outperformed Ross in the district’s largest Republican stronghold, Rankin County, where both hail from. Harper took 38 percent of the vote in Rankin while Ross took 34 percent, according to the Clarion Ledger’s unofficial numbers.

Ross appears likely to continue to campaign on a message of experience, pointing to his 11 years in the Mississippi state legislature. “We’re going to try to continue to get our conservative message out,” said Ross communications director Kell Smith. “We did receive the most votes Tuesday. ... It’s always good to have more votes than the other guy.”

$2,119,435

Totals raised by the top four candidates before the primary election (includes contributions later refunded).

David Landrum $1,045,244
($485,000 of this was self-contributed)

Charlie Ross $593,946
(He has filed $14,600 in addition to that since the election)

Gregg Harper $246,865
(Includes a $20,000 self-contribution 6 days before the election)

John Rounsaville $233,380

The total raised by the top four candidates for the primary: $2,119,435

Ad Wars

WLBT - Ad Wars: Did Negative Ads Boomerang in Congressional Race? - Two candidates are headed to a runoff in the Republican race for the 3rd Congressional District. Former State Senator Charlie Ross received 33 percent of the vote. Attorney Gregg Harper drew 28 percent. That's not bad for two candidates who so far have chosen not to go negative in their advertising.

Harper says it was a decision he made from the beginning. "I know it helped. We had a number of people in that last week who said, we appreciate you didn't get in the middle of all that," he says.

Ross had run several attack ads against Phil Bryant last year in the race for Lieutenant Governor. He lost the race, so we asked him if he purposely shied away from negative campaigning this time around. He didn't answer the question directly. "The difference between me and my opponents in this race is, I have a record of performance in the legislature. That's the message I'm conveying to the public," he says.

This time, Ross was the target of a negative ad. Candidate David Landrum ran an ad which ironically points out Ross's prior negative ads didn't work. Landrum came in third in the current race.

John Rounsaville, who came in fourth, ran one of the highest profile ads, attacking Landrum's voting record. We asked Rounsaville about the effects of his ad campaign. He said "It helped Gregg Harper out a lot." We asked if he had any regrets about the ad campaign. He said he wouldn't have done anything differently. And regarding his political future, he said he's exploring his options.

And what about endorsements for the remaining candidates? Landrum says he will talk to some of his supporters, and then decide.

A spokesman for Congressman Chip Pickering, who is vacating the 3rd Congressional seat, says, "(The Congressman) has been neutral so far. We expect him to stay neutral".

Landrum Concedes

WTOK - Landrum Concedes District Three Race - One of the initial front runners in the district three congressional race, David Landrum, will not continue on in that race. Around 11 p.m. Tuesday, Landrum conceded the race, ending his first try at politics. The Madison County businessman spent several thousand dollars of his own money in the race. Many people point to negative campaign tactics by some of his opponents as Landrum's downfall. "In a sense, you almost feel -- in this world -- that you're back in elementary school where kids can be real rude and real mean. I understand why a lot of people wouldn't get into politics and not try this, but I have no regrets. Because I have thick skin, I can kind of let that stuff bounce off of me," said Landrum. Landrum hasn't ruled out a future campaign, but says for now he will be returning to his business.

Mississippi Perspective - David Landrum: Stupid Politician Tricks - As a general rule, I do not enjoy the misery of others. That said, there was some satisfaction in watching David Landrum’s political meltdown over the past few weeks. In watching him completely unravel, I wished for a new segment on David Letterman — Stupid Politician Tricks. Of course, Landrum denies being a politician. That’s crap. Up until two weeks ago, it appeared Landrum was poised to make a runoff with former Sen. Charlie Ross. Then came the voting “scandal”. Ironically, Ross and Gregg Harper — the duo now in the runoff — stayed quiet as former Pickering boy John Rounsaville led the attack on Landrum. No matter what he said, under no circumstance should he have fabricated evidence and lied about those signatures being his own, much less that of his wife. Landrum had run a textbook campaign. He used his considerable wealth and went to television early to build name recognition. He hit hot-button issues that played to his conservative base. He presented himself as a strong businessman with Christian convictions and a loving family. He was a political outsider wanting to reform D.C. for other Mississippians. Then he imploded. And, I watched on with a smile.

Jackson Jambalaya - Interesting discussion on Primerica - Over on Tigerdroppings.com we are having a discusson on Primerica, as it came up during the campaign due to David Landrum's involvement in the company. Interesting comments are made: http://www.tigerdroppings.com/rant/messagetopic.asp?p=7450161&pg=1#lp

Madison Purge Update

Madison County Journal - Change to voter rolls called into question - A county election commissioner accused of inappropriately moving over 10,000 voters from active to inactive status since the beginning of the year said she was simply doing her job. District 1 Election Commissioner Sue Sautermeister came under fire late last week when it was revealed she had been changing voters' status since the start of this year. Election Commission Chairman Kakey Chaney said this was done improperly.

Statistics indicate that there are several thousand more voters registered on the books than actual eligible voters. According to estimates from the 2006 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 87,419, but only 63,000 of those residents are over 18 and eligible to vote. As of March 7, there were 70,871 registered voters on the books, according to numbers provided by Circuit Clerk Lee Westbrook.

Sautermeister has said she will not resign from her position despite calls for her to do so, and has remained steadfast in her belief that the Election Commission has delayed cleaning up the voter rolls for far too long.

Westbrook said she had received a surprisingly low volume of calls from voters concerned about the issue over the past week. "Either people are not alarmed, or it's one of those things they'll think about on Election Day," she said last Friday. "Every one of us thought we would be bombarded."

Sautermeister admitted in an interview last week that "the timing may be off" because of Tuesday's federal election, but maintained that keeping the voter rolls clean should be a priority for Election Commission members. "This is part of our job, to keep the voter rolls clean," she said. "This is something we're supposed to be doing. The others knew I was doing it." She added that she believed there was a legal difference between making voters inactive and purging them from the books and had requested clarification from Hosemann's office before Wednesday.

Voters may be made inactive if these notification cards are not filled out and returned in 30 days. Inactive voters who do not vote in the two subsequent federal elections are purged from the voter rolls.

"It appears Sue Sautermeister inactivated voters but before sending the required notice to voters," Chaney told the supervisors on Monday. But Sautermeister countered that since the county had never undertaken such an effort before, it was unclear what the correct procedure should be for the county.

"We still don't know how the process works," she said, adding that some commissioners from other counties had told her that voters could be made inactive prior to notification cards being sent.

Westbrook said the commissioners had been collecting returned mail since they took office at the start of 2005 as the first step towards cleaning up the voter rolls.

The words "purged" and "inactive" had been used interchangeably but incorrectly over the past week, according to Westbrook, since purged voters are those who are deceased or those who have felony convictions that forbid them to vote.

Sautermeister said she hoped the situation would raise awareness of the county's ongoing problem with inflated voter rolls. Too many people, she said, are not voting in the correct precincts and should update their voter registration information whenever it is necessary.

Westbrook and Sautermeister differed about the status of Mississippi Third District congressional candidate David Landrum, a Madison County resident, whom Sautermeister made inactive. While Westbrook said she would not have inactivated Landrum and recently personally confirmed that Landrum was a county resident who had recently moved, Sautermeister said her decision was correctly based on pieces of returned mail.

Club for Growth: Ross, Rounsaville, Landrum

Club for Growth - Today's Election in MS-03 - Club members and supporters might be interested in tracking the results of today's GOP primary race in Mississippi's 3rd congressional district. This is an open seat left by the retiring Rep. Chip Pickering. There are seven candidates on the ballot, but here are the serious contenders:

Charlie Ross
John Rounsaville
David Landrum

The winner of this primary will need to get above 50%. Otherwise, he will go into a run-off scheduled for April 1st against the second-place finisher. Election results should be available here and here shortly after the polls close at 8pm EDT.

From The Blogs

Jackson Jambalaya - Why should we listen to Mary Hawkins-Butler? - Considering she endorsed and promoted a Democrat in last fall's election, why should Republicans listen to her when it comes to voting in the Republican primary for replacing Chip Pickering tomorrow? [Note: MHB is for DL]

Andy Taggart - Here's my scorecard for tomorrow - Third District GOP Congressional Primary - David Landrum has been in trouble for three weeks, and in freefall for nearly two weeks. The only question I have heard from observers is whether he has fallen far enough to fall all the way out of a run-off. I believe he has. Although I think there could be less than five percentage points distance between the top three vote getters, I think Gregg Harper and Charlie Ross will come out on top and meet again in three weeks.

Marshall Ramsey - Remember to vote - Remember to vote tomorrow. In fact, tomorrow's election is so important, that even David Landrum will vote (sorry, I couldn't resist.)

CQ on Mississippi 3

CQpolitics - Mississippi Primary to Fix GOP Favorites for Open House Seats - A total of seven Republicans will appear on Tuesday’s 3rd District ballot and will likely split the vote to such a degree that a runoff will be required.

David Landrum, a wealthy financial services businessman, is heavily self-financing his campaign. He passed the $1 million mark in total receipts last week when he put more than $500,000 in personal funds into his campaign treasury. Landrum’s big bankroll has enabled him to run a major advertising campaign in the district and increase his name ID. It has also made him a target. Landrum recently was in local headlines over his past political alliances. It was revealed that Landrum donated money during the 2003 race for governor to both Democrat Musgrove, then the incumbent and now Wicker’s Senate challenger, and Republican Barbour, who ended up winning the race. When pressed about how he voted that year, Landrum said he backed Barbour. His campaign then released documentation showing Landrum and his wife’s signatures in the voter sign-in books for that election. Later, Landrum said the signatures were not valid after their authenticity was called into question by the Clarion-Ledger, but Landrum maintains he and his wife did vote in that election.

Landrum is just one of several candidates whom local Republicans say make up the top tier of the field. He is joined by former state Sen. Charlie Ross, who has a statewide profile owing to his unsuccessful 2007 run for lieutenant governor. The Clarion Ledger endorsed Ross over the past weekend, noting his experience in the legislature as well as his military service during the Persian Gulf War in the early 1990s. “Ross can be effective on the first day he goes to Washington,” said the endorsement.

Ross and Landrum, though, face strong competition from John Rounsaville, a former state rural development director for the U.S. Deparment of Agriculture and a former aide to both Barbour and Pickering, and Gregg Harper, the former GOP chairman in heavily Republican Rankin County in suburban Jackson.

Another Anti Landrum Youtube Spot

You Would Rather Lose with Character Than Play Games

MagnoliaPoliticos Hits Landrum for RoboCalls

From MagnoliaPoliticos - Magnoliapoliticos@gmail.com announced that the first major YouTube video in Mississippi that looks-professionally produced was released to the American public today. The video was constructed after the Landrum campaign ignored an inquiry for more than 24 hours regarding the legality of their unsolicited blast-phone calls, which never included a disclaimer regarding whom paid or authorized these unwanted political calls. Magnoliapoliticos@gmail.com follows all FEC guidelines. It is exempt from FEC regulation since it is using the power of email, other's blogging abilities, and YouTube on its own free time without the instruction, knowledge, or authorization from any candidate or party including but not limited to their respective committees. This is America, folks, and we are allowed to speak freely. Thank God for our Constitution."

Landrum Self-Contributes Another $15,000

David Landrum self-contributed another $15,000 to his campaign which brings his total self-funding to $545,000.

---

Jere Nash Blog - Third Congressional District Finances - Once candidates for federal office filed their pre-primary campaign finance reports a couple of weeks ago, they are required to disclose any major contributions within 48 hours to the FEC. Totaling up those 48-hour reports, in the Third District, Charlie Ross has raised $207,346, way ahead of his competitors. Landrum reports $66,300 in recent contributions, while Rounsaville has $54,000 to report and Harper $44,500. On the other hand, Landrum has dumped another $135,000 of his own money into the race, bringing that total to $545,000. And Harper put $20,000 of his own money into the campaign. From looking at all of the reports, it appears that by the end of the primary, Landrum will have spent right at $1 million on the campaign; Ross will have spent almost $700,000; and Harper and Rounsaville will each have spent about a quarter of a million dollars. We'll know by tomorrow night if Harper's political networks can overcome this financial disparity or if Landrum's spending can compensate for all the negative publicity he's received.

Ledger Online Letters

Rounsaville Best to Represent Third District - Jo McCormick, Newton

David Landrum Is The Right Choice - Chip Estes, Flora

Eads The Man for the Job - E. Patterson, Ellisville

Charlie Ross is the Most Qualified - Barbara Vanlandingham, Caledonia

Rounsaville Right Choice for Congress - Mike Hurst, Madison

David Landrum distorted truth - B.J. Cougle, Starkville

I'm For David Landrum - Kevin Macdonald, Jackson

Landrum Should Come Clean - Mike Hurst, Madison

My Analysis of David Landrum's Vote*

My Analysis of David Landrum's Vote*

1) John Rounsaville produced evidence indicating David Landrum had not voted after the 2000 general election or before the 2007 general election. Now the burden of proof is on David Landrum.

2) David Landrum produced records he said showed he attempted to cast a ballot in the 2003 primary and general by affidavit. After a Clarion Ledger investigation, it was found those were not his signatures, something David Landrum eventually admitted. So he has no proof he attempted to vote.

3) John Rounsaville's campaign further demonstrated that David Landrum was not registered to vote in Hinds County in 2003. So even if he had tried to cast a ballot (which he could not prove even that) it would not have been accepted. He could not, thus he did not, vote.

4) David Landrum next claimed someone stole his ballot and pointed to Pete Perry, John Rounsaville's treasurer, as someone who was in the record room. However, Pete Perry went to the records room in response to the Landrum Campaign's release of their now admitted false proof. Perry went to verify the documents Landrum released. That means the Landrum Campaign was in the record room first. The Landrum Campaign removed records and copied them. If absentee ballots are missing (ballots which would prove the signatures on the sign-in were not David Landrum's signatures), then perhaps as the first ones in the room, the Landrum Campaign "misplaced" them.

5) But the key here is, how do we know ballots are missing? We know because there are fewer ballots in the box than names on the sign-in sheet. But the Landrum Campaign has acknowledged none of the signatures on the sign-in sheet belong to David Landrum. Therefore, if no ballots were missing, if all the ballots were there, if there was a ballot for every signature...there would still be no ballot belonging to David Landrum, because he has no signature on the roll for such a ballot to correspond to.

Conclusion: In the final analysis, there is evidence David Landrum did not vote. There is no evidence he did vote. There is no evidence stolen or missing that could show he voted, because that evidence (the voter roll) is still in the record room and it still says, David Landrum did not vote.

(*Thanks for the emails pro and con that helped to make this case.)

Nash on Landrum

ClarionLedger.com - Jere Nash - David Landrum & Politicians - Well, there he was again today. David Landrum. On the front page of the Clarion-Ledger. Declaring to all the world that he was “not a politician.” This has been a theme of Landrum’s throughout the campaign – denigrating the very profession he’s trying to join. If David Landrum were in medical school, he’d be saying, “I’m here, but I’m not a doctor.” By definition, those who seek public office are politicians. Can you imagine Landrum walking up to Haley Barbour, sticking out his hand, and saying, “Hi. I’m David Landrum. I’m a candidate for Congress. But I’m not a politician.” Say what you want to about Haley Barbour’s choice of party or his positions on the public policy issues of the day, you have to admire his ability to practice the profession of politics. The irony, of course, is that the way in which Landrum has handled his contribution to Ronnie Musgrove or his prior voting record is just the way a David Landrum caricature of a “politician” would act. A real politician knows that the only currency that matters is honesty.

Ledger: Barbour attacks Landrum

Clarion Ledger - Neutral no more: GOP attacks one of its own - Landrum trying to divert attention, RNC rep says of voting flap - On Friday, Mississippi's representative to the Republican National Committee, Henry Barbour — who had been neutral in the race - opened fire on fundraising frontrunner David Landrum after Landrum suggested a long-time GOP worker may have stolen Landrum's affidavit ballot in the 2003 Republican primary in Hinds County.

In an e-mail to Republicans, Barbour accused Landrum of "attacking the 'foot soldiers' of the party in an effort to move the focus off of him. ... If he makes the runoff, I would not be surprised to see him effectively try to purchase our nomination. I hope y'all will join me in working to make sure that does not happen."

Landrum - who has raised nearly $1 million, much of it his own money - responded Friday: "I grew up in Jones County, where I learned to stand up for myself. And that is what I'm going to do. I am not a politician, but I understand that Republicans are going to support different candidates in this race, but I believe this has gone to a new low."

The brouhaha began a few weeks back when fellow candidate John Rounsaville said Landrum hadn't voted in seven years. Landrum responded he and his wife, Jill, had voted for Gov. Haley Barbour in every election they could since 2003 and pointed to signatures in the Hinds County voters register as proof. But The Clarion-Ledger discovered two signatures he said were his wife's actually belonged to other people.

Two days later, Landrum's campaign said none of the signatures belonged to the couple and that the news release was sent out "without David's knowledge and approval. It never occurred to either David or Jill to verify the signatures. David accepts responsibility for an honest mistake."

Landrum and his wife have said they voted by affidavit ballot in 2003 in Hinds County in both the Republican primary and general election. Some of the affidavit ballots are missing from the August 2003 primary for Precinct 78, and Landrum insists the couple's votes are among those missing. But Hinds County election officials say anyone who votes must sign the voter register. And no signatures appear to match Landrum's or his wife's.

Landrum's campaign raised questions about the possibility of tampering by releasing an affidavit from Pat Wilson, a machine specialist working with the Hinds County Election Commission. Wilson said Pete Perry, treasurer for the congressional campaign for John Rounsaville, was in the room by himself for more than an hour with 2003 Republican primary election records. After Perry left, Wilson said he noticed three boxes containing the records "were not located where they had been neatly stacked, and they could not be easily located because they were mixed in with many other boxes in the room containing other election records." Perry said Friday he was alone with the records for maybe 10 minutes and was joined by David Ross, son of candidate Charlie Ross, in examining 2003 election records. They found no evidence the couple had voted, Perry said. He acknowledged he didn't restack the boxes as they were before because "they didn't seem to be in any particular order" but denied taking any documents. The handful of affidavit ballots missing now were missing then, he said.

What happened in Madison County to Landrum and his wife could soon be part of the Justice Department investigation. An election commissioner moved more than 10,000 names from the voting rolls from active to inactive, including those of Landrum and his wife.

Jim Herring, chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party, said his role is to not get involved in the primary: "I always take serious Reagan's 11th commandment: Thou shall not speak ill of a fellow Republican." As for the purging, Herring said, "We're not going to know all the answers before the March 11 primary, but sooner or later the facts will come out as to who did what." He called the race so far "a black eye for the party." Instead of focusing on real issues, the campaign has deteriorated, he said. "I think it's a legitimate issue whether a person voted in the past. The whole thing has become an unfortunate episode that damages the party. Our goal is to elect somebody who will win the war, restore the economy for the benefit of our people and preserve the values that Republicans stand for."

Landrum Attacks Ross, Rounsaville in TV spot

So much for running a positivie campaign. David Landrum proves he is a politician. Now we know where his latest $60,000 self-contribution went.

Last week Jill Landrum said in a campaign email: "I am amazed at how many people have offered me 'dirt' and I mean REAL DIRT on our opponents. I can tell you this… I would rather lose with character than win through mud slinging and playing dirty political tricks."