Angela McGlowan in 1st District?

Majority in Mississippi speculates that Fox News analyst Angela McGlowan might run against Travis Childers and notes she will be speaking at Fourth of July TEA PArty events in Hernando and Tupelo. State Senator Merle Flowers, who announced he is not running for Congress, will also be speaking.

Flowers Out

Roll Call - GOP Looks to Avoid Primary in Race Against Childers (HT: Y'all)

After the GOP’s stunning 2008 special election loss in Mississippi’s Tupelo- and Southaven-based 1st district, on Wednesday the party took a big step toward avoiding another divisive regional primary fight in the Magnolia State.

State Sen. Merle Flowers, who hails from Southaven and was in Washington, D.C., earlier this month meeting with National Republican Congressional Committee officials, has decided to forgo a Congressional bid. His decision clears a major obstacle from the path of state Sen. Alan Nunnelee (R), who is from Tupelo and is now the clear favorite of party leaders among the announced candidates.

Still, Flowers’ decision doesn’t exactly gift-wrap the primary for Nunnelee. There is no lack of excitement in GOP circles to challenge Childers, and there’s talk of other potential GOP candidates getting into the race before the state’s January filing deadline. Former Eupora Mayor Henry Ross (R) has signaled his interest in seeking the nomination, and there is speculation about interest from political commentator Angela McGlowan, millionaire businessman Sam Haskell and former NFL star Wesley Walls.

Friday Roundup

Roll Call says Alan Nunnelee and Merle Flowers may be considering a challenge to Travis Childers in 2010.

Southaven Mayor Greg Davis (R), who lost to Childers in both the special election and in the November general election rematch, said last week that he has no interest in challenging Childers again in 2010. And now Magnolia State Republican insiders have turned their attention to GOP state Sens. Alan Nunnelee and Merle Flowers.

Nunnelee, who chairs the state Senate Appropriations Committee, acknowledged his interest in the 1st district race on Monday but said he probably won’t make a decision on a Congressional bid until after the state budgeting process is complete.

Nunnelee said his biggest concern with Childers is the Congressman’s ties to the more liberal leaders of his party. And while Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is currently “giving [Childers] free reign on the tough votes ... anytime she needs his vote it will be there.”

Flowers expressed similar concerns with Childers but said it is too early to talk about whether he’d challenge the Congressman in 2010. Nunnelee said that considering the close relationship that he and Flowers have, “I can’t see any scenario where Merle and I would run against each other” in a GOP primary.

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