Coleman, Neely endorse Holland

Calhoun City Alderman Marshall Coleman and Tupelo Attorney Brian Neely endorsed Steve Holland. HatTip: CottonMouth - Holland Picks Up Endorsements From #3 and #4 Finishers

Latest in Fundraising

Daily Journal - New Contributions Reported to FEC - Candidates for the 1st District House seat have reported additional contributions since a filing deadline about a week ago.

Three Republicans and five Democrats will face off in party primaries Tuesday.

All three Republicans reported new contributions:

- Southaven Mayor Greg Davis - $29,200

Top new contributors: $5,000 - BancorpSouth PAC; $2,300 - Meredith McCullar, McCullar Realty, Memphis; Lisa Beene, Great River Beverage, Southaven; William Posey, Greysone, Covington, Tenn.; Gayle Posey, housewife, Covington, Tenn.; James M. Harris III of Oxford; Robert Newman, Newmann-Tillman developer, Memphis; David Rozier of Oxford.

- Glenn L. McCullough Jr. of Tupelo - $46,600

Top new contributors: $2,300 - Jean Elmore, Tupelo homemaker; Jim Ferer, furniture supply, Tupelo; Elizabeth Moler, Exelon exec, McLean, Va.; Christina Hall, Tupelo legal secretary; Robert D. Kirk, retired, Miramar Beach Fla.; Jeff Leathers, Tupelo attorney; Lori Greer, Tupelo homemaker.

- Dr. Randy Russell of Oxford - $71,000

- Top new contributors - $55,000 from himself; $2,000 - American Academy of Family Physicians; Neurosurgery PAC.

Democrat Travis Childers of Booneville, longtime Prentiss County chancery clerk, is the only candidate in his party to file his contributions online with the FEC, so other candidates' new donors were not immediately apparent.

- Travis Childers - $2,000

- Top new contributors - $1,000 - BancorpSouth PAC; Arthur Jumper of Booneville.

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Columbus Dispatch - Two locals give to congressional race - According to campaign finance reports published on the Federal Election Commission Web site, Columbus residents financially contributed to the campaigns of two candidates seeking the 1st District Congressional seat vacated by Roger Wicker - Republicans Glenn McCullough Jr. and Dr. Randy Russell.

The reports on www.fec.gov covered contributions made from Jan. 1 to Feb. 20.

Of the candidates whose financial information was posted, McCullough, the former chairman of the Tennessee Valley Authority Board of Directors, posted the most receipts - $334,061 - including, $288,561 in individual contributions and $45,500 in Political Action Committee receipts.

Individual Columbus contributors included: Henry C. Pilkinton, president of Better Brands, who gave $250; SeverCorr's Chief Executive Officer John Correnti, who listed himself as an executive with Corrections Corp. of America, gave $2,300; Stark Aerospace President David Eudy, who gave $1,000; a Columbus homemaker, who listed herself as “Mrs. Gregory Rader,” who gave $2,300; Dr. D.K. Curtis, a dentist with Pediatric Dentistry Group, who contributed $250; Stark Aerospace Vice President Richard Dobbins, who gave $1,000; Don R. Shelton, owner of Riverside Logistics, who contributed $500, Jeff Turnage, an attorney with Mitchell, McNutt and Sams, who gave $300; Henry Weiss, retired from Columbus Scrap Metal, who contributed $1,000; Attorney Gordon Flowers, who gave $500; Agnes Zaiontz, the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Development Authority office manager, who contributed $250; Edward Lehner, a SeverCorr executive, who gave $1,000; Jim Ford, a retired Columbus resident, who contributed $1,000; Bobby Harper, a banker with Cadence Bank, who contributed $500; James C. Galloway Jr of Galloway, Chandler, McKinney Insurance, who gave $500; Thomas L. Phillips, chief executive officer of Southern Group, contributed $1,000; Henry Weiss, retired from Columbus Scrap Metal, gave $400; Gregory C. Rader, general manager of Columbus Scrap Metal, contributed $2,300; Gary A. Chism, a state representative and insurance agent with Columbus Insurance Services, gave $250; Nick Ardillo, president of NPA LLC, contributed $1,000 and Amy Ellis, president of Rafco Construction, gave $1,000.

Southaven Mayor Greg Davis, a Republican, reported $296,455 in receipts, including $275,455 in individual contributions, $6,000 in PAC contributions and $15,000 in other contributions. Davis did not report any Columbus contributors.

Democrat Travis Childers, Prentiss County Chancery Court clerk, reported $181,628 in receipts, including $77,980 in individual contributions, $500 in PAC contributions and $3,148 in candidate contributions. Childers did not report any Columbus contributors.

Russell, a Republican Oxford ophthalmologist, reported $161,394 in receipts, including, $67,394 in individual contributions, $14,000 in PAC contributions and $80,000 in other contributions. Stan Murray, a banker with Citizens National Bank in Columbus contributed $250; Dan Bennet, a self-employed Columbus physician, gave $500 and Gregory W. Childrey, a self-employed Columbus physician, contributed $250 to Russell's campaign.

Also, Democrat Brian Neely reported $750 in individual contributions.

Democrats in Desoto

Desoto Times - Democrats say it's their year - A packed house at the DeSoto County Courthouse listened as Democratic candidates vying for House and Senate seats outlined their plans to improve the economy and fix the nation's health care crisis. A half dozen Democratic candidates spoke before an estimated crowd of 200 people at one of the largest Democratic gatherings in recent history.

Travis Childers, 49, is seeking Roger Wicker's former First Congressional District House seat. "This is an important election - a seat that has only opened up twice in my lifetime," Childers said. A longtime Prentiss County Chancery Clerk, nursing home owner and realtor from Booneville, Childers touts his ties to the working people of Mississippi. Childers said he was just 16 when his father died in 1974. His mother worked two jobs to put food on the family's table. Childers went on to college while working full time to pay his way. The Ole Miss graduate now runs a 120-bed nursing home in Booneville. "I stand for the working class people," Childers said. "It's a tragedy that working class families don't have health care. This campaign is about jobs. It's about the economy."

Gloria Holland, speaking on behalf of her husband, longtime State Rep. Steve Holland, D-Plantersville, said Holland, chairman of the House, Public Health Committee, is committed to making health care affordable for all Mississippians. Holland formerly chaired the House Agricultural Committee. He initiated the state Children's health Insurance Program. "Steve Holland has stood for North Mississippi for the past 25 years," Gloria Holland, mayor of Plantersville, told the audience.

Lawyer Brian Neely, 47, of Tupelo is also in the running for the First Congressional District seat. "People are suffering and they are hurting," Neely said. The son of a physician, Neely said he knows about the need to improve health care. "I know what it's like to have an elderly parent, and have to decide between groceries and medicine. We are citizens of the richest country in the world. It's absolutely ridiculous." A disabled veteran of Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Neely said veterans need assistance. He promised "new ideas and new vision."

Marshall Coleman, also seeking the First Congressional seat, said he has been endorsed by James "Ken" Hurt who has withdrawn from the race. "Rural America is hurting," Coleman said. "There aren't a lot of jobs there. Everything has been stagnated by the economy." Coleman said he would push for a way to allow illegal immigrants to earn citizenship by paying taxes. They must learn English, Coleman said. "Jobs are the number one issue," Coleman said. "We need jobs before we need highways. Big business has overpowered us."

Brian Neely - Country Lawyer

Commercial Appeal - 'Country lawyer' pushes highways, schools, health; Ex-Marine seeks to replace Wicker in First District seat - Brian Neely is keying his Democratic Party primary race for the First District U.S. House seat on three main issues: Infrastructure improvements, educational reform and health care reform. He describes himself as a "country lawyer," practicing primarily in Lee and surrounding counties, but he formerly served as the appointed Lee County prosecuting attorney. Among his ideas to help First District residents, Neely has some ideas for DeSoto County in particular. "For example, I believe there should be a by-pass in DeSoto County to move the traffic from U.S. 78 over to Interstate 55 without all that congestion on Goodman Road," he said. "That would help commerce, but it would also save money for the through-traffic and it would cut down on the air pollution there." Similarly, he said it's ridiculous that people in Tupelo must rely on the two-lane Natchez Trace Parkway as their best route to the state capitol in Jackson. And he said leaders should work on getting a four-lane highway from Columbus to Birmingham. "Our leaders should do what they can to help our citizens, and we need someone who can also work with leaders in other states like Tennessee, Alabama and Arkansas," he said. But he said the experience with the VA pharmacy "shows me that we need prescription medical relief. "If the VA can negotiate for better prices on drugs, so could Medicare. It's obscene that we allow the system to keep punishing our elderly citizens on drugs when we could make life better for them. Neely said his campaign will be characterized mainly by networking -- door-to-door work by himself and his aides -- and through television and newspaper advertising. "I have 12 local chairmen in the 22 counties, but we're very well organized," he said.

McCullough, Neely, Holland

The Panolian - Eight seeking seat vacated by Wicker - Republican Glenn McCullough of Tupelo visited last Tuesday, following a Monday night visit by fellow Republican Greg Davis of Southaven. McCullough is a former mayor of Tupelo. He was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve as chairman of the Tennessee Valley Authority, the only Mississippian to have served as TVA chairman. He is also a former member of the Appalachian Regional Council. McCullough said that he supports better jobs like those which will be afforded by the General Electric facility under construction in Batesville and also support for existing employers like Batesville Casket Company. The candidate for representative said that voters’ concerns in Mississippi’s First Congressional District include safety and security. “As a local mayor, I’ve had to make sure our schools are secure,” he said. McCullough said that his career also made him aware of the need for security in the nuclear energy industry. “I believe we have to win the war for freedom,” McCullough continued; “help Iraq and Afghanistan secure their freedom.” Regarding illegal aliens, McCullough said, “we ought to stop it, secure our borders, identify the people here illegally and deal with them according to law. “Locally and regionally, I’ve solved problems,” the candidate for First District representative said.

Webster Progress Times - Neely's agenda includes infrastructure, education - Infrastructure, education and safe communities are key issues of congressional candidate Brian Neely. The Tupelo attorney is seeking the Democratic nomination for the 1st District Congressional seat vacated by Roger Wicker. He spoke Jan. 22 to a gathering at Liberty United Methodist Church in Eupora. Neely stressed the importance of having the proper infrastructure to attract new job opportunities. He noted that the Natchez Trace is the most direct route from here to Tupelo, but that commercial traffic cannot use it. "Your representative is supposed to make sure you have the infrastructure (needed) in your vicinity," he said. "It's wrong you don't have (interstate) highways. Good leadership will get you highways." Neely said another priority would be making sure all high school students graduate with a diploma, not simply a certificate of completion. "It's crazy to send a child through school for 12 years and they don't have the basic skills (they were promised to compete)," he said. At the federal level, the candidate said he wants to see tax rebates for minorities and small businesses. "We need to put more of our resources into helping people start their own businesses and be successful," Neely said. Neely is a former county attorney for Lee County and a former Marine Corps captain. He is the great-great-grandson of the late Rev. James Henry and Mattie Quinn Windrick of Walthall.

Daily Journal - Campaign Notebook - State Rep. Steve Holland, who's running for the 1st District U.S. House seat vacated when Roger Wicker was appointed U.S. senator, visited a civics class at Plantersville Middle School to talk about Wednesday's Mississippi House passage of full school funding. "We not only fully funded the formula (for the Mississippi Adequate Education Program), we did it plus $65 million over," said Holland, a longtime supporter of public education. "Two billion is what it takes, but in House Bill 513, we increased that to $2.308 billion."

MPB on 1st District

MPB Audio Link: Candidates Qualify for 1st Congressional District

Wiseman: The Wild, Wild First Congressional District

Marty Wiseman of the Stennis Institute writes on the First Congressional Race:

The political pot in Mississippi is boiling over. Announcements of retirements and resignations have set in motion a predictable chain reaction as candidates scramble to fill the now or soon to be open seats in the First and Third Congressional Districts and the unexpired term of Mississippi's junior Senator Trent Lott.

The evolving contest(s) to fill the First District Congressional seat being vacated by veteran Congressman Roger Wicker as he accepts Governor Haley Barbour's appointment to fill Lott's unexpired term present a tremendously intriguing picture from several angles. For quite some time when one thought of the First Congressional District, the population center radiating out from Tupelo and Lee County came immediately to mind. If fact many simply thought that as the Tupelo area went so went the First District. Indeed 13 year veteran Congressman Roger Wicker calls Tupelo home. As is usually the case when an open seat becomes available, pent up desire to run for the office manifests itself and in the process observers commence the game of handicapping the chances of the respective candidates based on their experience, name recognition and where in the district they are from.

When one examines the First District through the prism of the current crop of announced and potential candidates they are in for some interesting discoveries. To begin with, this district that spans almost the entire way across North Mississippi from the Alabama line in the east stopping at the edge of the Delta dominated Second Congressional District has now developed a second major population center. Upstart, but increasingly powerful, DeSoto County has grown rapidly, and that growth continues so that population-wise it has reached virtual parity with the traditional population center of Tupelo/Lee County. Thus, the potential for a significant east/west rivalry for influence has developed in the First District. The entry into the race of former state legislator and current Mayor of the DeSoto County city of Southaven, Republican Greg Davis serves notice that the western part of the district is ready to play for keeps. Already at least three candidates from the Tupelo area have made their intentions known, and there will likely be others. Former Tupelo Mayor Glenn McCullough, a Republican, and Democrats Travis Childers, Chancery Clerk of Prentiss County and Tupelo Attorney Brian Neely have announced. Although there was a point at which it might have seemed that the Tupelo/Lee County eastern part of the First District was in danger of being swamped by the population growth in the DeSoto County dominated western part of the district, such concerns have abated with the arrival of the Toyota auto manufacturing facility and the growing number of announcements by auxiliary manufacturers.

Just as Tupelo has long been thought of as the "Capital" of the First District, conventional wisdom has labeled this a Republican District. No doubt this was due to Wicker's affiliation with the Republican Party. How quickly we forget the nearly 50-year tenure of Democrat Jamie Whitten. Recent elections clearly prove that residents of the First have not forgotten, and that there is plenty of evidence that a member of the Democratic Party can indeed be a viable candidate in the First. Furthermore, this Democratic viability extends across racial lines. One need look no further than the election of State Senator-elect, Democrat Eric Powell to fill the seat of retiring Senator Travis Little. Powell, an African-American won handily in a heavily white district including parts of Alcorn, Prentiss, and Tishomingo Counties. The eastern two-thirds of the First District is one of the remaining areas of high concentrations of what are often referred to as New Deal, TVA, Jamie Whitten Democrats. As one travels westward in the First they will encounter a growing African-American population that also votes heavily Democratic. A candidate who can pull together these two "brands" of Democrats can be successful in a First District race.

Some attention must also be paid to the impact of the mechanics of the election. Candidates for the race for the First District Congressional seat in the November general election must file by the end of the day on January 11. Candidates for the special election will file a few days later even though the special election will be held before the general election. All candidates in the special election will run together regardless of party with the top two making the runoff provided no one candidate gains a majority of the votes. It is unknown at this point what the date of the special election will be, but the primary for the general election will be March 11. Perhaps if both elections were on the same day voters would have to vote on two separate ballots. If this were the case, what if the winner of the non-partisan special election failed to win his party's primary for the general? Or what if the winner of the party primary was not elected to the seat in the special election?

One final consideration has to do with the context of Election Day. Special elections often have lighter turnouts than general elections. How would the prospects of the prospective candidates differ in a special election as compared to a heavily attended Presidential Election with the historic possibilities of Democratic ticket headed by Barak Obama or Hillary Clinton?

Southern Political Report

From the Southern Political Report - Mississippi: Many Contenders for Wicker Seat:

President Bush carried the district with 62% in 2004; the district is 71% white, 26% black, so a

The Republicans:

Greg Davis, 41, mayor of Southhaven, the fastest growing municipality in the state, was first out of the starting gate, announcing on November 28, before Wicker’s Senate appointment, that he was preparing to run in the event a vacancy occurred. On December 31, he filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and has begun organizing a campaign for both the unexpired term and the full two-year term. Davis has been mayor for eleven years and before that, was a member of the state house of representatives for six years. He has an engineering degree from Mississippi State. He is one of the top contenders, with the experience, background and outgoing personality that make for a good campaigner. He would have draw especially well in the northwestern part of the district.

Glenn McCullough, 52, a former mayor of Tupelo, made his kickoff announcement in four stops throughout the district on January 2. He is a past chairman of the board of the Tennessee Valley Authority, which the district’s electricity provider. He also served as director of the Appalachian Regional Commission. McCullough was elected mayor of Tupelo, the district’s largest city, in 1997 with 61% of the vote. Like Davis, he is well-qualified for the job, is personable and is well-liked. McCullough would be popular in the eastern part of the district.

State Sen. Alan Nunnelee, 49, is a 13-year veteran of the state’s upper legislative chamber, where he chairs the Public Health and Welfare Committee and is slated to become chairman of the powerful Senate Finance Committee when the legislature convenes on January 8. Nunnelee, who is from Tupelo, also chairs the “Taxpayer Protection Caucus” in the state senate, a group of nine senators who signed a pledge of Grover Norquist’s Americans for Tax Reform that committed him to “oppose and vote against any and all efforts to increase taxes.” Nunnelee has not entered the race, but told the Biloxi Sun-Herald that he is “seriously considering” running. He is a businessman (insurance). While not as well-known as some of the other contenders, he is smart, energetic and has a successful business background.

Brad Prewitt, a Tupelo attorney and a former staff member for US Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS) has expressed interest in the race. According to the Sun Herald, Prewitt’s wife is expecting twins in February, which is affecting his decision. If he does run, he would not be as strong a candidate as Davis or McCullough, in part because he has not lived in the district very long.

Dr. Randy Russell, an Oxford ophthalmologist and a former member of the state board of health, is looking at the race. Russell has long been active in Republican Party affairs. He was a strong supporter of former Mississippi governor Kirk Fordice (R). He has indicated that he plans to run, though he isn’t likely to be strong district-wide.

The Democrats:

Travis Childers, 49, who has served as chancery clerk for Prentiss County (Booneville) for five terms, announced his candidacy on January 2. Childers is the owner of Travis Childers Real Estate in Booneville and also owns, with his family, a nursing home and related facilities. One source describes Childers as “the dark horse in the race,” noting that he is “a savvy politician who is extraordinarily well-connected” with chancery clerks and other court house officials throughout the district. “He’s a popular public figure,” continues this observer, who notes that Childers could benefit from anti-Tupelo sentiment in parts of the district.

State Rep. Jamie Franks, 35, a hard-charging populist, ran an attention-getting race for lieutenant governor in 2007, in which he promised to stand up “to the special interests and sweetheart deals that get in the way of what Mississippi families need.” Although his campaign was unsuccessful, it should give him significant name ID in the district. While Franks got 41% of the statewide vote against Phil Bryant (R), he ran marginally better in the 1st District, garnering 44%. He did not, however, carry Lee County, his home bailiwick. Franks has not announced, but in a recent interview with the Clarion Ledger, he sounded like he would not run. For starters, he might have difficulty raising the necessary funds immediately following a losing statewide campaign.

State Rep. Steve Holland, 52, has indicated in the media that he will seek the seat. He has served in the state house of representatives for 28 years, where he has earned a reputation for being a very effective lawmaker, and gets re-elected by overwhelming majorities. Holland, from Plantersville, chairs the Public Health and Human Services Committee and co-chairs the Select Committee on Accessible and Affordable Medical Malpractice Insurance. He is a farmer and a funeral home owner. He is well-known across the district, in part for being flamboyant, which some folks regard as a plus, others as a minus.

Brian Neely, a Tupelo lawyer, announced his candidacy on January 2. Neely is a former county attorney for Lee County (Tupelo). He is a former Marine Corps captain.

State Sen. Gray Tollison, 43, who chairs the upper chamber’s Judiciary Committee, was once on the staff of the late US Sen. Stennis (D-MS). A progressive young lawmaker, Tollison, from Oxford, “is a polished, urbane, cosmopolitan person,” says one observer. He is well-liked in the legislature. Tollison in a recent speech noted that he was “part of the first generation of white Southerners to attend integrated schools in the South. It has made a difference in my life.” He also praised President Lyndon Johnson for believing “that racism was not only dividing blacks from whites but also dividing the South from the rest of the nation. By freeing people from its scourge, everyone in the region would have a better chance to grow.” He and his wife are successful attorneys. Tollison has not indicated whether he will enter the race, but if he does, he could be a significant factor.

The filing deadline for the full two year term is January 11. The primary is on March 11 and the General Election is on November 4. Gov. Haley Barbour (R) has not yet called a special election for the remainder of Wicker’s term, but says he will do so within the next 60 days. It should be around the same time as the regular primary, but will be a non-partisan election, with a runoff between the top two, regardless of party.

The Race Is On

AP - Prentiss Chancery Clerk Travis Childers says he'll seek Congressional seat - "Travis Childers says he will seek the Congressional seat vacated when First District Congressman Roger Wicker was appointed to the to the U.S. Senate seat left open by the resignation of Trent Lott. Childers, a 49-year-old Democrat from Booneville, has served as Prentiss County chancery clerk for 16 years. Childers has worked as a real estate agent and appraiser and his family owns and operates a nursing home and personal care facility in Booneville."

CQpolitics - Scramble Begins for Wicker’s House Seat - "Republican Southaven Mayor Greg Davis told CQ Politics that he has filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission and in Mississippi to establish a campaign for the 1st District seat, and news reports indicate that Davis already faces primary competition from Republican former Tupelo Mayor Glenn McCullough. Davis said his experience will make him the best candidate for the job, including the seven years he spent in the state legislature. But he added that he fully expects a competitive campaign for the open, Republican-leaning seat. 'Every vote will be important,' Davis said. 'We’re going to focus on every voter across the district.' Lawyer Brian Neely told CQ Politics he plans to run for the Democratic nomination and focus on tax reform. 'Our tax reform policy is designed to bleed the small businessman dry,' Neely said. He added that education and guaranteeing that every citizen gets 'their equal share of the American dream' will be cornerstones of his campaign."

Ross Reily, Delta Democrat Times - Wicker appointment begins next round of speculation

In The Race

Brian Neely (D-Tupelo) has announced. Brian Neely ran in the eight-way 1993 special election for the Second Congressional District. Hayes Dent led before the run-off with 34.1%, then Bennie Thompson with 28.5%, then Henry Espy 20.4%. Neely got half of one percent.

John Wages Jr. (G-Tupelo) - Daily Journal: "The state’s first publicly elected Green Party candidate announced Wednesday he will run for U.S. House of Representatives from the 1st Congressional District. In an e-mail to the Daily Journal, which he said served as his formal announcement, former Lee County Election Commissioner John Wages Jr. said he’ll seek the seat most recently occupied by current U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker. Unlike other candidates vying for Wicker’s vacant seat in the upcoming special election, Wages said he intends to wait for the regular election Nov. 4."

Commercial Appeal: Davis will make run official

Daily Journal: McCullough makes House run official

Commercial Appeal: "Democrats Joe Forsythe of Horn Lake and Columbus lawyer William Bambach have expressed an interest in the seat but have not filed any paperwork, Mississippi Democratic Party spokesman Terry Cassreino said." Forsythe and Bambach both ran for the First District seat in 2006 and both lost in the primary to Ken Hurt who didn't even come close to Wicker in the general.