WHAT IS AMY TUCK RUNNING FOR?

Lt. Governor Amy Tuck is running for something. Does anybody have any idea what it is? According to her latest filing with the Secretary of State’s office, she has $ 271,373.12 in her campaign account. She’s been a prolific fundraiser ever since she set her sights on statewide office. Especially, since she ran for Lt. Governor. Now as her tenure holding the gavel of the Senate comes to a close, she’s looking for something else to run for. I’ve speculated and hinted that she should run for Governor and bring sanity to the corner office. Mississippi needs a sensible, sane, pro-business conservative that will weigh the needs of all of Mississippi’s people higher than the needs of the business lobbyists that troll the halls of power in Jackson.The Governor has shown himself incapable of doing that. If anybody could win an insurgent primary battle against the Governor, its Amy Tuck. She may be looking for a holding spot in statewide office like Auditor, Insurance Commissioner, or Secretary of State before the ultimate battle in 2011 for the Governor’s mansion. However, I believe that the time for her leadership is now.Eliminating the sales tax on groceries and increasing cigarette taxes was a righteous fight that she should take into a primary battle and prevail on. A primary battle waged on populist ground will bring others into the primary and not just the hard right chamber of commerce republicans in Rankin county. I believe the women of Mississippi are hungering for more compassionate leadership and given the choice between Haley and Amy would switch to Amy.

Strange Defeats Wallace

Washington Lobbyist and erstwhile politico Luther Strange won the GOP primary for Alabama Lt. Governor defeating scion George Wallace, Jr. Wallace, by far the superior candidate was running on a platform of ethics reform and mainstream values. Strange, on a scorched earth conservative platform that also seeks to take advantage of the Alabama legislature’s pay-to-play-rules. Look for his tenure, should he defeat former Governor Folsom in the fall, to end in indictment because of the extensive conflicts of interest his law firm has with state business.

REED LOSES GOP NOD; TAYLOR WINS GEORGIA DEMOCRAT PRIMARY

In a stunning upset, Ralph Reed, the hypocritcal purveyor of religious right politics for profit, lost the GOP Primary for Lt. Governor to State Senator Casey Cagle. I am pleasantly surprised that his nacent Presidential ambitions were killed in the crib. I am very sure that we can all sleep much, much better at night knowing that this cynical opportunist will never be able to use presidential power to further his own ends. His 44% vote share shows that I was somewhat right that truth is optional to some GOP voters in Georgia. Casey Cagle is somewhat less ethically compromised. With this behind him, if elected, he will not follow down the pay-to-play-road. He wants to be Governor and the race to succeed Perdue now begins.

As predicted Lt. Governor Mark Taylor won the Democrat Primary for Governor even though I firmly believe that he will not win. He can give Perdue a run for his money but ultimately, will come up short ending his long political career and giving opponents like Cathy Cox a new lease on political life. It is now being speculated that she still has a future as politician, perhaps in the Senate. Who knows, maybe she will run again for Governor in four years.

KNOTTS BAILS OUT

SC GOP State Senator Jake Knotts didn’t bite the bullet and run as an independent and ruin Governor Sanford’s re-election bid which he certainly could have done. As I advised, he probably called and cut a deal with the good Senator, the details of which will probably be kept under wraps until the election is over. Sanford’s re-election chances are now enhanced measurably. With a considerable financial advantage, he still remains the favorite for re-election.

GEORGIA DEMOCRAT PRIMARY

The Georgia Democrat Primary features some fascinating races tomorrow. The first is the marquee race for Governor featuring two ambitious politicians: Lt. Governor Mark Taylor and Secretary of State Cathy Cox. This race has become nasty with charges and counter charges flying. Marketing himself as the “big guy for the little guy” Taylor took back the lead from the Secretary of State and by running as a populist man of the people concerned about Health Care and Education. He has hammered Cathy Cox on her conflicting and confusing positions on the popular HOPE scholarship lottery program. He snagged high profile African-American endorsements like Brooke Jackson Edmund, the daughter of the late Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson and the civil rights icon Ambassador Andrew Young who himself ran for Governor in the 90’s. Cathy Cox has aggessively fought back as a business friendly moderate who is not “a big guy” Her campaign also reaches out to African Americans but especially to all democratic women. The continued viability of the Georgia Democratic Party is at stake and if they don’t unify after this contest, the liklihood of ever holding the Governor’s mansion again diminishes significantly. Regardless of what happens tomorrow, and I am predicting a Taylor victory, I stand by my earlier assessment that Governor Perdue is in good shape for re-election.

Also on tomorrow’s ballot is one of Georgia’s most controversial political figures, Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney who faces a serious primary challenge for the third time. An anti-war liberal most moderate voters think is an unstable left-wing wack job, she won her seat back after the woman who beat her in 2002 unexpectedly ran for the Senate. Dekalb Commissioner Hank Johnson could have been a serious opponent if he had raised any money. The undercover support of Republicans could be pivotal but in the end probably won’t be enough to defeat her as before. Sometimes politics is as simple as who has money and who doesn’t and 150K ain’t made nobody a member of Congress lately. Hiram’s Prediction: McKinney is favored for re-election.

ALABAMA GOP RUN-OFF

George Wallace, Jr. the spitting image of his daddy, is seeking to win the GOP run-off tomorrow and continue his quest to serve the people of Alabama as Governor, as did both of his parents. I sincerely believe he is the right man at the right time for this nomination. Luther Strange, the well connected Washington lobbyist, is a corrupt practitioner of pay-to-play politics and his victory tomorrow would signal to many that the GOP primary electorate is not a good judge of character and cares more about who pays lip service to conservative principles. Wallace has the smaller bankroll big time, but with a household name, doesn’t need it. This race will go down to the wire and I’m pulling for George, in case you ain’t been paying attention.

RALPH REED’S LONG MARCH TO POWER

As I write this, I would bet you a steak dinner that Ralph Reed’s long march to power will begin tomorrow when he wins the Georgia GOP primary. I’ve learned not to bet against Reed. His successful track record in dozens of races over the years is too many to name. In particular, his success in 2002 winning control of both houses of the legislature and the Governor’s mansion indicate a brilliance that should be respected. His double dealing with Jack Abramoff means nothing to most hardcare GOP partisans. His opponent in this race, Senator Cagle, has run the best race possible and has thrown up the necessary mud and raised the necessary cash. It won’t work in my humble estimation. Ralph’s grassroots work will pay dividends in a win. He is the biggest and most professional practitioner of religious right outreach. He can get the rubes to believe anything he says and do his bidding. It is a skill that I believe will one day make him Governor and subsequently, the next GOP President of the United States.

JAKE KNOTTS CAN TORPEDO SANFORD

If Jake Knotts is successful in petionining his way onto South Carolina’s November’s ballot as an Independent, all he has to do is carry the same people Dr. Oscar Lovelace won in the GOP Primary and the Administration of the ultimate Country Club Republican is over. Look at Sanford and Hodges totals from 2002 if you don’t believe.

If Tommy Moore carries 96% of Hodges voters : (500,294) and Sanford looses all of Lovelace’s voters to Knotts and receives the remainder (498,379), the statehouse would flip control for the third time in a row. If the Governor is smart, he’ll make peace with Knotts and make a deal for the Hospital that is spurring Knotts to run, or he’ll suffer the political consequences and humiliation of losing re-election in the most Republican state south of the Mason-Dixon line.

ALLEN REPLACES CRISLER AS JACKSON CITY COUNCIL PREZ

The Jackson City Council has changed leadership once again and placed the gavel in the hands of the Council’s lone Republican and erstwhile Melton supporter, Ben Allen. Marshand Crisler, the former Council President, freed from the burden of leadership, needs to take the time to reassess his political future in consultation with former Mayor Johnson. Mayor Melton is a psychotic clown and needs to be replaced with a competent manager and resourceful pro-business public servant. That’s what Melton claims to be and isn’t. His broken promises, erratic behavior, and ridiculous posturing are wearing thin. The clown show needs to come to an end and either Crisler or Johnson need to make that happen.

SC GOVERNOR’ S RACE: SANFORD CHALLENGED BY INDEPENDANT REPUBLICAN

In a further sign of discontent with Gov. Sanford’s libertarian leadership, GOP State Senator Jake Knotts took out papers last Thursday to gather signatures to challenge Governor Sanford as an Independant. He only has a brief window of opportunity and less than two weeks to gather 10,000 signatures. Should he be successful a crucial GOP stronghold in Senator Knotts’ district, which didn’t support the Governor in this years primary will be in play and so will the Governorship. Pending certification of signatures from Senator Knotts, the Governorship of South Carolina will defintely be in play. This is a race to watch for sure.