In 2010, at the height of the Tea Party movement, Democratic Congressman Gene Taylor  — representing South Mississippi — was ousted by Steven Palazzo after serving 21 years in the House of Representatives. On the same day, Republicans gained 62 other seats in the House.
  The 2010 election was not a referendum on Taylor, but a referendum on the government spending, healthcare and taxation policies of the national Democratic Party. Palazzo — quite literally — ran against then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. His campaign slogan was “Fire Pelosi.” And to his — and the 62 other Republican gains’ — credit, he did just that.  
   Now, Taylor is back to run for his old seat. The difference? He’s a Republican now. But is it a change of heart or of strategy?
  Switching parties is a funny business. But it is certainly not without precedent. Ronald Regan once said, “I didn’t leave the Democratic Party. The Democratic Party left me.” In 1962 Regan, or “The Gipper,” decided to change his registration from Democrat to Republican. He, of course, would not be hindered much by this and would go on to become the 40th president of the United States.
  But what’s happening in Mississippi’s fourth District is a little different.
   It’s no secret Washington has seen better days. The gridlock and jockeying for power make getting even simple things done a difficult task. And Taylor has hit the ground running and pitching why people should vote for him — in a word, bipartisanship.  
  If you find yourself looking for something to do one evening — and were born on/before this date in 1993 — flip on Fox News or MSNBC and play a drinking game. Take a swig when you hear the word “bipartisanship” or “compromise,” and don’t expect to do anything productive the next day. These terms are fine examples of words co-opted by the pundit class to represent nothing more than hollow talking points.  
   Bipartisanship and compromise are not ends in themselves. They are merely a means to an end. It’s foolish to say compromise or bipartisanship is “good” and to neglect entirely what the resulting compromise might be. Taylor does have a history of bipartisanship and a proven inclination to compromise, but at face value that is not going to earn my vote.   
   Palazzo and Taylor both have some work to do if they want to win the primary in June. Palazzo will have to address many with buyer’s remorse who opted for him over Taylor four years ago. And Taylor is going to have to clearly articulate why his move from Democratic to Republican is anything less than a self-serving strategy. It’s a rare opportunity to get to redo an election — albeit nearly completely inverted. But it’s one we should not take lightly.
     We need specifics. Both Palazzo and Taylor should be specific about what they can offer the constituents of the fourth District. Offering “compromise,” “bipartisanship” or even “conservatism” is not enough. Will the sound-bite political culture our country has become allow for a departure from the talking points and a move to substance? The next 90 days will tell.
    Taylor used to be a Democrat, but that in itself is not enough reason to vote against him. My vote is still up for grabs, and if you’re in Mississippi’s fourth District, yours should be too. Let them earn it.  
    (Editor’s Note: JoJo served as Director of Broadcast Advertising for Joe Tegerdine, Steven Palazzo’s Republican primary opponent, in 2010.)