Mississippi residents will have the chance to vote today during the Magnolia State’s statewide elections. John Arthur Eaves Jr. has taken on Gov. Haley Barbour in the governor’s race.
Along with the position of governor, lieutenant governor, state auditor, state treasurer, secretary of state, commissioner of agriculture and commerce, attorney general and commissioner of insurance will be elected.
Vice chair for the Mississippi Democratic Party Carnelia Fondren said one major issue in this election is the state’s economy.
“Looking at what’s best for Mississippi, our candidates [Democratic candidates] have the credentials and are far superior,” Fondren said.
Jim Herring, chairman for the Mississippi Republican Party, said the big issues in this election are voter ID fraud, illegal immigration, taxes, education and crime prevention.
The outcome of the elections depends partly on turnout, he said.
“If we have a wide turnout of voters, it works to the advantage of the Republicans,” he said. “If it’s a low turnout, it works to the advantage of the Democrats.”
The quality of the candidate is an important factor in voters’ decision making, Herring said.
Voters tend to vote for candidates who possess a strong ability to communicate with people about their hopes and dreams, he said.
Herring said he believes the Republican candidates will win at least five of the eight statewide offices.
Republican Phil Bryant and Democrat Jamie Franks are running for the position of lieutenant governor.
“I believe Phil Bryant will win with a pretty strong majority,” Herring said. “He is well-funded and well-known.”
Franks has an excellent record, Fondren said.
“He knows what he’s talking about and is truly concerned for Mississippi,” she said.
Director of the Stennis Institute of Government Marty Wiseman said the main factors of voters’ decisions are the ideologies they hold and the political parties they consider themselves a part of. Many people vote solely on the basis of their party, he said.
Herring said during the four years Mississippi has been under the Barbour Administration, the state has encountered unprecedented prosperity.
There has been job growth despite Hurricane Katrina, he said.
Some of the things Barbour has done for Mississippi include balancing the state’s budget and bringing higher wages for workers and teachers.
Wiseman said he expects Barbour to reach the 50 to 60 percent range and Eaves to reach the 40 percent range.
“Certainly, Haley Barbour will win … if John Arthur Eaves was to win, it’d make the news,” he said.
Wiseman said the reality is that the candidates’ platforms are not extremely different. He said both candidates’ platforms are very conservative, but they hold different degrees of conservatism.
“The big difference is the tremendous amount of experience Haley Barbour has. Eaves is young and just getting started,” Wiseman said. “The difference in experience really shows.”
However, Wiseman said Eaves has held his own pretty well against a stout candidate.
MSU political science graduate student Lee Wilkins said he believes most of the Mississippi constituents will agree that Haley Barbour has been a progressive governor, and he has brought an unparalleled sense of political power to the position.
“His seemingly flawless political strategies and his uncanny ability to keep Mississippi moving forward have made him an overwhelming incumbent,” he said.
Junior political science major Whitney Holliday said education is the major factor in determining the officials she will vote for in today’s elections.
“Education is one of the most important issues I want to be taken care of, followed by bringing more industry to Mississippi to create jobs and revenue that our state needs,” she said.