Reading the Nov. 11 opinion piece by Nyerere Tryman entitled “Race costs Anderson election,” I realized that those who look for racism will undoubtedly find it.
Looking at the election returns, it baffles me that he could claim that race had anything to do with the outcome of the treasurer’s race. Tate Reeves secured 52.8 percent of the vote to Gary Anderson’s 47.2 percent.
“Imagine if both candidates were white and one was more qualified,” Tryman says. “The more qualified candidate would win the election.” I don’t have to imagine this scenario. Look at the governor’s race, where Haley Barbour won with 53.7 percent to Ronnie Musgrove’s 46.3 percent.
Serving as governor for four years should make you more qualified than someone who has never held public office, right?
Tryman writes, “Common sense says experience should be a determining factor and it was ignored here. The most qualified candidate did not win this race.” No sensible person would argue that Reeves was more experienced than Anderson. Obviously experience was not the determining factor for voters.
Could it be possible that Reeves rode the coattails of Barbour and the other victorious Republican candidates to become treasurer? Is it possible that factors such as party affiliation, or the state’s economic situation weigh more heavily in voters’ minds than experience? Ask Ronnie Musgrove.
The simple fact of the matter is that I never saw an advertisement or sign for Gary Anderson until Tate Reeves ran a negative campaign ad against him.
While that unnecessary negative ad almost cost Tate Reeves my vote, Gary Anderson never told me why I should vote for him until the weekend before the election. By that time, I had made up my mind, and I was sick of seeing campaign commercials.
If Anderson was such a great candidate, why didn’t he invest the time and money to make his voice heard?
To paraphrase Tryman, it is absurd that some still view race as the only factor influencing Mississippians.
Jack Ford is a graduate student in chemical engineering.