On Election Day, I had the privilege of watching the process of election analysis up close. This happened through my opportunity to work for Public Radio Mississippi as an assistant to Marty Wiseman, director of the Stennis Institute of Government.
Many distinguished guests visited the studio. The roster included political notables such as former Gov. Kirk Fordice, Attorney General Mike Moore and many other notable officials.
I got a rare glimpse into Mississippi politics, past and present, through my conversations with most of them. It’s an insight that a journalist just doesn’t get by sitting in a cubicle opining with himself.
The hot question of the day was: Has Mississippi progressed enough to elect a black to a statewide office?
Although there were a few who were pessimistic about our progress, the consensus was that Mississippi has made important strides in race relations since the days of Jim Crow.
Some affiliated with the Barbara Blackmon campaign said it was clear that if her skin pigmentation had been different, she would be lieutenant governor today.
Race was not her biggest problem.
Most studio guests were of the opinion that Sen. Blackmon’s campaign had several problems including organization and political blunders. They pointed to her campaign’s lack of mobilizing voters in key areas and the abortion gaffe, when she challenged Lt. Gov. Amy Tuck to sign an affidavit swearing that she had not had an abortion.
It is clear to me that Blackmon had numerous other problems.
Tuck was an incumbent, which gave her an advantage. In spite of changing parties and revelations that she secured campaign loans from questionable contributors, her base remained strong and didn’t lose faith in her integrity, on which Democrats hoped to capitalize.
Tuck also benefited from the organized Get Out the Vote campaign (GOTV), which mobilized Republican voters. She garnered a good share of her votes from Republican strongholds like DeSoto and Harrison counties. What’s even more indicative of her support was that fact that she got double digit Democratic support.
Gary Anderson’s loss in the treasurer’s race is another story. Anderson, a former state fiscal officer, faced Tate Reeves, a banker. Anderson was clearly the most qualified candidate for the job if one reviews his credentials and record of service to the state.
Anderson lost mainly because of the GOTV effort by Republicans. Again, this effort mobilized solid Republican voters who I call the new Yellow Dogs.
Reeves, a young energetic candidate, will probably do a great job as treasurer. His campaign benefited from Haley Barbour’s popularity and organization skills.
Race seems to have been the factor that stopped Anderson’s campaign. In a race where over 60 percent of voters didn’t know either candidate, Anderson’s low-key strategy failed.
When a minority of voters realized that he was black, they were reluctant to vote for him because they probably associated him with whom they perceived as controversial blacks like U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Bolton, and Blackmon, although it was clear that he ran as a moderate conservative.
Race as a factor in elections is not a major problem-but it is a problem, not just in the South but everywhere. Mississippi is progressing when a black candidate like Anderson can get 46 percent of the vote.
We have a good slate of elected officials who I hope will lead the charge of unity.
Edward Sanders is a sophomore political science major. He can be reached at [email protected].