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http://www.newsmax.com/us/haley_barbour_wins/2007/11/07/47372.html
Gov. Barbour Defeats Challenger in Mississippi
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
JACKSON, Miss. -- Republican Gov. Haley Barbour says he wants to use his
second four-year term to continue priorities from the first: creating jobs,
increasing education spending and working on Mississippi's recovery from
Hurricane Katrina.
Barbour on Tuesday easily defeated Democrat John Arthur Eaves Jr., a
41-year-old trial lawyer who spent millions of dollars on a largely
self-funded campaign that promoted voluntary, student-led prayer in schools.
"I want to continue and accelerate the record job creation that we've had
the last couple of years, replacing low-skilled, lower-paying jobs with
high-skilled higher-paying jobs," Barbour, 60, said in a telephone interview
with The Associated Press before appearing at his victory party.
Barbour also repeated a campaign pledge to push for some sort of tax cut,
but he said he won't recommend specific types of cuts until his
administration conducts a thorough study of Mississippi's current tax
system. Barbour vetoed bills in 2006 that would've reduced Mississippi's
highest-in-the-nation state grocery tax while increasing the nation's
third-lowest cigarette tax.
At the party at the Marriott hotel in downtown Jackson, Barbour was greeted
by a live jazz band and hundreds of raucous, sign-waving supporters who
chanted "Four more years! Four more years!"
"The obvious lesson about the vote today is that voters care about getting
things done," Barbour said. "Our campaign was about performance, not party.
This is a victory for progress, not partisanship."
Eaves stood before an oversized American flag during his party at Old
Capitol Inn in Jackson and his supporters whooped and applauded as he spoke.
"We stood up for what's right and we'll never apologize for that," Eaves
said. "'Cause when you stand up for what is right, when you stand up for
your heart and for the people of Mississippi, it's a fight worth fighting."
Eaves often quoted Scripture and said that Barbour, a former Republican
National Committee chairman, had connections to "moneychangers" - big oil,
tobacco and insurance companies.
The religious talk rang hollow to one voter. Charlie Metcalfe, a
self-employed contractor from Ridgeland, chose Barbour at the polls, saying
he "seems to be doing OK."
"Eaves doesn't really have a plan. He says he's going to serve God and serve
the people, but you need a little more of a plan if you're going to run for
governor," said Metcalfe, 31.
Another voter chose Eaves after deciding times haven't been as good in
Mississippi as Barbour's campaign contends.
Eaves "just seems to have better issues and it seems to me it's time for a
change," said William Harris, a 32-year-old nurse from Brandon.
Barbour was a high-profile Washington lobbyist before winning the
governorship of his home state four years ago. He is widely credited with
using his Capitol Hill connections to help the state collect billions of
federal dollars for Katrina recovery.
The Yazoo City native was political director for the Reagan White House
during the mid-1980s and was chairman of the Republican National Committee
from 1993-97.
Barbour unseated Democratic Gov. Ronnie Musgrove in 2003. It was only
Barbour's second run for public office. He unsuccessfully challenged
Democratic U.S. Sen. John C. Stennis in 1982.
Eaves grew up in Jackson and Clinton and now lives in Madison County. He
practices law with his father, John Arthur Eaves Sr., who ran unsuccessfully
for governor in 1975, 1979 and 1987.
The younger Eaves has never held public office. He ran for an open
congressional seat in 1996, losing to Republican Chip Pickering. He also was
briefly in the 2003 governor's race but dropped out of the Democratic
primary.
Gov. Barbour Defeats Challenger in Mississippi
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
JACKSON, Miss. -- Republican Gov. Haley Barbour says he wants to use his
second four-year term to continue priorities from the first: creating jobs,
increasing education spending and working on Mississippi's recovery from
Hurricane Katrina.
Barbour on Tuesday easily defeated Democrat John Arthur Eaves Jr., a
41-year-old trial lawyer who spent millions of dollars on a largely
self-funded campaign that promoted voluntary, student-led prayer in schools.
"I want to continue and accelerate the record job creation that we've had
the last couple of years, replacing low-skilled, lower-paying jobs with
high-skilled higher-paying jobs," Barbour, 60, said in a telephone interview
with The Associated Press before appearing at his victory party.
Barbour also repeated a campaign pledge to push for some sort of tax cut,
but he said he won't recommend specific types of cuts until his
administration conducts a thorough study of Mississippi's current tax
system. Barbour vetoed bills in 2006 that would've reduced Mississippi's
highest-in-the-nation state grocery tax while increasing the nation's
third-lowest cigarette tax.
At the party at the Marriott hotel in downtown Jackson, Barbour was greeted
by a live jazz band and hundreds of raucous, sign-waving supporters who
chanted "Four more years! Four more years!"
"The obvious lesson about the vote today is that voters care about getting
things done," Barbour said. "Our campaign was about performance, not party.
This is a victory for progress, not partisanship."
Eaves stood before an oversized American flag during his party at Old
Capitol Inn in Jackson and his supporters whooped and applauded as he spoke.
"We stood up for what's right and we'll never apologize for that," Eaves
said. "'Cause when you stand up for what is right, when you stand up for
your heart and for the people of Mississippi, it's a fight worth fighting."
Eaves often quoted Scripture and said that Barbour, a former Republican
National Committee chairman, had connections to "moneychangers" - big oil,
tobacco and insurance companies.
The religious talk rang hollow to one voter. Charlie Metcalfe, a
self-employed contractor from Ridgeland, chose Barbour at the polls, saying
he "seems to be doing OK."
"Eaves doesn't really have a plan. He says he's going to serve God and serve
the people, but you need a little more of a plan if you're going to run for
governor," said Metcalfe, 31.
Another voter chose Eaves after deciding times haven't been as good in
Mississippi as Barbour's campaign contends.
Eaves "just seems to have better issues and it seems to me it's time for a
change," said William Harris, a 32-year-old nurse from Brandon.
Barbour was a high-profile Washington lobbyist before winning the
governorship of his home state four years ago. He is widely credited with
using his Capitol Hill connections to help the state collect billions of
federal dollars for Katrina recovery.
The Yazoo City native was political director for the Reagan White House
during the mid-1980s and was chairman of the Republican National Committee
from 1993-97.
Barbour unseated Democratic Gov. Ronnie Musgrove in 2003. It was only
Barbour's second run for public office. He unsuccessfully challenged
Democratic U.S. Sen. John C. Stennis in 1982.
Eaves grew up in Jackson and Clinton and now lives in Madison County. He
practices law with his father, John Arthur Eaves Sr., who ran unsuccessfully
for governor in 1975, 1979 and 1987.
The younger Eaves has never held public office. He ran for an open
congressional seat in 1996, losing to Republican Chip Pickering. He also was
briefly in the 2003 governor's race but dropped out of the Democratic
primary.
