Some oddiments and endiments from the Magnolia State.
First, the latest campaign finance reports have just been released, and among other things it looks the GOP Primary for Lieutenant Governor between State Auditor Phil Bryant and State Senator Charlie Ross is going to be shoot out right to the end. And that makes the Democrat nominee, hey he had no primary, Jaime Franks is a happy guy – as you can see he didn't have to spend a dime – relatively, and is going to be well armed. Of course, it's easy to be well armed when you write yourself a $400,000 check.
The Attorney General's race is heating up and getting more competitive both financially and politically. The Democrat incumbent A.G., Jim Hood, received a huge infusion of out state money to the tune of $300,000 from one donor. And Hood and his Republican opponent Al Hopkins had a testy exchange at a candidates forum the other day – these guys have until November in this thing – and they're making as much heat as the folks with primary elections next week!
Last oddiment for you – Mississippi's Republican Governor Haley Barbour, maybe you've heard of him, has over $7 million in the bank while his nearest Democrat rival has fewer than $500,000 cash on hand headed into the Democrat primary. You think the state Dems are sweating what the Governor can do with his war chest?