COULD MISSISSIPPI GO A LITTLE BLUE?

You know how I'm always railing against the Inside-the-Beltway folks? Well my pal Willard doesn't count. He's not only smart, he's also completely dependable and will never lose touch with who he is and why he's involved in politics. Willard is also one of the most astute observers of politics I know. A couple days ago he mentioned a possible Senate seat change no one is thinking about. Imagine Mississippi with a Democratic U.S. Senator! It's pretty public that Trent Lott is thinking about retiring next year. He needs to make money and thinks going into lobbying is the key to his financial well-being. If he does, how does the GOP go about appealing to African-Americans, who now make up 38% of the voting population? Is the Republican candidate going to run on their core issues of "gay marriage" and abortion when people are desperate about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina? Do you think someone who can't declare bankruptcy even though his former house and business are at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico is going to want to hear about how 2 lesbians getting married is going to be more of a threat to him than GOP policies have been? Will the GOP be at the polls to intimidate poor voters who will have problems identifying themselves? These voters will be both black and white and many in southern Mississippi have lost everything, including all their ID. And will Bush be able to come down and campaign for this open seat? Remember Cheney was told to go fuck himself in Gulfport, MS not in New Orleans, LA.

Mississippi could be a big sleeper race in 2006.