Post Meridian

As David Landrum and John Rounsaville are the two candidates from Madison County, and Rounsaville currently is criticizing Landrum on his lack of voting, it should be noted that Jim Prince's "At the Catfish Opry" Editorial appears today in the Madison County Journal. Furthermore, the posters at Y'all Politics are having a field day over the Landrum no-vote controversy with over a hundred comments on the topic: Rounsaville takes shots at Landrum.

---

CottonMouth writes on the Landrum No-Vote Controversy, "I wouldn't vote for a Democrat who hadn't taken the effort to vote in recent elections and I suspect many Republicans will feel the same way."

---

WTOK - Congressional Candidates Debate in Meridian - WTOK-TV streamed the debate live on wtok.com and will broadcast it Thursday on our sister station, FOX Meridian.

---

The Meridian Star - MSU-Meridian debate highlights - Candidates spoke on various issues, from obesity to immigration, on many of which they expressed similar, though not identical views. Ross said that he would "wholeheartedly support the (Lauderdale County industrial park interchange) project," because, "It's a proper role for government to build transportation and infrastructure," adding that inadequate roads could put a halt to progress in economic development.

Harper spoke on the role of education in economic development, saying that, "It seems that the No Child Left Behind Act may not be the best solution to our problems," because it "leaves teachers spending the bulk of their time" on standardized testing. But the main idea he expressed on educational change was centered on community colleges, which he said he feels ought to be designed around workforce development. Without proper workforce development, he said, there will not be proper economic development.

Rounsaville praised the district's former, late U.S Rep. G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery, and said, when asked, that he would do all he could to support Mississippi State University in both Starkville and Meridian, and that he felt the college was special because of its engineering program. "Engineering is the wave of the future," he said, "as we expand into a more high-tech industry."

Landrum was asked a question on a subject many were curious to hear the answer to. After being previously accused by Rounsaville during a press conference Wednesday of failing to vote at all between the year of 2000 and 2007, Landrum was asked to clarify his voting record. He replied that the Madison County records showed his last voting date as November 2000 because he and his wife had "voted affidavit in Hinds County" as a result of clerical errors, and that they were later informed those clerical errors had caused their votes not to be counted.

Harper was asked about health care issues, to which he replied that though, "(Health care) costs are staggering," he is "absolutely opposed" to nationalized heatlh care because "it would devastate our healthcare facilities."

Rounsaville spoke on the issue of earmarking, saying that he was not completely opposed to it, but that he felt before making earmarks a Congressman would have to determine whether it was "pure pork" or for the public good.

Moderator Sid Salter took advantage of the opportunity to ask a question of all seven conservative, Republican candidates at once that many have been wondering: "What makes you the best Republican candidate in the race?"

Here are summaries of their answers:

• John Rounsaville said that though all the Republican candidates were similar on issues and values, he felt that his experience working under Chip Pickering and Haley Barbour gave him an edge.

• Charlie Ross pointed to his experience in the State Legislature, saying: "My difference is my record of performance in the Legislature," and listed bills he had a part in creating and endorsements he had received.

• David Landrum told that audience: "Everything I've ever done has prepared me for what I'm doing now," and added that his business experience as founder of the financial company Primerica gave him a good understanding of economic development.

• Gregg Harper asked the audience: "In your heart of hearts, who do you really want representing you in congress?" Adding, "Go with your gut." He also mentioned that he stood out from the other candidates as "the only one to support personal retirement accounts for young people," and as the father of a special needs child who was devoted to giving "those families that are raising special needs children hope."

• Greg Hatcher said that he was a no strings attached candidate with no favors to repay and that he was "someone that voters can talk to and who will listen."

• Bill Marcy said: "I'm a conservative's conservative. Atilla the Hun is a nice guy as far as I'm concerned when it comes to military."

• James Broadwater said of his fellow candidates: "We are certainly all Republicans, but we are definitely not all the same," and said that he stood out by supporting amendments to the Constitution, which would ban abortion and gay marriage. He wants to abolish the IRS, and said he wants to remove illegal aliens in this country and replace them with "persecuted Christians" in foreign countries.