This morning I start with Jackson County where a grass roots movement of Singing River Health System retirees coupled with disenfranchised Vancleave residents flexing their new found political muscle has resulted in some big changes:
Two longtime Jackson County supervisors defeated ~ Warren Kulo
Two Jackson County supervisors out, two precarious amid hospital debacle ~ Karen Nelson
Last night Trudy Nelson of SRHS Hopes and I traded text messages. The impression I got was the retirees would be spending the evening enjoying the results of their hard work before hitting the grind again today. I took this no nonsense approach to be very bad news for Sups Cumbest and Ross, who find themselves in runoffs that promise to be bruising battles. That same message permeates SRHS Watch’s election post this morning:
You have read, researched, educated yourself and made your voice heard. Congratulations. You have proven that defeat is what faces those who seek to betray the public trust.
Tonight’s victory should be savored, but only ever so shortly.
There lies ahead much work. Three weeks until run off elections. Weeks of depositions and legal wrangling. Five more months with the current Board of Supervisors.
Last month I, along with Slabbed New Media’s Assistant Manager for Community Engagement attended a Saturday evening meeting Trudy and the Gang at the SRHS Hopes Facebook Group organized for the media covering the Jackson County election. From that meeting with what are essentially a group of very dedicated volunteers looking to improve their local communities, a coherent, independent main stream and social media message would emerge. There were no candidates in attendance that night and no one in attendance was pushing any particular candidate beyond change. By that time Slabbed New Media already had both the McKay/Ocean Springs High School post largely composed along with the one about the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office pension disaster. I thought about that meet up yesterday as I read Biloxi Blue’s comment on the election. The paid election coms consultants in Jackson County never saw us coming.
Last night I got a communication from Jackson that let me know that is no longer the case as the Jackson County election results can’t be ignored. There was also a prediction I made about Hancock County District 3 Supervisor that came to fruition as well and that brings me to Hancock County:
Big changes on Board of Supervisors ~ Dwayne Bremer
Hancock County District Five supervisor now goes to a runoff election and the incumbent, Tony Wayne Ladner is in trouble with a mere 34 vote lead over his runoff opponent Bo Ladner.
Maybe in the remaining time the current board has in office, they can address the transparency issues that certainly cost the ones running for re-election some votes:
Guest Post: How Long Does Transparency Take in Hancock County??? ~ Lana Noonan, Hancock County Alliance for Good Government
Next up is the race in Harrison County that was certainly Slabbed worthy but one we could not cover due to time constraints:
Sheriff shakeup: Peterson, Brisolara enter runoff ~ Anita Lee
There is a lot of dissatisfaction among the rank and file deputies with Sheriff Brisolara and it showed yesterday at the ballot box. Peterson’s grassroots ground game in western Harrison County was both manifest and impressive. Sheriff Brisolara is in real trouble of losing his job in three weeks.
Finally this brings me to the primary election for State Auditor and the lone disappointment in an otherwise stellar evening though it did not surprise me:
@StaceyPickering stands with family at home, thanking supporters, calling it a “spirited campaign” #msvotes #mselex pic.twitter.com/MCfoR2ofch
— Margaret Ann Morgan (@Margaret_AnnM) August 5, 2015
There is a lot if information packed into Morgan’s image of Auditor Pickering as he addresses his supporters in victory last night. The youngest son’s stink eye toward the camera is precious, for lack of a better term. The election, along with the recent publicity surrounding the news that the FBI is looking at Auditor Pickering and his campaign funds has certainly taken a toll. Now that the primary election is over I’ll confirm that Slabbed New Media has confirmed the Pickering FBI investigation through our own sources in central Mississippi.
The only tidbit that would be news in this disclosure is that aspects of what is being looked at by the Feds has not completely surfaced in the media but the information was not specific. No one knows where this is all going to go and that is the source of my heartburn because I’d prefer to elect my State Auditor rather than having one anointed by Governor Phil Bryant and that is what will happen if Auditor Pickering gets indicted. It’d also be the ultimate irony because the same situation is how Mississippi ended up with Governor Bryant back almost 20 years ago, then as Auditor Bryant.
Finally there is a bit of background for those wondering how Pickering survived the primary under such a cloud. I think the answer lies way back in the past when the man we all now know as Judge Pickering delivered the Mississippi Southern Baptist convention to Trent Lott during his first Senatorial run way back in the day. The resultant political marriage and the alliances forged all those years ago has spanned the generations folks. It also did not hurt that Pickering’s opponent, Mary Butler Hawkins did not do much TV advertising and is largely a political unknown away from the Jackson metro area.
In any event we have one round of voting down with two more to go. I think more changes are in store for the Coast’s County political establishments.
I, along with the rest of the hard-working, dedicated, people of Jackson county, am very proud of all that was accomplished last night. That being said, there is so much more to be done so that we can get back to REAL elected public servants. That Jackson, MS bunch are quick to throw the blame on State workers and are always causing dissention between them and the Taxpayers by accusing them of this and that and the other; when really, the problem is the ring of thieves that permeate our Coastal counties, including Harrison, Hancock, Pearl River, Jackson, George, and Stone. Fata$$ has set up a network that allows his “entitled” chosen suck-asses to do whatever they want to without repercussions. We have been forced to “absorb” the Bernie Madoff scandal employees, the Trent Lott unemployed employees, and other employees who are owed “favors” and pay them huge salaries (for which they are accustomed), on the backs of our State employees. There have been killings, deaths, suicides, and unnecessary firings utilized to cover up what was really going on and to hide it all from the public. Stolen retirements, unnecessary beach bathrooms with elevators???? , ostentatious buildings, unnecessary building codes —- and all for what???? It’s called ass-covering people. They throw the blame on someone else and hide.
I can say that our slabbed friends (especially SRHS group and KATalley), have really made their mark in standing up to the wrong that is going on right in our back yards. But, along with our back yards, we must stay diligent and work on the evil and crooked from the top of the chain on down. This includes our Legislators, Mayors, councilmen, etc. We must look at each one independantly and decide if he/she is part of the problem ala Fata$$. If so, I don’t care if they are republican, democrat, blue, yellow, green, your sister, cousin, etc.; VOTE THEM OUT – they are not for you and are NOT doing their public service as they pledged and promised. We need true public servants – NOT entitled thugs with their hands out. Nothing is worse in a work force than to have a new employee forced on you by politics who is unable to do the job. That is what has been happening. Let us right that wrong and get back to earning what we get.
Don’t forget – from the top down – let’s continue to clean house!!!
I am proud to be a part of Doug’s slabbed family, and proud you are part of this family.
I’m proud to have you Charlene. Change is possible if people stand up for themselves.
I would love to see a comparison of money spent by the winners and the losers of yesterday’s races on these proffesional campaign consultants. We know that in the Biloxi mayor’s race Windy Swetman use the Payne Group and Frontier Strategies. We also know that Jackson County Supervisor John McKay used the Payne Group and probably Frontier Strategies.The seem to be a two for one package deal. We know Paula Yancey also used the services of Frontier Strategies. Two out of three of these races were landslide victories for the opponents. The results of just those three races are not resume builders for these consultants. I stated on Slabbed several weeks ago that my opinion of the supervisors race in Jackson County involving McKay would end in his defeat because of the shear number of his negatives were over the top. So what did his campaign do after the date of my comment? They created more controversy and did so all the way to the day before the primary election. If I were Swetman, McKay or Yancy I would be asking for some of my ill spent money back. I would also be interested in knowing how many winners even had a campaign consultant on board.I bet not many did.
Y’all keep mentioning “professional campaign consultants” – are you sure there actually are any of those in MS? Being on the payroll while Obama wins Detroit or Bryant wins Rankin County is not proof of anything other than the ability to presumably cash a paycheck. And while I have no doubt that “check casher” is a well-staffed occu”pay”sion in Mississippi, I would not call it work done by “a professional,” at least not without some sad laughter.
“The paid election coms consultants in Jackson County never saw us coming.”
No offense, Doug, but that is pretty naive and amusing. Any paid election consultants involved in the the Jackson County election wouldn’t have seen a double-wide coming down I-10 if they were standing in the middle of the lanes. Suffice it to say, being an “advisor” while, for example, white Republican Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant got elected Gov. and equally difficult feats of political daring-do ain’t exactly resume-building demonstrations of innate political savvy. About the only “advice” Bryant really needed was “don’t beat a basket of kittens into a bloody pulp or use any of the words George Carlin warned about, at least not in a church, at a school or during a press conference and you’re in!” I’d have used the old “live boy or dead woman” line, but in fairness to Gov. Bryant, he really doesn’t seem the type.
Putting something like the Bryant “campaigns” on a personal or corporate resume outside of MS is just amusingly sad. It might bullshit a paycheck out of Rick Perry or similar punchlines, but it will get you laughed at by the real decision-makers at Bush HQ and the Trump people would just round-file the package unopened.
Naive and amusing is part of the charm.
Very proud of the outcome. Well done.
Doug,
Good point about choosing the state auditor rather than having one appointed by Phil Bryant. The FBI and other entities need to move fast if there is probable cause for a Pickering indictment. I have a feeling if one were to come tomorrow, Pickering would hold on as long as possible so Bryant would be given this opportunity to protect the Regime.
It sounds like this could be a topic itself for discussion as I’m sure Bryant has a few crony’s already lined up in the event that something does happen. Maybe his boy at the DMR. Haha.
No Eye – Philly would choose his Billy the Boy toy as they are thick as “thieves” (no pun intended). What I don’t understand is why Tate Reeves has, for some unknown reason, bridged the gap between himself and Philly. I just don’t understand it. And how did our Treasurer pull off all those votes after the fiasco with Pickering, Cloyd, and Walker at the Beachfront fundraiser??? I smell it, but can’t find it??? What’s up???
Charlene,
I really have no idea who he would choose if the situation came about. Without a doubt I would assume the selectee would be one to protect the Regime and plug anything else from coming out of the DMR.
This may come as a surprise, but the Republican Governor Primary is the one that shocked me the most as Dewey captured 9 of 10 votes among Republican voters. Of course, “hot shot” Mississippi governors never seem to make it any further in their political careers and there is good reason for it.
While April Havens, from the Ms.Press, was getting leis-ed in Hawaii by Paula Yancy’s son, the citizens of Jackson County are kicking butt and cleaning up. Thanks to Slabbed and SRHS HOPES the election news is being reported in an unbiased manner. I assume today NO WAY MCKAY is licking his wounds and trying to round up some sympathetic help to go out in this heat and pickup the 100,000 signs he put out, mostly in right-a-ways. One lesson McKay learned yesterday, the hard way is, it does not matter how many roads you pave,bricks you lay, or how many ball fields you promise the week before an election day. It does not matter how many signs you put out,how many flyers you mail,how many doors you knock on,how much money you raise or how many people with bull horns you have out in front of where people vote. None of this matters if you are not trusted by the voters. If you have lied,deceived,denied free speech and plotted in private you will be rejected. He was perceived as a person that was no longer taking care of his constituents and thus was fired by the same.Now it is time for the citizens in District 4 and District 1 to give both Ross and Cumbest the Trump Treatment, “YOUR FIRED”, in 3 weeks. We all need to start working on finishing the job today.
Also, we need to create some catchy name for Ross and Cumbest like somebody did with NO WAY MCKAY. I came up with NO INCUMBEST (I), like incumbent and ROSS A LOSS to start things off. Where you at Charlene,RFP, Grampa Grimm,Eye-Spy, Keeping a Talley and other members of Slabbed nation?
I am right here.
I will see what I can come up with. I cant remember who it was but a few months back a Slabber came up with a good one for Ross:
TOSS ROSS
Dump Ross – He’s a loss! Or Toss Ross!!!
Failed the test – Replace Cumbest!
Empty the nest – dump Cumbest!!!
Here’s some advice, consider what you paid for it. If the goal is to get the challengers elected, you need to get their names out there in a positive light, encourage people to vote and vote for them. Remember, the only possible voters are those 1) in the district in question who 2) didn’t vote in Dem primary. That number should be considered reduced by approximately the number of voters the incumbent got in the primary. There is not a huge pool of potential voters, a lot of people aren’t going to vote at all and supporters need to make an effort to get their candidate’s name known to the few “average undecided voters” who will actually vote.
Step one is everyone needs to get behind Sabrina Smith and Tommy Brodnax. Brodnax in particular is going to be a tough sell because he carries high negatives and is perceived as a hot head. I understand that Mac got a nasty gram from him after her letter to the editor ran in the Sun Herald (it was published here on Slabbed as well). That kind of stuff does not help his cause.
Smith is a political novice but does not have the built in negatives with the public like Brodnax. I am convinced she can beat Cumbest but it is going to take the type of spirited citizens campaign we witnessed this past weekend out of the good folks in Vancleave.
Ross can be beat too but he has the easier path to victory IMHO.
Tommy/Keep ATalley
It’s called the “Name Game”:
“Send Cumbest Outwest”
“Cumbest’s A Mess”
“Cumbest Dumbest”
“Trojanize Cumbest”
“Cumbest for Less”
“Cumbest Baddest”
I have some X-rated but it’s Best we not go there.
Tommy G
I’m still thinking about what to cook up for ROSS.
On a positive note, I have one for Broadnax
Tommy “TKO” Broadnax.
–“Knocking Out Corruption with an Iron Fist”
On A Roll:
“Combat Cumbest”
“Comebust Cumbest”
“Cumbest Flunked Test”
More signs = more votes
Can’t stop….
“Arrest Cumbest”
“Protest Cumbest”
“Reposess Cumbest”
“Lay To Rest Cumbest”
“Divest Cumbest”
“Contest Cumbest”
“Detest Cumbest”
Cumbest Feathers His Nest”
“Cumbest Confess”
“Conquest Cumbest”
“Cumbest ConBest”
Gotta go rest this Cumbest thing….
Back up and running this evening. Yesterday I lost my voice from yelling to much, twisted my ankle in a hole on the side of the road and lifted my arms with a sign so much I could hardly lift them this morning. To top that off we had a bad storm came thru our area about 3 am and it blew a tree over on my barn. My family and cows were scared to death. All is finally well. They wanted me to take a few days off from the front line but I told them HELL NO I MUST GO!!! Tomorrow, this old mongrel is going east over the Pascagoula River into the heart of District 1 to do some recon. No need to spend anytime in North Vancleave because they are already mad as hell and will not vote for Cumbest under any circumstances. You would have to understand the rivalry between the Vancleave area and the Wade/Three Rivers/Hurley area. Nobody in Vancleave wants to be told what to do by a Cumbest. Always been that way and probably always will be. In my opinion Barry Cumbest will be easy to beat. He is a weak supervisor operating on minimum brain power. He probably could never get over 45% no matter what happens over the next 3 weeks. While I do not think he has a mudhole the size of Dirt Pit McKays I do not think one is needed. The antiincumbent crowd will only grow larger now that the existing board has been bloodied. Taking down the top and most senior supervisor was no small task. Mangum was lagniappe. Of course, I must admit, they gave us so much to work with. As Doug said,we need to unite everyone we can behind the two challengers Tommy Brodnax and Sabrina Smith. Ross will be more difficult but has some real issues he will faced with. Tommy Brodnax has some questions to answer about past antics but is tenacious and will look at the SRHS issues with a much more experienced view than Ross. I agree, he can win if the stars and people align in near perfect order. Every questionable vote and issue these two incumbents have been involved in needs to be posted somewhere for all to read. As an example Ross was one of two supervisors that attended the hospital board of trustee meeting when dissolving the retiree’s pension was discussed in detail. Of course they did not tell anybody until they were exposed and then denied knowing anything about it. Now that shows they were either dumb or dishonest and we don’t need either on our board of supervisors going forward. Lets all work together to finish the job. I am with ya’ll every step of the way.
If I were a Brodnax voter/supporter, I might look to some of those past dust-ups and see how current information might change the ways those might now appear as positives rather than “antics.” If I remember correctly, he was not in favor of SRHS spending/ bond issues/real estate dealings and it seems like there was something with Chris Epps and the Jackson County jail. He was there in the early stages just as the mess began to percolate, but he wasn’t there when the real coverup and attempts to CYA took place. If I were a supporter, I’d point out the difference between a hell-raiser and coverup participant.
Smith is a blank slate, it seems, in a quick glance at her. A one-note song, cued-up by the SRHS pension mess. She apparently thinks the taxpayers can/should bail out the pension. Not good, not possible and if she or her supporters use that, it will likely cost her the runoff. If I were a Smith supporter, I’d point out her ability to bring a “fresh perspective” on all county issues. She has little real business experience, but neither does Cumbest and it doesn’t take Art V. Davis to be a county supervisor. Just being honest with a little common sense is a large part of it. If she has any “honesty” or “trust” issues in her past, she better get in front of them yesterday or prepare to defend herself. I’m not saying or implying that she does, I’m saying what I mean: “IF she has any…”
I want to congratulate Slabbed for providing the forum to take down these public thieves. Perhaps Fishing Trip McKay served pie at his defeat party last night not cake as the tax payers had to pay for in the past. This time it was humble pie not birthday cake. And now we can turn our attention to Back Stabber Ross. I do like the other jingles for him, but I must keep my name sake for the thief that legacy will be Danny Jalanivich. His Co-conspirator Fishing Trip McKay was wisely dumped and now it’s time for this crook to go. The Friends of the Harbor have not forgotten how he betrayed them and will not forget in the run off election. Looking at another runoff: McVeay the feely friendly Judge narrowly escaped judgment day himself. But there are enough angry parents of children out there that will not forget to vote in tis primary runoff.
Whoaaaa!!!! Point Park. Holy smokes. A feely friendly judge and pissed off grand parents? That sounds like a crazy combination. What’s up?
It’s no secret around OS that he was a teacher there and was the cheer leader coach with a predilection for the same sex. It got so bad the students protested until he was forced to leave. The DA at the time “chose” not to press charges if you know what I mean. But get this the man has been married three times. And there are rumors, sad rumors of the Harvey marriage I will not repeat on this blog. To say this man is morally bankrupt would a gross underestimation of his Teflon abilities.
Wow.. The only thing I can picture based on what I read tonight is a sleazy looking white Ford Econoline (no windows) cruising the streets of an innocent neighborhood. I am going to have nightmares.
Keeping the Tally: I must thank you for coming to the forum and providing insight to the thievery of Fishing Trip McKay. I think your comments were insightful helpful and provided the taxpayers of Jackson County an insight to what a crook Fishing Trip McKay is and always will be. I have commented many times on how he used backdoor tactics to appoint his friends to positions as political favors. As case in point was his campaign manager for his run at mayor of OS Mr. Danny Jalanivich. He backdoored this crook that illegally built Harbor Landing of the David Harris tradition. And of all ironies he is now OS Harbor Master thanks to Troy Ross. The voting taxpayers of his district will not forget this and all the other dirty tricks Ross has done. Including paving dirt top for his “friends and family” upcounty. All Broadnax has to do is say “I would always listen to the public’s opinion, after all you voted me into office. I would not do what Troy “Back Stabber” Ross has done and denied the public comment section of the public meetings. I would not vote to deny paying into the retirement fund in a close session so the funds could be diverted into “capitol improvements” like the imaging center on Highway 90. I would not set up special secret non “con” profits like the Round Island Trust Fund (sound familiar – Bill Walker’s DMR Marine Foundation?) and appoint Danny Jalanivich in charge to divert more SRHF through. Nope would not do what Troy “Back Stabber” Ross and his co-conspirator Birthday Cake McKay has done” Then presto he would win!
Well this comment is for Daniel Guice III.
NO WAY McVEAY!!!!!
One final comment: Rat Pickering it is not a total loss. I will have the final say for all of his co-conspirators that voted for him when the FBI arrest him and leads him away as he did Grant Larsen and Susan Perkins. I will be able to point out that he was stealing all along and misappropriating campaign funds. I will be able to say his creative “restructuring” of campaign contributions were illegal and if he plays he has to go to jail. That the very restructuring of his checking account is the very thing he should have arrested and convicted Tina Schumate and Bill Walker of. But he chose not to he chose to pursue only one charge on the lowest offense so as to pay back all those campaign contributions. Smoke and screen from the master illusionist. But the fat lady has stepped onto the stage and is warming up.
DO NOT HIRE JOE CLOYD AS A CAMPAIGN ADVISER! Everyone is getting a good laugh, has he won ONE election? Corder got that race handed to him, get back to smack talking behind the mic boy.
As a voter in District 4, I read the comments twice about Brodnax and Ross. With much thought and reviewing all the pros and cons of both candidates, I will cast my vote for Ross. I will list the pluses and minuses of both at a later date when I get all my thoughts jotted down. Don’t get me wrong, they both have lots to be desired but considering the lesser of the evil, in my opinion, I have to vote for Ross thinking he will work better than Brodnax with the new regime come January 2016.
FOR JOHN ROGERS THAT WANTS TO VOTE FOR ROSS…MANGUM AND ROSS WERE THE TWO SUPERVISORS THAT ACTUALLY SIGNED THE PAPERWORK TO TERMINATE THE SINGING RIVER HOSPITAL PENSION PLAN…IF YOU STILL FEEL THE NEED TO VOTE FOR THIS CROOK, I HOPE HE RETURNS THE FAVOR TO YOU AND THEN MAYBE YOU WILL SEE WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR THE HOSPITAL RETIREES.
FOR JOHN ROGERS THAT WANTS TO VOTE FOR ROSS…MANGUM AND ROSS WERE THE TWO SUPERVISORS THAT ACTUALLY SIGNED THE PAPERWORK TO TERMINATE THE SINGING RIVER HOSPITAL PENSION PLAN…IF YOU STILL FEEL THE NEED TO VOTE FOR THIS CROOK, I HOPE HE RETURNS THE FAVOR TO YOU AND THEN MAYBE YOU WILL SEE WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR THE HOSPITAL RETIREES.
One of the interesting dynamics now will be what happens at the upcoming BOS meetings. I would guess nothing. Now there are two lame duck supervisors and two who still have to watch what they are doing due to run offs. Will McKay and Mangum finally decide to put all the cards on the table about the financial viability of SRHS and begin to really discuss what the future looks like now that they have nothing to loose? Or will they really just not do anything and go out quietly. I guess if Cumbest and/or Ross were to loose their runoff, then you would have a majority on the Board who are gone which could be a other twist.
As they are defendants in a lawsuit, they still do have something to lose. (Although, not politically) If history is a guide, at least one of the supervisors you name will not go quietly.
I have an obtuse question for “Mississippi Voters”: How did Robert Gray get elected as the Democratic nominee for Governor of your State? Do you people REALLY know what you’re doing? Just asking. Ashton O’Dwyer.
He is the Mississippi version of Joe the Plumber.
Holy Rotating Roto-Rooter Lines:
Hope Robert Grey , Democratic candidate for Miss. Governor, AKA Joe the Plumber has extremely long/powerful Roto-Rooter lines to reach/clear all the corruption and multitude of ravaging rats in the sewer lines.
As a rough generalization, Gray got picked the same way MOST (see note below) STATEWIDE Dem challengers get picked in the primaries – predominately black “lever pullers” in predominately black counties, plus he is not only black, but was alphabetically first. I’d suggest that even though Short is also black, she was caught between the first-on-the-ballot Gray and the more recognized name of Slater, who came in second due in large part to her spending and name recognition in “metro” counties. If you look at the numbers in, for example, the delta counties, you’ll see a handful of votes in the GOP primary and a comparatively large (but low overall turnout) in the Dem primary. Look at the total numbers and then, look at the county breakdowns. At random, Tunica County had 1881 Dem votes cast (Gray – about 1100, Short – about 500, Slater – about 300) and 24 (yes, only 24, all for Bryant) GOP votes cast. There are about 7500 voting-age people and the county is about 75% black. In Nov. 2011, it was 3300 votes total, 2300 for DePree, 1000 for Bryant). I have no idea if Slater or Short campaigned there, but presumably Gray didn’t because he apparently didn’t campaign anywhere. Rankin County, on the other hand, had about 2300 Dem votes (Gray – 900, Slater – 900, Short – 500) and about 26,000 GOP votes cast (Bryant – 24,000). In Nov. 2011, it was 44000 total, 35000 for Byrant, 9000 for DuPree.
Overall statewide, there were more Dem primary votes for Gov. cast than GOP primary votes, but that simply will not translate into much come November as things stand. At least some of the Dem voters for Slater will defect to the *white* Bryant vs. the *black* Gray and some will defect from both Slater and Short to Bryant “the experienced, connected Gov.” vs. Gray “the nobody truck driver.” A percentage will simply stay at home, pretty sure that Bryant is going to win anyway.
Unfortunately, most voters of all skin color have been conditioned to vote for “the party” rather than candidates. And no, most voters do not have the slightest idea of what they are doing and most campaigns simply do not have the knowledge, experience or resources to truly educate voters. See the “Mayor Mary” campaign to unseat Pickering for an example. If that campaign had been able to get “Dem voters” to vote in the GOP primaries where their votes might have made a difference rather than in many of the meaningless Dem primaries she might have gotten a lot closer, even won the primary. For example, admittedly without knowing anything about local Tunica County races, the Dem voters could have voted in the GOP primary for “Mayor Mary” as Auditor and also safely voted in the GOP primary for Bryant’s challenger Young and when he lost (there wasn’t going to be a runoff to consider in that one), then voted in Nov. for the Dems who will likely lose to Bryant and to whoever the GOP nominee MIGHT HAVE BEEN for Auditor (assuming nothing else happens with Pickering).
Where “VOTE OUT THE INCUMBENTS!” stuff really happens is in local/county elections. Look to the Jackson County primaries for an example. There were about 3300 total Dem votes cast in the Gov. primary (1400 – Slater, 1300 – Gray and 600 – Short) and about 2200 Dem votes cast in Supervisor Melton Harris’ district alone (there was no GOP challenger). In the GOP, over 17,000 votes cast with over 15,000 for Bryant. (In Nov. 2011, 34000 votes total, 23000 – Bryant, 11000 – DuPree) Unless you were in Melton Harris’ district, voting in the Dem primary was meaningless. Many races didn’t even have Dem candidates and of the few that did, those candidates don’t (currently) stand a real chance in Nov.
I think most would agree that short of some huge event taking place before November, Phil Bryant will win re-election about 55 to 60 vs. 40 to 45, simply because that is the “likely voters numbers” GOP vs. Dem PARTY percentages currently in MS. And likely as not, you could substitute just about any name in place of Gray and the results would be about the same.
NOTE – there are/were exceptions like Jim Hood and former Rep. Gene Taylor down on the coast, who got “Obama’ed.”