Speaker’s race becomes quirky campaign

The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal Editorial, 9/11/7

This state House speaker’s race keeps a person guessing. Give members of the House credit for that.

Late last month, a majority of the 47-member Mississippi House Republican Conference met at the state party headquarters where they voted without any dissent, according to a news release, to support someone other than Rep. Billy McCoy, D-Rienzi, for House speaker in January.

Currently, McCoy’s only announced opponent for the powerful post is Jeff Smith, D-Columbus, whose credentials as one of the most conservative members of the House of either party go back to 1997 when he opposed the landmark Mississippi Adequate Education Program.