But was the election a portent of a change in the political currents? A review of the past Representatives from the 1st District tells a different tale. Of the last 4, beginning with the 1953 election of Thomas Abernathy, 3 were Democrats. In the entire history of the region wherein it has elected 14 total Representatives, only 3 of those civil servants have not been Democrats. One of those three was a Unionist.
The Republicans disagree with any conclusion that this election is indicative of any true change. Chairman of the University of Mississippi College Republicans Tyler Craft said the victory was merely the result of strategy and campaigning rather than grassroots disapproval.
“If you look at his (Childer’s) campaign, he was very conservative. He represented what most of North Mississippi wanted to hear,” Craft said. “It was more of a campaign strategy success rather than a party shift.”
“I think Mississippi will remain a red state, and the 1st district will remain a red district. I do not think that it was a party shift for the area,” Craft said.
Daily Mississippian
5/28/8
Magnolia Tribune
