Will Legislature reassert dominance after Barbour era?
As Mississippians prepare for the Neshoba County Fair – the traditional launching pad for politicians seeking statewide office – the biggest question is whether Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann joins Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant and Gulf Coast businessman Dave Dennis in the 2011 GOP gubernatorial primary.
But perhaps a better question is whether the Legislature will seek to reaffirm and reassert the constitutional muscle that branch of government enjoys in the 1890 Mississippi Constitution’s “weak governor” system in the post-Haley Barbour era.
That question more sharply defines the 2011 governor’s race by raising the issue of what kind of governor Mississippi elects in 2011 – a traditional governor or one with the political skills to offset the constitutional advantages afforded the Legislature and particularly the legislative leadership.
Clarion-Ledger
6/21/10
Magnolia Tribune
