SID SALTER: A woman for agriculture?
Hyde-Smith’s strength comes from handling most of the agriculture and property rights legislation that has required heavy legislative lifting and from her strong relationship with the Mississippi Farm Bureau – which has named her Agriculture Legislator of the Year .
Phillips will benefit from prior statewide campaigns and from laboring in the GOP vineyard after converting from the Democratic Party. Reed earned fans by working hard on ATV safety legislation. Both Phillips and Reed have talked about the fact they have degrees in agriculture.
But Hyde-Smith’s appeal to working Mississippi women and to the state’s agriculture lobby for her proven record of success on behalf of their issues makes her the candidate to watch in the GOP primary.
Sid Salter
NEMS
7/11/11
