From the Mississippi Press…
Tea party officials are targeting Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker in the 2012 primary, and Rep. Steven Palazzo — last year’s tea party darling — is on notice, a conservative leader said.
John Rhodes, chairman of the Mississippi Gulf Coast 912 Project, said a large part of the frustration stems from the lawmakers’ support of the recent bipartisan debt ceiling compromise.
Despite “brewing discontent” with Palazzo, Rhodes said he wants to give the freshman Republican from Biloxi, in office since January, a chance to change conservatives’ minds before mounting a challenge in the March 13 primary.
“We still think there is enough time for him to do the right things,” Rhodes said.
But patience with Wicker, a Tupelo Republican first elected to the Senate in 2008, has run out.
“The state tea party right now is actively seeking to recruit candidates to run against Wicker, and so are we,” Rhodes said.
Asked to confirm whether the state tea party plans to join the coastal group in targeting Wicker, Mississippi Tea Party Chairman Roy Nicholson declined to comment, saying it is “way too early” to discuss any primary challenge.
“If we did have such plans, I’m certainly not going to publish them until we’re ready to make an announcement,” Nicholson said. “I’m not saying it’s false.” …..
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As for Palazzo, Rhodes said his members like the congressman personally and strongly supported him in the race against incumbent Democratic Rep. Gene Taylor in 2010.
“He was our candidate,” Rhodes said. “He was genuinely a tea party candidate.”
The feeling was mutual, with Palazzo previously telling The Mississippi Press that his values align very closely with the tea party.
The honeymoon appears to be over.
“We haven’t come out against Steven, but we’re disappointed with his voting record, as it is so far,” Rhodes said.
He cited Palazzo’s support for the debt ceiling compromise and the USA Patriot Act, as well as his role as an assistant whip for Republican House leaders whom the tea party remains very skeptical of.
“In one way that’s good, and in one way it’s not good,” Rhodes said of Palazzo’s increasing ties to powerful establishment figures. “We’re just concerned that he’s being co-opted by the Republicans.”
Read the full story at Mississippi Press / Gulflive.com
9/4/11
Magnolia Tribune
