Scott Newton, Roger Crowder seeking to be firsts in their respective statewide races [Miss.]

DeSoto Times ^ | August 22, 2003 | ROBERT LEE LONG

[JohnnyZ]

Roger Crowder, Republican candidate for State Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce, discusses strategy with Ellen Jernigan of the DeSoto County Area Republican Women and GOP Executive Committee.

SOUTHAVEN — Two candidates for statewide office — Scott Newton, Republican contender for attorney general and Roger Crowder, GOP candidate for state agricultural and commerce commissioner — both are seeking to be “firsts.” Newton, a former FBI agent from Ridgeland, is seeking to become the state’s first Republican attorney general, while Crowder, a retired state agricultural marketing specialist, is seeking to become Mississippi’s first Republican commissioner of agriculture and commerce, not to mention the state’s first black ag commissioner. Newton, 37, is also a former federal prosecutor. He faces Democrat Jim Hood, district attorney from Houston, in the Nov. 4 general election.

“We have the second-highest murder rate in the nation, the 12th-highest rate of rape and the worst lawsuit abuse in the country,” Newton said. “The reason is the state’s chief law enforcement officer is focused on litigation not prosecution.” Incumbent Attorney General Mike Moore is not running for re-election.

“We’ve been focusing on tobacco when we needed to be focused on crack cocaine,” Newton said.

Newton said if he’s elected the state’s attorney general he will defend tort reform measures the Mississippi Legislature passed last year from “constitutional attack” by the state’s trial lawyers, most of whom he said are supporting his opponent, Hood.

Newton said DeSoto County will play a key role in putting him office if Republicans turn out at the polls. “This race will be decided on the turnout here,” Newton said, noting that former Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Parker failed to generate enough votes in DeSoto County and other key counties, losing the bid for governor by 9,000 votes.

“DeSoto County will lead the fight,” he said. “It will all happen right here.”

Crowder, meanwhile, has mounted his third campaign for agricultural commissioner. In 1995, Crowder became the first black to advance beyond a primary election since Reconstruction in race for statewide office. A Gulfport native, Crowder lives in Louisville where his wife teaches school.

“My true interest is Mississippi,” said Crowder, who has two degrees in agriculture-related fields from Alcorn State University and Mississippi State University. “My professional working life has been devoted to serving the people of Mississippi and promoting agricultural production and marketing of agricultural products.” He pointed out that one in four Mississippians are employed in agriculture.

“We are at a crossroads in Mississippi agriculture,” Crowder said. “We can continue to allow agricultural jobs to leave our state, or we can work to find ways to keep them here and to attract more.”

[JohnnyZ]

These races, Scott Newton for Attorney General and Roger Crowder for Agriculture, and prime examples of the importance of down-ballot races. Roger Crowder could become the first statewide elected black in Mississippi since . . . the dawn of time? I don't know that there's ever been one; certainly not since the 19th century.

And Scott Newton's race vs. Jim Hood is huge for the future of Mississippi politics and their economy. Lawyers still have a stranglehold over the state even with the tort reform just passed and the state is in dire need of an AG who'll do more than decide who to sue next. Newton's a terrific candidate and could be a future senator.

[JohnnyZ]

Roger Crowder ping

[WKB]

Thanks for the ping