Among the seven candidates in the Republican primary for the 3rd Congressional District seat, Bill Marcy stands out in a lot of ways. For one, he’s an African-American, the only one in the race. He was born and raised in Chicago, and has only lived in Mississippi for about eight years, strongly contrasting the native southerners he’s running against. And where most of the other candidates have some sort of political background, Marcy, a retired police officer and security director, has never dabbled in politics before.

In these ways, you could call Marcy a stand-out candidate. In this editorial board, the Meridian Star asked Marcy about some of the issues that are strongest in his mind and in the minds of the voters, so that you can decide for yourself whether he is a true stand-out candidate to you.



The Meridian Star: Tell us a little bit about your platform of “Christian Conservative Common Sense”



Bill Marcy: Bill Marcy is a product of Mississippi. I was raised up north, I was born up north. But I'm from Southern parents...In following those Southern principles that I learned from my parents, it led me to my expression of thanks to the Lord, Jesus Christ. I kind of believe that people should know where you're religious foundation is based so they’ll know what moves your heart. And that moves my heart number one. Number two I come to conservative through a long process. I take the words of Ronald Reagan, he said, “I didn't leave the Democratic party, the Democratic party left me.” And over the years I’ve learned that the Democratic party went from JFK, who said , “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country,” to more of, “What are you going to do for me tomorrow?” and I think that's a big change. I'm more of a JFK conservative than I am a Hillary Clinton or Obama liberal.



Star: What was the moment when you decided to run for this position and have you ever run for office before?



Marcy: I've never run for office before. I'm very political, like my father. We used to sit up, uh, days, over the weekends and just debate the whole world situation. When Chip decided not to run, it was an opportunity. I’m very interested in local politics, but this is a chance to serve a greater cause on the federal level. And these opportunities really don’t come along too often, where there's an open seat. And I really want to give it a try because there's things I want to do and things I want to say.



Star: What do you feel you've done in the past that’s prepared you for being in congress?



Marcy: One of the things that I always try to remind people is that the constitution says that you don’t need to coming from a heirarchy to become a congressman. The constitution says you have to be twenty-five years old, have been a citizen of the United States for seven years, and live in the state. So it really was describing and average person. What brings me to this point is, well, I think I’m twice the age limit, I’m 62, okay. And I’ve been a citizen of the United States for 62 years, too, that’s interesting. I’ve lived in the state for more than seven years, and I think that that qualifies me for it. I think we make the mistake, we think that people have to be professional politicians, have to come up the ladder, okay, you know you have to serve in the city council and you have to serve in the...and what happens is it draws you into political allegiances. You’re kind of owned by people because you owe them favors. By coming in to this as a new guy, I don't have any allegiances other than to the people of the third congressional district.



Star: Categorize the top issues in your mind for this district.



Marcy: I think as a congressman the top issue that you take an oath to defend the people of this country and the constitution of the United States. I think that’s number one. The defense of this country has to be number one on the list. We are in a war of not our choosing against people that we haven’t done anything against, who a segment of which plans to kill us, and we have to understand that going in.



Star: Take us closer to home...



Marcy: You know you guys had a wonderful editorial, and I carry it with me all the time...It talks about congressional sugar daddies. And I think it’s a shame that we expect this of our politicians. First of all, I will represent the people. Obviously there are some federal needs that the federal government can supply, but the constitution is very clear about where the responsibilities of certain activities are, of which we have accepted the fact that the federal government is the end-all of all financial support, and that’s crazy, because what happens is, you have 535 people, all trying to grab as much money out of the pot as they can. And that's how we end up with a three trillion dollar budget. So bringing it back home, there are certain projects that we absolutely need federal help in, but there are some that we don’t. I respect the people’s money in the third congressional district. I think what congressmen fail to understand is O.P.M., other people's money...We need to make sure that our politicians go up and have the money to support the projects we need that are federally mandated, but not to go up there and bring back pork.



Star: I think if you did a poll of the 3rd Congressional District asking what the number one issue is when deciding who to elect as congressman, it would probably be economic development. What are your plans for economic development in the district?



Marcy: First of all, I don’t think they’d say that, because I’m out shaking hands, and I’ve probably shaken 10,000 hands...and (people) say they’re number one issue is illegal immigration. But as far as economic development goes, Mississippi has wonderful assets which we have not exploited, one of which is our wonderful climate...and then you look at Florida. They’re economic development is based on retirees who come from all over the country...I think economic development should be based on encouraging as many of our retirees that to come here. We also need to find jobs...we need to do away with NAFTA, North America Free Trade Agreement. That has been devastating to the state of Mississippi. By doing away with that we did away with over 10,000 jobs in our mill towns. We have sent our jobs overseas and caused problems of unemployment here.



Star: You say that your experience has been that people are most concerned with illegal immigration. How would you say that effects the people of Mississippi and what do you plan to do about it?



Marcy: It effects them with jobs. That’s how it effects them. We have a law, and as a law and order person, I understand that laws need to be enforced. People are sneaking in through our back doors, and that’s not right. And a lot of people say there are twenty million of them here now, what can we do? Send them home. I think the people of the state of Mississippi are very definite on that - if you’re here illegally you should have to go back. And I definitely understand the human cost of this, because you’ll be separating families...I think we should have a program that would send the whole family back to Mexico. The children of the Mexicans who are actually United States citizens, they’re welcome to stay.



Star: By themselves?



Marcy: If they’re too young to stay I have no problem with them returning to Mexico with their parents and whenever they became 18 they could come back to the United States because they are U.S. citizens.



Star: Is there anything you'd like to add?



Marcy: If you were to characterize myself as an African-American conservative Republican, I think I’m a unique animal...And, um, America is a wonderful place with free economic systems, and we should let our free economic systems work. And the people of the United States are capable of overcoming any other problem out there. I love America, I love the state of Mississippi, and I love the Lord.