Republican candidates for the congressional seat to be vacated by Chip Pickering gathered at Mississippi State University's Meridian Campus Wednesday night where they tried to stand out in the group of seven similarly conservative congressional hopefuls at the third of four statewide Stennis Institute debates.

Notably absent were both Democratic candidates running in the March 11 primary — Randy Eads and Joel Gill.

About half the seats at MSU-Meridian's Kahlmus Auditorium were filled for the debate. Candidates present were John Rounsaville, Charlie Ross, David Landrum, Gregg Harper, and James Broadwater, all of the Jackson metro area, and Bill Marcy and Greg Hatcher, of Meridian.

Candidates spoke on various issues, from obesity to immigration, on many of which they expressed similar, though not identical views.

Ross said that he would "wholeheartedly support the (Lauderdale County industrial park interchange) project," because, "It's a proper role for government to build transportation and infrastructure," adding that inadequate roads could put a halt to progress in economic development.

Harper spoke on the role of education in economic development, saying that, "It seems that the No Child Left Behind Act may not be the best solution to our problems," because it "leaves teachers spending the bulk of their time" on standardized testing. But the main idea he expressed on educational change was centered on community colleges, which he said he feels ought to be designed around workforce development. Without proper workforce development, he said, there will not be proper economic development.

Rounsaville praised the district's former, late U.S Rep. G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery, and said, when asked, that he would do all he could to support Mississippi State University in both Starkville and Meridian, and that he felt the college was special because of its engineering program.

"Engineering is the wave of the future," he said, "as we expand into a more high-tech industry."

The panel presented many questions on illegal immigration, to which all candidates asked





responded that they were against it. Marcy said that "If you are in this country and you're not here legally, you must go home."

Ross said that he is "not anti-immigration, just anti-illegal immigration," and that he would like to see immigration policy follow the Ellis Island model, in which he said many immigrated, but most did so legally.

Broadwater cited illegal immigration as his third priority, saying that he wanted to both stop illegal immigration and punish business owners who hire illegal immigrants. Broadwater listed his top two priorities as "putting an end to all abortion" by passing a "human life" amendment to the Constitution, and preventing gay marriage by passing a "federal marriage amendment."

Landrum was asked a question on a subject many were curious to hear the answer to. After being previously accused by Rounsaville during a press conference Wednesday of failing to vote at all between the year of 2000 and 2007, Landrum was asked to clarify his voting record. He replied that the Madison County records showed his last voting date as November 2000 because he and his wife had "voted affidavit in Hinds County" as a result of clerical errors, and that they were later informed those clerical errors had caused their votes not to be counted.

Harper was asked about health care issues, to which he replied that though, "(Health care) costs are staggering," he is "absolutely opposed" to nationalized heatlh care because "it would devastate our healthcare facilities."

Rounsaville spoke on the issue of earmarking, saying that he was not completely opposed to it, but that he felt before making earmarks a Congressman would have to determine whether it was "pure pork" or for the public good.

Greg Hatcher told the audience he was opposed to military action based on oil preservation, and that he believed it was time to start working harder to use alternative energy sources.



Question of the day



At Wednesday night's 3rd Congressional District candidates forum on the MSU-Meridian campus, where none of the Democratic candidates were present, Moderator Sid Salter took advantage of the opportunity to ask a question of all seven conservative, Republican candidates at once that many have been wondering: "What makes you the best Republican candidate in the race?"

Here are summaries of their answers:

• John Rounsaville said that though all the Republican candidates were similar on issues and values, he felt that his experience working under Chip Pickering and Haley Barbour gave him an edge.

• Charlie Ross pointed to his experience in the State Legislature, saying: "My difference is my record of performance in the Legislature," and listed bills he had a part in creating and endorsements he had received.

• David Landrum told that audience: "Everything I've ever done has prepared me for what I'm doing now," and added that his business experience as founder of the financial company Primerica gave him a good understanding of economic development.

• Gregg Harper asked the audience: "In your heart of hearts, who do you really want representing you in congress?" Adding, "Go with your gut." He also mentioned that he stood out from the other candidates as "the only one to support personal retirement accounts for young people," and as the father of a special needs child who was devoted to giving "those families that are raising special needs children hope."

• Greg Hatcher said that he was a no strings attached candidate with no favors to repay and that he was "someone that voters can talk to and who will listen."

• Bill Marcy said: "I'm a conservative's conservative. Atilla the Hun is a nice guy as far as I'm concerned when it comes to military."

• James Broadwater said of his fellow candidates: "We are certainly all Republicans, but we are definitely not all the same," and said that he stood out by supporting amendments to the Constitution, which would ban abortion and gay marriage. He wants to abolish the IRS, and said he wants to remove illegal aliens in this country and replace them with "persecuted Christians" in foreign countries.