Enterprise-Journal
When voters go to the polls Tuesday to decide the Senate District 37 race, either candidate they choose will have legislative experience.
Incumbent Bob Dearing, D-Natchez, has held the seat since 1980.
District 37 includes residents of Adams, Amite, Franklin and Pike counties.
Challenger William S. “Bill” Guy, D-McComb, was elected to the House of Representatives in 1963 and served two terms before going on to one term in the state Senate.
In 1995, Guy came close to being elected lieutenant governor, but lost to Ronnie Musgrove. Since then, he’s been in private law practice in McComb.
Because no Republican or Independent is running for the seat, Tuesday’s vote will decide who goes to the Capitol next spring.
Dearing, 72, said he and Guy agreed early on that they would run clean campaigns.
“We’ve both honored it,” he said. “So many people don’t like all that mud-slinging.”
Guy’s experience may make this campaign a bit more challenging for Dearing.
“This is the first time I’ve had an opponent who’s had a lot of political savvy about him,” said Dearing.
“I’ve tried to see as many people as I could,” he said. “Having a four-county area, I’ve missed a lot of people, but I’m trying to get my message out.
“When I first ran for office, I made a promise to represent (the voters) in a manner they respected and deserved. I love campaigning. I may be one of the few incumbents who really enjoys campaigning — meeting new people and visiting old acquaintances.”
Dearing said three issues have been on the minds of his constituents: health care, drugs and highways.
“It’s health care more than anything else,” Dearing said. “And in Amite County, my most-asked question is, ‘When will Highway 24-48 be four laned?’ ” he said, adding that he authored the bill in 2002 to put 24-48 into the state’s four-lane program as a top priority for south Mississippi.
Dearing, an insurance agent, will campaign to the end, making a last push to meet as many voters as possible.
“In Amite and Franklin counties, it’s very rural. I’m trying to get to see everyone, but it’s hard. I may see 30 people in an entire day going (to homes) in those counties,” Dearing said. “If I go into McComb or Summit or Natchez, I may see 50 people in an hour.”
Whatever the outcome of the race, Dearing wants voters to just take the time to go to the polls.
“I just want to tell people to be sure and go out and vote,” he said.
Guy has concentrated much of his campaign time to Adams County — Dearing’s home turf.
“I think it’s going real well,” Guy said. “I’m a little concerned about the number of votes being in Adams County. I hope my friends will know I’ve had to concentrate there. … All I’m doing is campaigning full time.”
Guy, 70, said he’s running because he believes strongly it’s time for a change, not only in the district but in state government.
“I feel like a lot of things are going in the wrong direction, and the reason for it is money,” Guy said. “Do you know that there are over 800 special interest groups registered as lobbyists in our state?”
He noted that many state agencies even have lobbyists — a practice he believes is steering the state in the wrong direction.
Campaigning for state office now, after more than 10 years since his most recent foray into politics, has been eye-opening for Guy.
“It’s too expensive. I fund my own campaign. I don’t look to special interest groups or take their money,” Guy said. “It’s about five or six times what I spent the last time. A campaign financing bill is needed so urgently.”
Guy said this time, he’s had some freedom from his law practice — a luxury of time he didn’t have in the past.
“I was a lawyer by night and a legislator by day,” he said.
Guy said he’s particularly concerned about bringing in new jobs for southwest Mississippi.
Guy said there has been a lot of talk about counties banding together to attract a large industry; but so far, that’s all it’s been — talk.
He believes the area should take its cue from successful developers who say the key is to form a marketing partnership that would go after the industries to pull in jobs.
His other priorities include getting drugs out of the hands of youth, getting young people with addiction problems into drug court and making sure education and workforce training is top notch.
Guy said he believes his chances of taking the seat long held by Dearing are good.
“I think I’ve outworked (Dearing) all over the district,” Guy said. “I think most of the people in Pike and Amite counties know me. And I think I know just about as much about state government as anybody else.”
