Mississippi gubernatorial election, 2003
Encyclopedia
The 2003 Mississippi gubernatorial election took place on 4 November 2003 for the post of governor of Mississippi. The incumbent
governor, Democrat
Ronnie Musgrove
, was defeated by Republican
Haley Barbour
.
The election was the most expensive yet in Mississippi
with the candidates raising over 18 million dollars
between them. The national parties also spent millions on television adverts
for the election such as the over 5 million spent by the Republican Governors Association
. Barbour's victory in the election made him only the second Republican governor of Mississippi since Reconstruction.
.
As governor Musgrove had difficulties with the states' legislators. He vetoed the whole budget one year but was overridden by the legislature
. However Musgrove campaigned on having secured the largest pay rise for teachers in the history of Mississippi.
during the presidency of Ronald Reagan
and Chairman of the Republican National Committee from 1993 to 1996, announced that would run for governor on 17 February 2003. He had previously failed to be elected to the U.S. Senate
for Mississippi in 1982 and travelled the state for several months in 2003 to gauge support for his bid.
for the tobacco
and pharmaceutical
industries. A key message of Musgrove's campaign was that Barbour's support for free trade
would cost jobs in Mississippi.
Barbour attacked Musgrove for his leadership of the state, blaming him for the state of the economy of Mississippi. He was helped by the President
, George Bush
, who made three trips to the state to support him. Numerous other leading Republican figures came to Mississippi to support Barbour including Dick Cheney
, Jeb Bush
and Rudy Giuliani
.
A poll in October 2003 showed Barbour having a narrow lead with 50% saying they would vote for him as against 45% for Musgrove. However another poll at the beginning of November showed Musgrove with 42% against 41% for Barbour and both sides regarded turnout
as key to the election.
Exit poll
s showed that black voters made up a third of the vote and 94% of them backed Musgrove. However among white voters 77% backed Barbour and a quarter of voters who supported Musgrove in his first election in 1999 now backed Barbour.
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
governor, Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Ronnie Musgrove
Ronnie Musgrove
David Ronald "Ronnie" Musgrove is an American politician who was the 29th Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi from January 16, 1996 to January 11, 2000 and the 62nd Governor of Mississippi from January 11, 2000 to January 13, 2004 of the U.S. state of Mississippi. He was recently defeated by...
, was defeated by Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Haley Barbour
Haley Barbour
Haley Reeves Barbour is an American Republican politician currently serving as the 63rd Governor of Mississippi. He gained a national spotlight in August 2005 after Mississippi was hit by Hurricane Katrina. Barbour won re-election as Governor in 2007...
.
The election was the most expensive yet in Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
with the candidates raising over 18 million dollars
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
between them. The national parties also spent millions on television adverts
Television advertisement
A television advertisement or television commercial, often just commercial, advert, ad, or ad-film – is a span of television programming produced and paid for by an organization that conveys a message, typically one intended to market a product...
for the election such as the over 5 million spent by the Republican Governors Association
Republican Governors Association
The Republican Governors Association is a Washington, D.C.-based 527 organization founded in 1963, consisting of U.S. state and territorial governors affiliated with the Republican Party.Its Democratic Party counterpart is the Democratic Governors Association...
. Barbour's victory in the election made him only the second Republican governor of Mississippi since Reconstruction.
Candidates
- Ronnie MusgroveRonnie MusgroveDavid Ronald "Ronnie" Musgrove is an American politician who was the 29th Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi from January 16, 1996 to January 11, 2000 and the 62nd Governor of Mississippi from January 11, 2000 to January 13, 2004 of the U.S. state of Mississippi. He was recently defeated by...
, incumbent Governor of Mississippi - Gilbert Fountain, perennial candidate
- Elder McClendon
- Catherine Starr, activist
- Katie Perrone
Campaign
Musgrove was elected governor in 1999 after a very close election against Michael Parker. As neither candidate had obtained a majority in the election Musgrove was chosen as governor by the Democratic controlled Mississippi House of RepresentativesMississippi House of Representatives
The Mississippi House of Representatives is the lower house of the Mississippi Legislature, the lawmaking body of the U.S. state of Mississippi....
.
As governor Musgrove had difficulties with the states' legislators. He vetoed the whole budget one year but was overridden by the legislature
Mississippi Legislature
The Mississippi Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Mississippi. The bicameral Legislature is composed of the lower Mississippi House of Representatives, with 122 members, and the upper Mississippi Senate, with 52 members. Both Representatives and Senators serve four-year...
. However Musgrove campaigned on having secured the largest pay rise for teachers in the history of Mississippi.
Results
Candidates
- Haley BarbourHaley BarbourHaley Reeves Barbour is an American Republican politician currently serving as the 63rd Governor of Mississippi. He gained a national spotlight in August 2005 after Mississippi was hit by Hurricane Katrina. Barbour won re-election as Governor in 2007...
, political consultant, Republican nominee for the United States Senate in 1982United States Senate election in Mississippi, 1982The 1982 United States Senate election in Mississippi was held on November 5, 1982. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator John C. Stennis won re-election to his seventh term.-Republican:... - Mitch Tyner, attorney
Campaign
Barbour, a former advisor in the White HouseWhite House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
during the presidency of Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
and Chairman of the Republican National Committee from 1993 to 1996, announced that would run for governor on 17 February 2003. He had previously failed to be elected to the U.S. Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
for Mississippi in 1982 and travelled the state for several months in 2003 to gauge support for his bid.
Results
Campaign
Musgrove campaigned as an independent and conservative candidate, downplaying his membership of the Democratic Party and avoiding inviting any national figures to support him. He criticised Barbour for being a lobbyistLobbying in the United States
Lobbying in the United States targets the United States Senate, the United States House of Representatives, and state legislatures. Lobbyists may also represent their clients' or organizations' interests in dealings with federal, state, or local executive branch agencies or the courts. Lobby...
for the tobacco
Tobacco industry
The tobacco industry comprises those persons and companies engaged in the growth, preparation for sale, shipment, advertisement, and distribution of tobacco and tobacco-related products. It is a global industry; tobacco can grow in any warm, moist environment, which means it can be farmed on all...
and pharmaceutical
Pharmaceutical company
The pharmaceutical industry develops, produces, and markets drugs licensed for use as medications. Pharmaceutical companies are allowed to deal in generic and/or brand medications and medical devices...
industries. A key message of Musgrove's campaign was that Barbour's support for free trade
Free trade
Under a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
would cost jobs in Mississippi.
Barbour attacked Musgrove for his leadership of the state, blaming him for the state of the economy of Mississippi. He was helped by the President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
, George Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, who made three trips to the state to support him. Numerous other leading Republican figures came to Mississippi to support Barbour including Dick Cheney
Dick Cheney
Richard Bruce "Dick" Cheney served as the 46th Vice President of the United States , under George W. Bush....
, Jeb Bush
Jeb Bush
John Ellis "Jeb" Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd Governor of Florida from 1999 to 2007. He is a prominent member of the Bush family: the second son of former President George H. W. Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush; the younger brother of former President George W...
and Rudy Giuliani
Rudy Giuliani
Rudolph William Louis "Rudy" Giuliani KBE is an American lawyer, businessman, and politician from New York. He served as Mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001....
.
A poll in October 2003 showed Barbour having a narrow lead with 50% saying they would vote for him as against 45% for Musgrove. However another poll at the beginning of November showed Musgrove with 42% against 41% for Barbour and both sides regarded turnout
Voter turnout
Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election . After increasing for many decades, there has been a trend of decreasing voter turnout in most established democracies since the 1960s...
as key to the election.
Exit poll
Exit poll
An election exit poll is a poll of voters taken immediately after they have exited the polling stations. Unlike an opinion poll, which asks whom the voter plans to vote for or some similar formulation, an exit poll asks whom the voter actually voted for. A similar poll conducted before actual...
s showed that black voters made up a third of the vote and 94% of them backed Musgrove. However among white voters 77% backed Barbour and a quarter of voters who supported Musgrove in his first election in 1999 now backed Barbour.