Geoff Pender of THE SUN HERALDwrites "Barbour is slick; McCoy is sly. Both are powerful - Barbour through his alliance with Tuck and the Senate, his considerable public relations skills and Washington contacts; McCoy through his position as leader of the House he has served for 24 years and the process he knows intimately. The state has limited funds and growing needs for fiscal 2005. Barbour wants to lay off state workers, revamp their insurance to make some pay more, cut Medicaid and focus spending on job creation, colleges and universities."