Jackson Free Press

Ready to throw your weight behind your predictin' prowess? Here's the "official" word (mine, that is) on what's going to happen in today's elections. Are you brave enough to answer the call?

NATIONAL:
+27 Dem seats; Dems take House
+5 Dem Senate seats; Senate is 50-50 (Cheney moves undisclosed location closer to Capitol)
+7 Dem governorships, including Arkansas and Colorado
+5 states add vote-by-mail in the next four years; Miss. is not one of them. :-)

LOCAL:
- Trent wins, but Fleming gets votes in the high 30s
- Pickering wins, although a strong percentage of voters choose a woman they've never heard of who is running on the Reform ticket (Lamonica McGee)
- Thompson wins, Brown polls in low 40s
- Buchanan ascends to the bench; Delaughter, Yerger and Wise keep their seats
- JPS Bond issue passes

Previous Commentsshow

Agreed on most of the predictions except the Thompson/Brown race, in which I believe Brown will only get 30%. I wasn't able to vote for the JPS bond issue, but I hope it passes.

Jeff Lucas

Nov 7 2006

Todd, our predictions are actually identical, right down to the 50-50 Senate! Which, given my track record as an oracle, may or may not be a good thing... Would also add: South Dakota: Abortion ban fails. Cheers, TH

Tom Head

Nov 7 2006

I wish many were true, however, I have a few disagreements. (note these are not my desires, simply predictions) Flemming, low 30's (tops) Buchanan not in run off between Thomas and Bell Senate goes 48 Dems +3 and Big joe goes in as an Independent Pickering wins, big independents and NO votes come up larger than expected. Yerger edges Ogden for seat

AGamm627

Nov 7 2006

Whoops--not total agreement with Todd. I predict Thomas wins the court position, even though I'll be voting for Buchanan. I think Fleming will hit high 30s, even without my vote. ;o) Definitely agreed on Lieberman, who will join Bernie Sanders as new U.S. Senate independents who caucus with Democrats. Disagreed on Senate having a +3 Democratic majority; they'd have to sweep the board for that. +1 is the best I dare hope for. Cheers, TH

Tom Head

Nov 7 2006

...but I still predict 50-50. Cheers, TH

Tom Head

Nov 7 2006

Oh I was saying a +3 Gain overall, not a 3 seat lead... if only .... I also pray you are right on South Dakota, but I admit, I have lost much faith in many of my fellow voters Vote early and often, tis the Mississippi way

AGamm627

Nov 7 2006

Funny, I voted for Lamonica—hear a number of people are. (Thanks, Mississippi Dems, for offering up an option to Pickering.) Otherwise, I NEVER predict. Too superstitious!

DonnaLadd

Nov 7 2006

I'll say that things won't look any different in the morning. GOP holds both houses of Congress. No major shifts in the political sand, just like in 2004.

Cliff Cargill

Nov 7 2006

I'm feeling lots of concern about the bond issue. I was up at my child's school 90% of the day (for PTA junk) and heard more people than I care to remember discussing why they didn't vote for it on the way out. Sigh... I truly hope it passes.

tiffitch

Nov 7 2006

I'm worried nothing will change too. One of my politically astute friend swears the doctor couldn't order anything better than the repubs staying in control of both houses of congress if he got degrees from Harvard and Yale. He opines 2 more years of this shat and most of us won't need any professional help to know who to vote for next. Ill deal with whatever happens. I want Frank gone too, but it's quiet and boring without him. Comedians are pulling for the repubs too.

Ray Carter

Nov 7 2006

NBC's Tim Russert always looks like he's having so much fun with these elections, so I'm certain to be watching NBC/MSNBC election coverage until the wee hours tonight. I'm looking for a 110th Congress that looks like: House: 222 Democrats/213 Republicans Senate: 51 Republicans/47 Democrats/2 Independents

Jeff Lucas

Nov 7 2006

I voted for the bond issue, but was denied a paper ballot and with it the option of write-in candidates for the congressional races. I was so steamed that I didn't even notice Lamonica McGee, which is probably just as well--under the NARAL pledge I took for 2006, I can't really vote for her until I know she's pro-choice (though I did vote for her in 2002). Called the election commissioner, who told me that under state law they could not allow write-in candidacies except to replace candidates who are deceased or otherwise rendered ineligible, and that they do not need to give me a paper ballot unless the machine is malfunctioning. I'm following up on this, and should have the actual statutes later this week--unless they turn out not to exist, in which case I will have something much more interesting than statutes to offer up (*smile*). Cheers, TH

Tom Head

Nov 7 2006

How I voted (on the machine), BTW: Senate -- No candidate. House -- No candidate. School Bond -- For. In the judiciary races, I voted for Buchanan, Phillips (in a race I wasn't following and knew nothing about), and Yerger. Cheers, TH

Tom Head

Nov 7 2006

(It was probably 2004, and not 2002, when I voted for Lamonica McGee. Cheers, TH)

Tom Head

Nov 7 2006

UPDATE: The statutes do exist. Section 23-15-365 bans write-in candidacies, and the final paragraph of section 23-15-405 gives the election commissioner the authority to determine whether to allow paper ballots, except (under section 23-15-531) in cases where the machines are not working properly. Cheers, TH

Tom Head

Nov 7 2006

No wonder I've never been able to vote for Mickey Mouse. Hm.

Ironghost

Nov 7 2006

Tom: Thanks for voting for the school bond. In return, I voted for Bennie. :)

Lady Havoc

Nov 7 2006

Here is a link to local returns. http://www.co.hinds.ms.us/pgs/results/gen_election.asp Thomas may win his judgeship outright, which is somewhat surprising. Ogden is giving Yerger fits. I thought that Yerger would beat him by a wider margin. Brown is getting hammered.

Kingfish

Nov 7 2006

uh oh. Giles is within 2000 votes of Pickering. what is going on?

Kingfish

Nov 7 2006

Looks like the JPS bond issue will pass overwhelmingly. Good call, Jackson.

Jeff Lucas

Nov 7 2006

Woo, hoo. Jacksonians, y'all rock. I'm so proud to call Jackson my home. ;-D Any word on judge races? (We're still finishing the paper here.) Is that joke about Giles, Kingfish?

DonnaLadd

Nov 7 2006

Oh, just see your post about judges. I've thought Yerger would have trouble and that Dewayne Thomas has a good shot. I don't do predictions, though. ;-)

DonnaLadd

Nov 7 2006

Looks like Yerger is doing OK now.

DonnaLadd

Nov 7 2006

Ooh, Ooh! This just in from the local media!!! NEWSFLASH, they've declared Bennie Thompson and Trent Lott the expected winners. I guess Pickering is still up in the air. As a producer, how do you do this with a straight face and keep from laughing. Brought to you from the local station that was punked by Borat.

Doc Rogers

Nov 7 2006

TEXAS GOVERNOR'S RACE Rick Perry (R) gets another term. Kinky Friedman had an unexpectedly low showing - only 11% of the vote. He's the last candidate to concede.(in fact, he's literally did so just a few minutes ago). Chris Bell (D) came in at 29% while Carolyn Keaton Strayhorn (a.k.a. "Grandma") (R) got 18%. Far more significant is what's happening in OHIO Forbes reports the Dems took 4 congressional seats in the conservative southern part of the state

Philip

Nov 7 2006

I hate my predictions were correct in most elections. I am glad my pessimistic thoughts towards South Dakota were incorrect as well as the bond issue. I am SO GLAD voters proved me wrong twice!!! My faith is restored (slightly) in the process. I wish I would have been wrong across the board, but such is life. ME PS congrats TH on the pledge. As a straight white southern male who goes to church on Sunday.... YOU ARE CORRECT ( I love to shatter the stereotype. I pulled up to a protester for Abortion Rights and honked in my SUV (being a white male, younger, and playing country music). When I gave her the thumbs up, she did a double take and mouthed "really?" then smiled... ME

AGamm627

Nov 8 2006