Jackson Free Press

2009 JFP City Election Blog/Archive
2009 City Candidates on Jackpedia - Help update!

Former Hinds County District Attorney Faye Peterson is now filing papers to run for mayor. Reached by phone, Peterson confirmed that she was in the process of filing her papers: "Yes, I am running for mayor."

In an interview after she qualified, Peterson said that she decided to enter the race at the absolute last minute today because she battled with the possibility up until the very end. "I didn't invite the media to cover the filing because I wasn't sure about my decision even then," Peterson said. "I've had friends and relatives and people who care about the city approach me over and over again, and finally I just decided 'just do it.' I'm excited about this."

Peterson insists that she is not running for the chance to topple the person who claims to have groomed current District Attorney Robert Smith to unseat her in 2007.

"If that was the reason to run in a race you'd never win," Peterson said. "I offer leadership, attitude, and I'm hard-working. I just believe that I can get this city to turn around."

Mayor Frank Melton backed Smith during his campaign against Peterson after Peterson carried allegations of Melton illegally destroying a home on Ridgeway Street before a grand jury, which summarily indicted him. Melton beat back the state charges against him that year, and was acquitted, but now faces his third trial for the incident. The federal government is re-trying him for civil rights violations connected with the same Ridgeway Street demolition in May.

Previous Comments

ID

144438

Comment

I have decided to run for Mayor also. I plan on addressing the unemployment and crime problem with a single initiative. I will use unemployed people instead of teenagers to tear down crack houses. I call it sledgehammer stimulus.

Author

WMartin

Date

2009-03-06T16:24:53-06:00

ID

144439

Comment

Other media like Ledger and WAPT are now reporting. Score another one for JFP agility! ;-)

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2009-03-06T17:35:22-06:00

ID

144441

Comment

Now that qualifing is over I still see a runoff between Harvey Johnson and Marshand Crisler. In a poll done three weeks ago Harvey had a 12 point lead on Crisler who had a 6 point lead on Melton. No one else broke single digits. Johnson and Crisler have run 1 & 2 in all four scientific polls that I know off.

Author

wellington

Date

2009-03-06T18:00:02-06:00

ID

144442

Comment

How many people are now running for Mayor? This is my prediction Robert Johnson, Faye Peterson, in the run off with Eddie Fair and Brenda Scott tie for third. The issue will be who will be able not only to raise funds but don't have a closet full of skeletons which several of the following have Marshan Crisler, Frank Melton, Harvey Johnson. I can tell you now I will be out their exposing these skeltons for the people of Jackson including Frank Blunston, Charles Tillman and Ms. Barrett. Thi wil be fun to finally expose the trash in the City of Jackson.

Author

Tony Davis

Date

2009-03-06T18:10:38-06:00

ID

144443

Comment

Have this many people ever run for mayor of Jackson?

Author

golden eagle

Date

2009-03-06T18:29:02-06:00

ID

144444

Comment

Faye Peterson? "I offer leadership"??!!

Author

Jeff Lucas

Date

2009-03-06T18:57:24-06:00

ID

144445

Comment

I found the answer to my question.

Author

golden eagle

Date

2009-03-06T18:58:07-06:00

ID

144446

Comment

From that link: Mayoral candidates Democrats Dorothy "Dot" Benford Marshand K. Crisler Eddie J. Fair Joyce Harper John Horhn Harvey Johnson Robert L. Johnson John H. Jones Jr. Frank E. Melton (i) Faye Peterson Brenda Scott Jabari A. Toins Republicans George Owen Lambus Walter R. Slone Sr. Independents Robert Amos David L. Archie Charlotte Reeves Rick Whitlow We also have 42 City Council candidates. Phew!

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2009-03-06T19:16:20-06:00

ID

144450

Comment

In a poll done three weeks ago Harvey had a 12 point lead on Crisler who had a 6 point lead on Melton. No one else broke single digits. Johnson and Crisler have run 1 & 2 in all four scientific polls that I know off. Where did you see this poll and who conducted it?

Author

golden eagle

Date

2009-03-06T20:22:50-06:00

ID

144451

Comment

Marshand K.Crisler is the best candidate & there isn't anyone else I can think of is only Marshand K.Crisler can do what is right & the best of the best for the City of Jackson. He has about 129,983 Supporters rooting for him so he has My Back too.I sure Hope Marshand Crisler gets Mayor of Jackson Mississippi because he a lifelong resident of Jackson & two time Iraqi War Vet; currently serving second term on the Jackson City Council.He a devoted husband & family man. His top priority is helping the next generation.Crisler is the way to go! He is the Man who is Creating A Better Jackson We can all be proud of! Everyone in Jackson Vote For Crisler! Marshand K.Crisler is also a Great Community Activist of all Races.I think Marshand K.Crisler would be the Best Person for the City of Jackson Mississippi & Marshand K.Crisler will get Jackson back into the Game & the City Cleaned Up. I don't live in Jackson but I tell Ya this if I did live in Jackson He would get My Vote 100%.Popular on Facebook!=)

Author

blairlaouidadunne

Date

2009-03-06T20:31:44-06:00

ID

144453

Comment

Um, wow. Peterson's announcement makes this race very complicated for me. I was a Horhn supporter--basically still am--but on an emotional level I want her to win. A Horhn-Peterson runoff would make me very happy. (A Melton-Benford runoff would make me cry.) Crisler and both Johnsons are also very worthy candidates. And Eddie Fair would have stood out in any previous election cycle. Damn, we have a good field of candidates this year. I'm excited.

Author

Tom Head

Date

2009-03-07T02:16:23-06:00

ID

144455

Comment

No Emotions please just common sense.

Author

NewJackson

Date

2009-03-07T08:33:36-06:00

ID

144456

Comment

Well, you have to say one thing for Peterson: She is one tough woman. I've never quite seen the level of venom hoisted on anyone as she has gotten from political opponents (and sexist pigs)–and she simply lets it roll off and keeps going. One thing I dread, though: The bare mention of her name brings out some of the most base, abhorrent sexism from some people in this town, and at least one of them is a woman. Fortunately, we now have a "moderation" system in place for when those types show up. Sadly, for years, Melton has pushed these kinds of memes about her, and many people parrot them without even knowing where they came from. As for the JFP, this is a very different different election from four years ago, when the obvious choice between Johnson and Melton was painfully clear. We have no idea who we might support this time around. We're just going to report the best we can, and worry about that later. So, all, quit asking me who we're supporting when you see me out and about! We. Don't. Know.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2009-03-07T08:41:32-06:00

ID

144457

Comment

Agreed. And let's bring out the salt shaker every time someone says the primary has already been whittled down to one or two candidates. Sorry, folks--18 means it's an open field, and all of them are going to have to fight for public votes now. And just having lots of money isn't going to do it. These folks are fighting for tiny, tiny percentages of votes in a relatively small community. The only prediction I'd make at this juncture is that nobody's going to top 40% in the first round primary, and God only knows how that's going to impact the election. I'll also say that I'm personally certain that the people of Jackson will not reelect Frank Melton, but I can't prove it. That's a statement of faith. Re predictions in general, confident pundits should look at the 2006 District 3 Republican primary for a case in point; everybody was sure it would be Charlie Ross or David Landrum (Ross had the name advantage, Landrum had the fundraising advantage), and instead we got Gregg Harper, who was fourth-ranked in most polls and estimations, because he rounded up some of his buddies from the Rankin County Republican Party and that was enough to get him into the runoff against a divisive candidate. Re Faye Peterson, I thought criticizing her record was fair game (in the few instances where her record was the subject of criticism) but couldn't find very many of her critics who could tell me anything about her record vis-a-vis convictions, and the few who did didn't seem to know how it would compare to that of her predecessor, or how it would compare to county DAs in other counties with a comparable number of people and a comparable level of crime. So the case against Faye Peterson was never really made; it was implied. How she lost is still something of a mystery to me. That said, I like Robert Smith and he seems to be doing a pretty good job under some very tough circumstances.

Author

Tom Head

Date

2009-03-07T08:55:39-06:00

ID

144458

Comment

I saw Blaine's post on the C-L last night. It looks exactly like it does here. I like Faye Peterson, but I don't see her pulling this race off, primarily because people will believe the things Melton and company said about her, which we and they know are not true. Also, she came in rather late into the game. Maybe if she would've had an exploratory committee and gauge the community's interest by putting something of a platform out there, then I would like her chances better. BTW, I'm gonna head out to Harvey Johnson's open house.

Author

golden eagle

Date

2009-03-07T11:03:57-06:00

ID

144462

Comment

I can't believe that someone would say that they would vote for Crisler. Crisler is not a family man in fact when have you ever seen him with his family and public functions? If you are a husband and a father you should be proud to be seen in public with you family. Crisler is not race neutral either when he was looking for a fire chief he only interview black canditates that would kiss his butt and refused to interview the only white candidate. Crisler is also a liar, I took documentation to Crisler at Fire Station #11 about the sexual harrassment of female employees on the Jackson Fire Department and he ignore our request for the City Council to investigate these issues. Crisler for Mayor is a joke and if we do anything we need to get him to move to somewhere else than Mississippi. Crisler leadership will only contribute to the continued destruction of Jackson.

Author

Tony Davis

Date

2009-03-08T09:31:33-06:00

ID

144465

Comment

Marshand Crisler is a family man. He has been married to the same women, his high school sweetheart for 22 years, and has three children. Just because you haven't seen Mr. Crisler out with his family does not mean that he is not out with them. People are so shallow minded when they bring others families into politics. The main point of this race is to see who is the best candidate, not to tear down their family. Fact of the matter is the Marshand is the best candidate not only because of his 21 years in the military, not only because of his 17 years in law enforcement, not only because of his 8 years on the council, but because Jackson needs a young energetic Mayor that wants to get things done. Not one thats tearing down houses, not a senator taking money for votes on the capitol, not a planner that can't get anything done, not a former police chief that can't decide what city he wants to live in, and definitely not a tax collector that can't tell the citizens where the $66,000.00 that was lost at his office is, yet my taxes keep going up. We need a real leader, someone that has integrity and wants to hold people working for the city accountable for their actions so that citizens get the best deal not the fat cats, and Marshand Crisler is the only candidate that is going to do that and turn this city around.

Author

madnjxn

Date

2009-03-08T14:41:39-06:00

ID

144469

Comment

Tony Davis, why would Crisler be interviewing anyone for fire chief? He isn't Mayor yet! And, yes, he is a family man. Goes to New Jerusalem. I've seen him and family lots of places. So, you might want to get used to a Mayor Crisler 'cause he's probably gonna win! Believe me, we can do a whole lot worse than Crisler with this HERD that's running.

Author

Razor

Date

2009-03-08T18:55:37-06:00

ID

144479

Comment

Benford FTW!!!! Totally kidding... On a random thought, how many political races has she run in?

Author

Puck

Date

2009-03-09T08:21:40-06:00

ID

144481

Comment

Too many! I remember she first ran for Congress against Mike Espy way back when. Espy had no problems winning. She last ran for tax collector (or was it accessor?) in 2007 and made it to the run-off with a strong showing in the primary. But she was obliterated in the run-off a couple of weeks later by Charles Stokes. She's almost like Jackson's version of the O'Haras (Richard and his son Shawn) from Hattiesburg. They run for just about every position on the ballot.

Author

golden eagle

Date

2009-03-09T08:34:21-06:00

ID

144517

Comment

madnjxn: what has Crisler done since he been elected? Look at South Jackson right now! it's in terrible shape. Crisler is trying to use the silver tongue method to get votes when all he has ever cared about was feathering his own hat and that of his family and friends. Since he been elected if he doesn't get his way he cries just like a spoil baby like when he didn't get re-elect as council president. Also let's not forget that when Melton fired McNulty as Fire Chief, Crisler agreed to interview potential candidates for Fire Chief, (Kissing Melton Butt) and there was a big article in the newpaper stating Crisler was interviewing candidates (but he would not interview the white candidate) and also in his statement in council meeting he stated we need a black person to be chief because of the city being a majority black. He kisseed Harvey butt until Harvey didn't let him have his way and he did the same with Melton. I don't care what church you belong too, attending a church doesn't make you a saint. There's a bunch of people that attended church and love their family sitting in jail because in the end they were just using the church and their families to establish their con game and running a con game is exactly what Crisler is doing now!!!!!

Author

Tony Davis

Date

2009-03-09T18:40:49-06:00