Jackson Free Press

Clarksdale attorney Bill Luckett has confirmed that he will run for the Mississippi governor's seat in 2011. Luckett told the Mississippi Business Journal yesterday that he will formally announce his candidacy sometime in the spring, but that he has moved beyond merely considering a run. A staffer at Luckett's political action committee, Progress for Mississippi, confirmed Luckett's candidacy to the Jackson Free Press today.

Luckett, 61, fueled speculation about a possible run for governor when he announced the formation of his political action committee, Progress for Mississippi, June 11. The attorney has not held public office before, but he is well known locally for two Clarksdale businesses, Madidi Restaurant and the Ground Zero Blues Club, which he co-owns with actor and Mississippi native Morgan Freeman. Luckett's legal clients include Wal-Mart, Kroger and Archer Daniels Midland.

Luckett has indicated his intention to run as a Democrat, and the circular logo for Progress for Mississippi bears a striking resemblance to the logo for Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign. Still, Luckett counts Republicans among his closest friends, including conservative media strategist Quentin Whitwell. As the JFP reported June 22, Whitwell was among the recipients of a June 2 e-mail from Luckett's legal assistant about media opportunities with Luckett's campaign. Whitwell and Luckett told the JFP that Whitwell had no employment with Luckett's campaign, however.

Previous Comments

ID

152309

Comment

Go Bill!

Author

August West

Date

2009-09-25T12:17:44-06:00