Jackson Free Press

Political leaders at the county level can have tremendous sway in elections. A strong county chairperson can motivate loyal precinct captains to get the party faithful to the polls on Election Day, which is just as much about numbers and turnout as it is about character and ideas.

That might help to explain why the people who've held those positions in Lafayette County are so miffed with Gray Tollison, the state senator from Oxford, who raised eyebrows last week when he left the Democratic Party to join Republicans.

Max Hill, who chaired the Democratic executive committee in Lafayette County until the Nov. 8 election, sent a seething a letter to the Oxford Eagle.

"Gray, you are not a man of character," Hill wrote. "At best your party switch is political opportunism. It shows that you are nothing more than a pawn in the political game that is played everyday in the political arenas across our nation."

Hill, who said he was a high school classmate of Tollison's and supported him in past elections, told the Jackson Free Press that the move surprised him given Tollison's voting record.

"He expressed having many of the same Democratic ideas as myself and other local Democrats and progressives," Hill said. "If he continues to vote as he did as a Democrat, I would imagine he would face a Republican primary challenger."

Merrill Nordstrom, who replaced Hill as the party's chairwoman, said she mistrusts Tollison and believes he should resign.

"We all feel cheated. We feel hurt. We feel betrayed," Nordstrom said.

Tollison joins Rep. Donnie Bell in the House as the newest members of the Miss. Republican Party. Neither lawmaker could be reached for comment this morning.

Pete Perry, chairman of the Hinds County Republican Party, doesn't anticipate the two longtime legislators will run into difficulty working with members of either caucus.

"Working with them is not going to be anything hard or unusual," Perry said. "Both are good legislators and good people."

Previous Comments

ID

165405

Comment

Does anyone find it at all bothersome that Gray Tollison dates Amanda Jones, Governor Barbour's legal council?

Author

DiFatta

Date

2011-11-15T16:56:16-06:00

ID

165406

Comment

Oops! I've got to apologize and retract my last post. Here's why... http://registry.weddingchannel.com/coupledir/201112/J/R322193534/AMANDA_JONES_AND_GRAY_TOLLISON.htm

Author

DiFatta

Date

2011-11-15T16:58:04-06:00

ID

165407

Comment

Well damn............

Author

Queen601

Date

2011-11-15T17:03:23-06:00

ID

165408

Comment

The name of the game for the wolves in sheep clothing is "BAIT & SWITCH" This jerk is all and more that was written about him by Hill, his classmate: "Gary, you are not a man of character". We have had a long list of "Democrats" who have done the very same thing. Remember Amy Tuck? There should be a penalty for rapeing the public and the Party of funds under the umbrella of a Democrat. An analogy of this would be the groom leaving the bride at the alter after saying, "I DO". What a life - What a low-life!

Author

justjess

Date

2011-11-15T17:22:31-06:00

ID

165410

Comment

I'm trying to drum up some grassroots support for a ballot initiative that prevents such Voter Fraud as Tollison has pulled.

Author

BobbyKearan

Date

2011-11-16T13:01:33-06:00