Jackson Free Press

Travis Childers is officially entering an already-heated Senate race for Thad Cochran's seat. Tea Party-backed state Sen. Chris McDaniel is in an ugly battle with Cochran for the Republican primary seat. Here is Childers' statement, just released, reprinted verbatim:

“Today I am filing to run for the U.S. Senate to make sure that all Mississippians have a Senator in Washington looking out for them.

“Regular people and small businesses across Mississippi are still hurting in this economy, but Washington is more partisan and dysfunctional than ever. That has got to change. What I know is that the old ways of Washington aren’t working, and a new breed of partisanship isn’t the answer. Right now the powerful corporations and special interests have all the power, and the middle class and seniors are paying the price. We need to end tax breaks for big corporations that ship jobs overseas, protect Medicare and Social Security, give small business owners a tax break, and pass a balanced budget amendment to force the politicians to cut the wasteful spending.

“I look forward to formally launching my campaign and traveling to every corner of our great state in the weeks to come. Mississippians know that I have a solid record of being an independent guy who will work across party lines and stand up to the powers that be when needed. In the U.S. Senate, I will continue to put Mississippi’s middle class first.”

From Northeast Mississippi, Travis Childers is a small business owner and a local economic development leader, who has brought over one thousand jobs to his local community. During his time in the House of Representatives, Travis had one of the most independent voting records in Congress. Travis is pro-gun, pro-life, and was endorsed by the NRA. In the Senate, Travis will lead the fight for a Balanced Budget Amendment, protect the Medicare and Social Security benefits that seniors have earned, and protect Mississippi jobs by ending tax breaks for big corporations that ship jobs overseas.

Where to get some vinyl records this weekend and new releases...

All, we are putting together a special tribute issue to Chokwe Lumumba for next week. Please add your messages below, and we will include what we can and link back to the rest. I'll start with a letter the Greater Jackson Chamber leadership sent to members today:

February 26, 2014

Dear GJCP Members:

The Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership is deeply saddened by Mayor Chokwe Lumumba’s departure from this earthly life. He was a great leader, with unique personality and talent. His keen intellectual grasp of the tough issues facing the City of Jackson was important, but it was his ability to rally everyone to action on those issues that truly made him special. His time in office may have been cut short, but his impact on moving this city forward will have long standing implications.

Today we grieve with the rest of the community, but we also cerebrate the achievements of Chokwe Lumumba. We had a strong and productive working relationship with the Mayor. Furthermore, in an unexpected twist, we developed a sincere personal relationship. So today we grieve the loss of this dear friend, and realize how blessed we are to have had him as a leader and public servant. Our thoughts and prayers are with Mayor Lumumba’s family, his friends and this community.

Sincerely,

Andy Taggart Chairman of the Board Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership

Duane O'Neill President Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership