Eaves focused on faith, populism in Mississippi Gov. race

Two months into his race for Mississippi Governor, John Eaves is already making national news with a profile in Sunday's Washington Post. Eaves' mix of strong evangelical Christian faith, social conservatism and economic populism is drawing interest to his candidacy which is seen as a test of the Democratic Party's ability to break the Republican lock on the heart of the Deep South. http://tinyurl.com/27p5mf

"John Arthur Eaves baptized three of his four sons in the Jordan River, an event he highlights in a radio campaign ad. The candidate for governor of Mississippi thinks Roe v. Wade should be overturned, calls for reintroducing school prayer and wants limits on riverboat gambling -- all hot-button issues among evangelical pastors. A baby-faced trial lawyer with a flair for self-promotion, Eaves is employing the same tried-and-true campaign tactics as many Republicans running in the South, the Midwest and other culturally conservative parts of the country."

"But Eaves isn't just any old run-of-the-mill evangelical candidate -- he's a Democrat. And he's challenging not just any first-term governor, but Haley Barbour, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee and a Goliath in the GOP, with possible designs on the White House."

"The political calculus behind Eaves's candidacy is simple. By neutralizing the traditional GOP advantage on social issues, Democrats hope to focus on economic issues, where, particularly in poverty-stricken Mississippi, they believe they have the upper hand. Eaves, a graduate of Ole Miss and now a wealthy lawyer whose dirty-blond mane is a fixture in legal ads across the state, is an unabashed populist. He supports universal health care, large increases in public school funding and a so-called living wage. He attacks Barbour for opposing a "tax swap" that would slash the grocery tax and raise the tobacco tax and for pushing 50,000 low-income residents off state Medicaid rolls."

"Eaves roots his populism in the same evangelical Christianity as his social positions. "A lot of people ask me, 'How are you a Democrat and a Christian?' " he says in his Jackson office, festooned with photos from his 1996 trip to Israel to baptize his sons. "And I say, 'Because I'm a Christian, I'm a Democrat.' Christ healed the sick, reached out to the poor and came to tell us the truth, which today would translate into support for health care and education. Christ came to help people, and I believe that's the role of the Democratic Party."

Running as a populist visionary and person of faith, Eaves made a powerful speech in declaring his Gubenatorial candidacy:

I dare you to imagine a Mississippi that rewards hard-working, honest people with a living wage that allows them to spend time with their families without having to work two jobs.

I dare you to imagine a Mississippi healthcare system that provides affordable care to EVERY Mississippian rather than adding huge profits to the big insurance companies.

I dare you to imagine a healthcare system that lifts the healthcare burden off the backs of our Mississippi businesses so they can compete around the world.

I dare you to imagine a criminal justice system that protects our children from sex offenders and treats the drug addicts instead of simply turning them back to the streets.

I dare you to imagine a day when all Mississippians, without regard to our differences in body, mind, spirit or handicap, will treat each other with respect and dignity as we are all God's children.

I dare you to imagine a Mississippi where every high school student uses a laptop computer to prepare for the jobs of the 21st Century and where there are just as many students dreaming of being teachers, scientists and business owners as those dreaming of being athletes.

I dare you to imagine schools that allow voluntary, student-led school prayer so children can begin to discover for themselves the fundamental questions of our existence. And by the discussion of these beliefs, we will have a foundation on which to build character, discipline and hope for our children.

I dare you to imagine a political system where conviction is more powerful than fear, allowing us to focus on combating the true enemies of mankind - disease, ignorance and poverty - rather than fighting each other.

And I believe if we can imagine it, we can do it! http://www.eaves2007.com

Eaves notes that Mississippi has the highest infant mortality rate in the nation and ranks 49th in health among the states. He expresses concern that a 2005 study showed only 18 percent of Mississippi's eighth graders were on their grade reading level and a mere 14 percent were up to speed in their math skills.

Another focus of the Eaves campaign is a living wage. Eaves stated, "It is time that Mississippi rewarded hard-working, honest people with a living wage that would allow working parents to spend time with their families instead of having to work two or three jobs just to put food on the table." He further added that such a move would "strengthen our economy by increasing the income of those most likely to spend it on our local businesses and communities."

The conservative Democrat wants tougher laws to protect our children from sex offenders."Sex offenders should be required to wear ID-tracking bracelets so police will know where they are at all times," Eaves said.

Hurricane Katrina continues to impact Mississippi and Eaves is critical of Governor Barbour's handling of the crisis. Eaves notes that thousands of Mississippians are still waiting to rebuild their lives two years after the hurricane due to a slow response from insurance companies and government. "We must stop the practice of rewarding state contracts to out-of-state companies with political connections and financial ties to the power brokers in Jackson," Eaves stated. "Companies in Mississippi that employ Mississippi workers should get first dibs on all state contracts, especially those to rebuild our Coast."

Applauding efforts by the Ocean Springs Board of Education to establish a Bible literacy class, Eaves said: “The Bible is the most influential book ever written, and an important component of a well-rounded education is Bible literacy." Eaves promised to work to encourage teaching the Bible as literature in public schools if elected Governor.

Despite expectations that he will be greatly outspent by the incumbent Republican Governor, Eaves remains optimistic about his chances. Eaves told the Greenwood Commonwealth, "No matter how much money Haley Barbour has, thank the Lord that this is still a democracy ... people still vote," he said.

John Eaves sounds like the kind of Democrat that we need in public office.