JACKSON - Gov. Ronnie Musgrove says Mississippi needs a governor who will fight for jobs, not one who lobbied in favor of the NAFTA trade agreement.
Musgrove was among Democratic candidates who spoke Monday to a gathering of AFL-CIO and local union members from around the state.
The governor said his Republican challenger, Haley Barbour, was paid $35,000 a month to lobby for the North American Free Trade Agreement, which Musgrove said drained 41,000 jobs from Mississippi.
"We need a governor who is from Mississippi and for Mississippi," Musgrove said.
Haley Barbour's spokesman Quinton Dickerson said Barbour was chairman of the Republican National Committee when NAFTA passed, and he did not lobby for the legislation's passage.
Musgrove said Mississippi's economy is holding its own during tough economic times.
He said in July, 400,000 people were out of work nationwide, and "Mississippi sent 11,000 people back to work."
Musgrove braved a sudden downpour, as did a handful of supporters. The rain continued throughout lieutenant governor candidate Barbara Blackmon's speech on the importance of job training.
"We need to provide the necessary matching funds to be able to draw on the job training money from the federal government," she said after her speech. "We have over the last several years been unable to receive about $80 million."
Blackmon, who is running against Lt. Gov. Amy Tuck, said Mississippi is the only state that does not have all of its work force training and employment related programs under one roof.
Standing under an umbrella, Tommy New-ell and his wife Shannon of Union Church said they support the Democratic candidates, especially Blackmon.
"She is for the working men and women," said Newell, who is a member of the Local 619 pipe fitters' union in Vicksburg.
"Haley Barbour would be a disaster," he said. "He's for big business and whatever he can make money on … his track record shows that."
Other speakers included Agricultural Commissioner Lester Spell, Secretary of State Eric Clark, and state Sen. Rob Smith, who lost a run-off in the primary race for state treasurer.
The general election is Nov. 4.
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