U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson showed up in casual dress for a reunion with supporters at the Greenwood Voters League on Wednesday night, urging those in attendance to get out and vote and to encourage others to vote in the November general election.
Thompson’s re-election to the 2nd District seat he has held for 25 years is pretty much assured. The Democrat will face two little-known opponents in the election: Troy Ray, an independent, and Irving Harris, a Reform Party candidate.
Democratic candidates for other seats, however — including former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Espy, running for Sen. Thad Cochran’s seat in November against Republican sitting Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith and tea party favorite Chris McDaniel — are running tighter races that would benefit from a strong showing of Thompson’s power base of black voters.
Thompson was first elected to the House in a special election to replace Espy in 1993 when Espy resigned his seat to become agriculture secretary under President Bill Clinton.
Thompson said he’ll do what he can to help Espy get elected.
“We talked two times yesterday. I introduced him at a lunch for 500 people on Friday. We’re working close,” he said.
“We need a good Democratic senator.”
Thompson’s stump speech on Wednesday largely criticized the record of President Donald Trump, characterizing him as a liar and a bully.
“Every morning, you just don’t know what’s coming out of that fellow’s mouth,” Thompson said. “Yesterday, he called a woman a dog because he disagreed with her.”
Thompson cited Trump’s economic policy with China as picking a fight —“you kill my dog, I’m gonna kill your cat” — and said farmers who are worried now should have seen the White House’s trade policies coming.
“He’s doing exactly what he said he was gonna do,” Thompson said.
Thompson said the proposed wall on the Mexican border to keep “those people” out, a national secretary of education who can’t choose a public school to visit due to lack of exposure, a press secretary confirming falsehoods and the refusal of both Democrats and Republicans in Congress to strongly condemn the president’s actions all add up to a mess in Washington unlike any he’s seen before.
“‘Make America great again’? You know what that means. It’s a code word pitting haves against have-nots and nation against nation.”
Thompson said his priorities in office continue to be public education, accessible and affordable health care, and protection of government programs that benefit those most in need.
He seemed doubtful a farm bill will be passed before the November election because of what he referred to as problems with cuts to WIC, SNAP and other government food programs that help the poor.
Thompson greeted retiring Mississippi Court of Appeals Judge Tyree Irving, who attended the meeting, and endorsed the woman who hopes to replace him, Deborah McDonald of Natchez.
“I was surprised during the last election at so many ‘learned’ people who didn’t want a woman president,” he said. “I’m of the opinion that women can do anything men can do and lots of things better.”
Asked what strategy Democrats need to follow to win in November, Thompson said they need to be respectful but truthful about existing problems.
“Don’t run away from conflict. Politics is a contact sport,” he said.
“What I see coming out of the White House is an embarrassment, and everybody trying to justify it. We have to make that case to the public.”
Most importantly, he said, everybody has to vote and work to get out the vote. “When people don’t go out and vote like they should, this is what they get.”
nContact Kathryn Eastburn at 581-7235 or keastburn@gwcommonwealth.com.
