2007 Gubernatorial Preview: Mississippi

In 2007 there will be 3 gubernatorial election, likely to be able to grab attention due to the lack of national election activity that night. A one-on-one election is already setup in Mississippi and Kentucky, where currently the Republican candidates are both ending their first terms. Mississippi's election may show an interesting new method for the Democratic Party.
Mississippi's Haley Barbour will be facing John Eaves, a creature once thought extinct. Mr. Eaves is a highly religious conservative, who also calls himself a Democrat; and for good reason. Yes, Mr. Eaves is against abortion, pro-in-school prayer, against current gambling laws and against the separation of church and state. On issues that people say they look towards religion to guide them, this candidate looks Republican. However, he also aims to help the poor through creating a "living wage", universal health care, cutting taxes on groceries and replacing them with ones on tobacco, and increasing funding of public schools.
However, Democrats are waiting to see if this plan works. He is running against a candidate who has proven that he can be elected in Mississippi, was once RNC chair, and has raised large sums of money through lobbying in Washington, with strong ties to the tobacco industry. Haley Barbour is no newcomer to the political cycle either. He has been in power circles since the early 1980s.
To win this election, John Eaves is going to have to prove opinion polls wrong, and show the Democratic party that not only can a Democrat win in the deep south, but that realigning with more conservative candidates will work.

For more information consult:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mississippi_gubernatorial_election%2C_2007
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/27/AR2007042702044.html

Next week I'll update with an preview of Kentucky.