Dear Candidates:

Stop the insanity.  YOU have both been a part of what has been described as the dirtiest Senatorial campaign in Mississippi History! (And, that is not up for debate).

To U.S. Senator Cochran:  It is time for you to make multiple public appearances, to change the “tone and tenor” of the campaign and see and be seen.  You have been a steady rock for Mississippi for 35+ years!  You have brought more monies into Mississippi than Mississippi has paid into the system.  Be proud of it.  You were doing your job.  Your job was to represent Mississippian’s in their own best interests.  You brought more jobs, more industry, more opportunity than otherwise would have been available to Mississippi. During Mississippi’s darkest hours, Katrina and other disasters, you went to bat for Mississippi and brought home the bacon!  Be proud of that.  You did not create the 17 trillion dollar national debt, you fighting for Mississippi is not saddling our children and grandchildren to indentured servitude.  Instead it gives Mississippians a fighting chance and needed resources and the people know this.  If you had not worked to help Mississippi it would have gone elsewhere.  No one can refute that with any semblance of credibility.

Also, changing the “tone and tenor” means stop labeling everything someone from the other campaign does as a felony. Maybe it is, and those persons behind Picture-gate need to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, but be careful on how it is “used” by your people, or rather, the spin that it is being “used” at all.

Connect, be folksy, talk to the people.  Be out there.  Be proud.  Admit that you are not a social media aficionado. Neither are my parents and I’d vote for them.  Ask that WE rehire you for the job you signed up for, that you want it, and that you intend to serve the people of Mississippi. Say it again and again.

Senator Cochran’s website.

Senator Cochran’s Campaign site.

To State Senator McDaniel: Get control of “your” people.  Even if they are not “your” people.  Statements should be anticipated and prepared in advance, then used at the appropriate time, no ad-libbing either.  They should toe the party line and they should be where they are supposed to be when they are supposed to be there, or put more bluntly, they should not be where they are not supposed to be when they are not supposed to be there. Two instances of persons connected to you have created more fodder than there ever should have been.  It is clear that with regard to the Picture-gate fiasco that those were rouge operatives.  However, election night shenanigans are ridiculous.  You were previously on notice.  Sure, this is likely much ado about nothing, but it’s the much ado part that’s causing problems. Instead of press release after press release citing local officials that cleared “your” people before they were uncleared, wait (see “used at appropriate time” hereinabove).  Get the facts.  Twice you’ve claimed all clear only later to be refuted by local officials citing “ongoing investigations.”  It makes it look worse.

Get control and be in control of your campaign.  Also, you have the Tea Party votes locked-up, spend some time with the other Mississippi voters.

State Senator McDaniel’s campaign site.

Also, to both Candidates be more specific.  

• How will you repeal ObamaCare? It’s been tried and failed – the repealing.  The consensus is, whether ObamaCare is good or bad, it’s here to stay.  
• Are you really saying that you would amend ObamaCare?  If so, say so and say how.
• How will you reduce the deficit? Cutting the pork means less money for Mississippi. WE believe it will just go elsewhere, perhaps in a different form.
• Why is Mississippi getting less a good thing? Where is the difference made up? How does Mississippi benefit from your service?
• How will you END Common Core? How will you improve education?
• Are you just pandering to your voters?

Answer these questions, among others, and be direct and as simple as possible.

Matthew Thompson is a Family Law Attorney in Mississippi (formerly the Hospitality State), aced Legislation in Law School, and has not contributed to either campaign and does not believe either candidate is the devil incarnate and WILL be voting in the run-off election June 24.

Follow the blog:#BowTieLawyer Visit the website: #Thompson Law Firm  You may also contact Matthew with your family law matter or question at (601) 850-8000 or Matthew@bowtielawyer.ms