Bennie Thompson’s Endorsement

This week we took interest in a major nugget in a Southern Political Report article stating that Rep. Bennie Thompson is likely to endorse Hattiesburg Mayor Johnny DuPree over Bill Luckett in the Democratic gubernatorial primary. Thompson and DuPree are friends, and both African-American.

Yesterday, Luckett was in Washington along with his friend and supporter Morgan Freeman (as we noted in yesterday’s election notebook). The two weren’t alone. As Luckett mentioned on Facebook, he visited the National Democratic Club with (among others) Bennie Thompson. Former Rep. Ronnie Shows was also there.

This read like an attempt by Luckett to push back on some of the rumors that Thompson will indeed be supporting DuPree. Obviously, that would be a major blow to the Luckett campaign. A campaign that- despite the fact that numbers just simply aren’t there in a general election- has been well organized and well run.

Despite Morgan Freeman’s enthusiastic support for Luckett, I do believe the black political structure in the state will eventually fall in line for DuPree. I am not sure if Thompson will be the first to do so, but he would obviously be the key that tipped the others.

But look for both Luckett and DuPree to angle for Thompson, because of how essential it would be to the nomination. At the same time, in an attempt to appear closer to the liberal Congressman, it would likely pull the two candidates further to the left- and further away from the electorate. Therefore helping them win the primary, but doing damage to the already long odds at winning in November.