Miss. gubernatorial candidate finds supporters in New Orleans

By David Dennis Jr.
Contributing Writer

Johnny Dupree, the Democratic nominee for governor of Mississippi, took his campaign to New Orleans East as part of a fundraiser to gain some interstate support for his run as Mississippi’s Election Day approaches on November 8. Dupree’s improbable ascension to the top of the democratic ticket is a landmark historic moment as he is the first African-American major-party nominee for governor of Mississippi since Reconstruction. As Dupree spoke to the crowd about how much of an underdog he’s been throughout his run, the words “destiny” started to percolate throughout the audience.

Dupree explained that it was considered virtually impossible for him to become mayor of the major ity-white Hattiesburg, MS. But it was when he explained the long shot odds of landing his position as the Democratic frontrunner that he truly had the audience in the palm of his hands.

“They told me I couldn’t win for three reasons: I’m Black, in a Red State and I don’t have any money,” Dupree said.

Dupree entered the state primaries as the decided underdog, only raising roughly half a million dollars in campaign contributions while his opponent, Bill Luckett, was able to use $1.2 million. Dupree says that he didn’t have any money to buy ads during the runoff while Luckett purchased TV time. Still, Dupree was able to pull out a victory. Even more impressive than the fact he won, was the way in which he secured the nomination. Dupree not only grabbed the Black vote, he was able to secure a portion of the lower-class white vote and was particularly strong in areas of the state that vote Republican. Dupree’s story of defying the odds drew loud claps and standing ovations from the 30 or so attendees at the intimate event.

Still, not many are banking on Dupree to actually win and his race is just one of the factors. Mississippi — and the south as a whole for the most part — is considered a largely predictable voting state. Democrats (and minorities) win on the local level while (white) Republicans dominate the state elections. While not many are giving Dupree a shot, he embraces his underdog status.

“A newspaper had a picture of me and my opponents,” Dupree began. “And they had me way down on the bottom while they were standing high above me, alluding to David versus Goliath. The cartoonist asked me if I was offended and I told him ‘No way’. See, what people don’t understand is that David beat Goliath and that’s what’s happening here.”

For Dupree, toppling Goliath would not only be a landmark moment in African-American history, but it would signify a turning point in the way politics are looked at in the South. If Dupree can somehow continue his momentum with low-income whites, unlike previous Demo­cratic candidates, it would mean that national politicians would no longer be able to simply write off deep south states as voting solely across racial and political lines. All eyes are on Dupree and the possibility of him changing the guard and being the south’s Obama. However, the candidate is eschewing the history talks and national implications.

“I’m not concerned about making history,” Dupree contends. “My main concern is making Miss­issippi a better place. I want to make a difference and solve problems in Mississippi.”

Ballots open on November 8 in Mississippi and anyone interested in donating to Dupree’s campaign can visit http://www.johnny­dupree.com.

This article was originally published in the October 24, 2011 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper