Last week, we published a poll on the most qualified candidate (so far) for the Mayor’s spot. All three of the Democratic candidates were represented. The poll ran for a week from February 13, 2009 @ 9:30 am to February 20, 2009 @ 9:30 am. A total of 351 votes were cast during that time.
The results:
Parker Wiseman 251 votes
Matt Cox 83 votes
Dan Camp 17 votes
You would think that the Wiseman camp, which seems to have the social network edge, was able to rally a “vote here” campaign.
But the server logs for Starkvile-Now.com don’t indicate an unusual spike in traffic.
Very curious.
The poll is designed for a one computer, one vote approach but that can be worked around. But the there isn’t a logged IP addresses that shows up more than once.
Very, very curious.
This wasn’t a scientific poll by any long shot.
But it could indicate something- there is stronger support for Wiseman that initially thought.
Why are you so disappointed? Is it due to the fact that you are a Cox guy and it aint looking good gor him?
Not at all. That many votes- 351- was a surprise. And to have the margin that large for Wiseman was not expected. I expected 50-60 votes total with Wiseman/Cox about equal and Camp in third.
Anybody’s race at this point. The debates are going to be Wisemen’s chance to shine.
I think Parker’s support amongst people who will actually vote in the mayoral election is tough to gauge at this point and I’m not sure if the poll really tells us anything.
Parker’s campaign Facebook group now has over 1,000 members but a large percentage of those people knew Parker from his time at Mississippi State, UNC and/or UM Law and don’t reside in Starkville so while their support is surely appreciated it won’t matter on election day. As for the poll, I know the aforementioned Facebook group was made aware of it and encouraged to vote. Whether that had enough of an impact to explain Parker getting over 70% of the vote cannot really be determined.
I think Parker needs to do two things to win. He obviously needs to out work Cox to secure as many undecideds as he can. Second, and I think most importantly, he really needs to reach out to those that don’t live in Starkville anymore but still have connections there. For example, I graduated 3 years ago and moved away but my brother, his roommates and their girlfriends will all be voting for Parker based on my endorsement. If more of that happens we’ll have a race on our hands.
MIA is exactly right. That is the strategy for Wisemen to win. Can he make inroads with the 30-49 crowd in Starkville who seem to align with Cox? That is the key demo for him to work at.
He also has to make the case that he isn’t going to be a “1 and done” type of mayor heading off to higher office. Cox fired the shot with his platform speech: “I believe the Mayor’s position doesn’t lend itself to on-the-job training and it isn’t simply a stepping stone to higher office.”
Can he do it? That is going to be the fun thing to watch.
I find it funny that Matt Cox fired a shot at Parker about using the Mayor office to run for a higher office. Does this mean Cox is afraid of Wiseman?
Isn’t Matt Cox doing what he accuses Parker of doing?
Cox served one term on the Board just to use that to run for Mayor. Also, Matt Cox seems to still be learning how to govern. He want to run the city by putting everything to a referendum vote. Well, that isn’t a great way to lead or govern. That is the coward way of running the city. Does he plan to take leadership on anything? An example of this is the Justice complex and the road issue. I think the mayor should be able to make a decision without worrying if he can get reelected or not.
Another thing I hope the citizens of Starkville understand about Cox is that he talks a good game, but that is about all he does. While I am a supporter of the smoking ban in Starkville, I have a friend who wasn’t. While Cox was the lead sponsor of the legislation, he was still telling people he hadn’t made up his mind about the issue. Which clearly he had. My friend was a big supporter of Cox when he ran for the Board, but my friend now doesn’t trust him and will never vote for Cox for anything else all because of his double talk on the issue. My friend didn’t like being lied to by Cox.
While it is clear I am a Wiseman supporter, there are some questions he needs to answer for voters like myself. What experience does he have to be Mayor other than not being Dan Camp and Matt Cox? Where does he stand on recycling (something that I agree with Cox about)? What are some things he will work on in the first 6 months if he is elected to office? Also, how does he plan to get more minorities involved in the process? As a black person, I often feel like Starkville thinks that Roy Perkins speaks for us all. And the truth is Roy Perkins only cares about is Roy Perkins.
Parker Wiseman will win, no doubt. He has been essentially campaigning since at least as early as 16. Those who don’t know underestimate how many people Parker has interacted with over the years and rightfully so. This boy has been at work for a long time. The sentiment towards Parker at the age of 16 was, ‘that well spoken young boy might be the mayor one day.” That is priceless for a campaign and he has turned out exactly where he appeared to be heading back then. What really seals the deal and might explain some of the dynamic of this situation is that he has given for a long time and still appears to give the feeling to those he interacts with that he is working for the greater good of Starkville/the people rather than himself and all of those people that he does know and has interacted with over the years give him that determination and almost a ‘voice of truth’ that makes me say “Yes, he really does represent what I want as the average citizen and I actually do trust him to make it happen because I know something about him, I like it and my gut says he is the man.” The extent to which these feelings are actually impressed upon me is like no election in Starkville in a great many years, if ever in my lifetime.
what nobody campaigning for Camp on here?!?
Wiseman COULD have all those people vote, because as it is anyone dead or alive on the voter rolls can vote.
What we need is someone who understands that we have a weak mayor system and they need to know how to work in that system.
It is clear Jim Mills has been hiding under a rock since Parker announced. Parker talks about finally building a municipal building that both Dan Camp and Matt Cox promised to build, but haven’t. I am sure Jim doesn’t want people to talk about that since he also campaigned on that issue 4 years ago. Parker also wants a comprehensive road plan unlike the band-aid that Matt Cox supported.
Jim, what does Matt Cox want to do other than promote Matt Cox? What has Matt Cox done on the council in the last 4 years to make Starkville better other than fight with Dan Camp?
Why should any one even vote for Parker Wiseman. He is already bending the city laws by putting campaign signs on the right of way of roads! That just makes you wonder how many laws will he bend for his own benefit if he’s elected mayor.
Sounds like some one has already committed to a candidate. Using this logic if some one lies about a little thing might we say he would lie about big ones. Sighs put in the wrong place is the least of worries in Starkville.
I am not committed to any candidate; I do believe fairness should be equal to all. But according to most of these posts it sounds like a lot of these so called intelligent people have already committed to a candidate. Breaking the law/ordinances or bending them is not needed either in Starkville. We just don’t need another crooked mayor and friends like we have now! If you don’t believe that just look at that cluttered up cotton district.
So your not voting for any one then.
I am going to vote for one of them, but who is still undecided. And it’s certainly none of your business.
I do know who you shouldn’t vote for. you shouldn’t even consider P.W. as a candidate. He graduated from Ole Miss, recently lived, until now, in Jackson and rents an apartment in the cluttered cotton district from a mayor that he’s running against that’s as crooked as a politician can get. Now why on earth would anyone vote for someone who has no idea what the heck is going on in Starkville!
DAW- you’ve made your case about Parker Wiseman. Move along. These aren’t the droids you are looking for.
I guess everyone else has made a case too then, huh? Oh, what the heck are “droids”, it’s not even in the dictionary or at least an educational one.
Man, I do feel old. It’s pretty bad when the casual Star Wars references isn’t even understood.
You’ve got a valid point about Wiseman. Instead of making multiple posts, you are welcome to write an editorial and email it to me to post. Read the rules on submissions for the fine print. You do have to use your real name.
I will definitely do that, thanks..
It’s been a fun race so far, good to see so many folks interested. A quick comment on the signs in the right of way; it’s not that important in the big picture but each candidate is handed a paper outlinging how signs can be placed.
It’s a small thing but the Wiseman camp has signs all over everywhere where they shouldn’t be. That says he either didn’t read the ordinance or chose to ignore it. He needs to sit down with his campaign staff and tell them to clean it up.
It illustrates perhaps the biggest negative for Parker: a really smart, well educated guy with zero experience.
All candidates will make mistakes, how they handle them speaks volumes about their leadership abilities.
DAW – You said, “He graduated from Ole Miss, recently lived, until now, in Jackson and rents an apartment in the cluttered cotton district from a mayor that he’s running against that’s as crooked as a politician can get.”
Let’s try to break this down piece by piece.
1. He graduated from Ole Miss
There is only one public law school in the State of Mississippi and, unfortunately, it happens to be in Oxford. You really want to hold that against him? Are you somehow insinuating that he’s somehow a Rebel now and can’t be trusted as Mayor of Starkville? I have news for you, I don’t know a single Mississippi State grad that subsequently attended professional school at Ole Miss that changed their allegiance. Further, most of them leave Oxford with a heightened state of hatred for the school.
2. recently lived, until now, in Jackson
What does this have to do with anything? He also lived in Chapel Hill and Oxford. Is it your position to completely disregard the fact that Parker has lived about 23 of his 28 years in Starkville? So he can’t possibly know what’s good for Starkville now because he lived somewhere else for a while? Even though his parents are still here and Starkville has always been his home? Maybe, just maybe, seeing the way things are done elsewhere can be a benefit. Based on your position Matt Cox shouldn’t be considered either since he isn’t from the area at all and is a transient. See how easy this is?
3. rents an apartment in the cluttered cotton district from a mayor that he’s running against that’s as crooked as a politician can get
HAHA. You shouldn’t vote for him because of where he lives, even though it’s within the city limits? Why should it matter that he rents from Dan? If everyone that rents, or has ever rented, from Dan Camp is somehow tainted a good percentage of the people that attended MSU are in trouble.
I had previously been informed that it would be illegal for Starkville to prohibit political campaign signs on the cities right of way due to state law and outdoor advertising regulations.
I had previously been informed that it would be illegal for Starkville to prohibit political campaign signs on the cities right of way due to state law and outdoor advertising regulations.
It takes alot for some one to run for public office. I have been told many times that attacks on that person are to be expected….. if you cant stand the heat get out of the kitchen, that being said, to suggest that any of the these people, ( board of alderman or Mayor candidates) are evil or bad is not productive for our community. I would love to see real debate of the issues. Do we have an acceptable road plan or infrastructure plan? Are we retaing qualified people to help run our city or do we continue to let our Police and Fireman get trained hear and leave and work for another town? How do we streatch an already streatched budget? Why is it that the Starkville Public Schools, Okt. Hosp. and Okt board of Supervisors can pass a bound issues but the City of Stakville cant pass gas? If city constapation were a virus we would all seem to have it. The things we continue to ignore will be left for future generation to deal with. I merely hope the next group of leaders can really lead and not just be a placebo.