Speaker's race

The big story from last nights results remains the speaker's race. The rumors are running, as they have for the past three months, that the race is close between Speaker Billy McCoy and challenger Jeff Smith. The results of the election went in McCoy's favor. One House insider told me McCoy has had 65 members "look him in the eye" and tell him they would vote for him. But I suspect the horse trading continues.

McCoy just released this statement a few minutes ago:

Speaker Billy McCoy announced this afternoon that he has achieved the support of more than a majority of the members of the House of Representatives in his quest for re-election to a new four-year term beginning in January, 2008.
In making his statement McCoy released the names of 62 House members who he says have granted him permission to make their names public. In addition he said others have committed to him and in some cases he has not been able to alert them to the publicizing of individual supporters.
"I am deeply humbled by the continuing confidence of my colleagues who have now been elected by citizens across our state," Speaker McCoy said. " Now, it is time for us to plan for the future, dedicate ourselves to finding ways through which we can cooperate to move Mississippi forward, and put behind us any obstacle to doing the best job we can. I look forward to the challenge. Our tent of supporters remains large and open. I invite everyone to join hands as we look ahead."
"Some commitments to me are 'out of pocket' and I refrain from making their names public until they know about it so their names are not on the list." The Speaker said. "I have talked personally with all my supporters in recent days as well as others to whom I invite to sit at the table with us."

Here is the list:

Tracy Arinder
Warner F. McBride
Willie L. Bailey
William "Billy" J. McCoy
Earle S. Banks
America "Chuck" Middleton
Donnie Bell
Bobby Moak
Edward Blackmon, Jr.
Harvey Moss
Billy Broomfield
David W. Myers
Cecil Brown
David Norquist
Kelvin O. Buck
Russ Nowell
Clara Henderson Burnett
Diane C. Peranich
Credell Calhoun
Willie J. Perkins, Sr.
Kimberly Campbell
Jimmy Puckett
Bryant W. Clark
Tommy Reynolds
Alyce Griffin Clarke
Walter L. Robinson
Angela Cockerham
Omeria Scott
Linda F. Coleman
Ferr Smith
Mary H. Coleman
Rufus E. Straughter
J. P. Compretta
Johnny W. Stringer
Dirk Dedeaux
Preston E. Sullivan
Mark DuVall
Sara Richardson Thomas
Blaine "Bo" Eaton
J. Shaun Walley
Tyrone Ellis
Greg Ward
Chuck Espy
J. L. Warren
Bob Evans
Percy W. Watson
James "Jim" Evans
Linda Whittington
George Flaggs, Jr.
Adrienne Wooten
Frances Fredericks
Charles Young
Joe C. Gardner
David Gibbs
Esther M. Harrison
John W. Hines
Steve Holland
Greg Holloway, Sr.
Robert L. Johnson, III
Sherra Hillman Lane
Bennett Malone
John M. Mayo