Bill Denny would be oldest legislator in state history if reelected

In a new column, Bill Minor spends some time on Rep. Bill Denny (R-Jackson), who is facing a rocky reelection battle against defense attorney Dorsey Carson, Jr. Denny has steadfastly refused to do interviews, so we're left with pieces like this one.

In it, Minor describes a campaign mailer Denny's been sending out that tell voters they have the chance to put Republicans back in control of the House for the first time since 1873. (Otherwise known as Bill Denny's senior year of high school.) In his mailer, Denny also says that he wants to throw the "obstructionist liberals" out of the House. (We'll excuse the octogenarian the oxymoron.)

In response to the "obstructionist" term, Minor goes after Denny's refusal to allow Motor Voter legislation to go forward in Mississippi back when he was chairman of the House Elections Committee. (Y'all remember Motor Voter, right? From back two decades ago when MTV actually played music and nobody knew what the Internet was?) Denny's blockage of Motor Voter was the height of obstructionist behavior, costing the state a pretty penny in legal fees.

What gets me, though, is this whole thing about Denny being chairman of the Elections Committee in the first place. Republicans are trying to sell this year's legislative elections as the opportunity to finally bring new leadership to the State. That's pretty rich, especially coming from a man who will be the oldest legislator in state history if reelected.