Conservative Republicans Suffer First Loss of 2015

We reported two weeks ago that Haley Barbour and his clients are determined to preserve their Republican majority on the Public Service Commission. Our prediction turned out to be correct as the first Republican to enter the Central District Public Service Commission primary is the first to drop out.

Jackson attorney Mitch Tyner fell to the pressure from the Haley Barbour political machine by announcing he is withdrawing his candidacy for the Public Service Commission while calling for "party unity." This strategy seems to run counter to what happened last year when conservatives, sick of the doctrine which Tyner has now adopted, challenged Thad Cochran for his senate seat. Additionally, party unity is what typically occurs after a party primary - not before.

Food for thought: Tyner notes that he and Haley Barbour had a discussion. If they weren't discussing the Public Service Commission race, what else would they talk about? Haley doesn't strike me as the type to pick up the phone and chit-chat with the attorney for the guy who almost defeated his friend who happens to be a United States Senator, and Mitch Tyner doesn't strike me as someone who would initiate a conversation with Haley Barbour.

Haley Barbour Pushing Out Candidates?

Sources are reporting that former Governor and career lobbyist Haley Barbour is trying to push Mitch Tyner out of the Republican primary for the Public Service Commission's Central District seat. Mitch Tyner, you may recall, was the lead attorney for state Sen. Chris McDaniel's 2014 lawsuit against U.S. Senator Thad Cochran.

Why does it matter that Haley Barbour is meddling in this Republican primary race? It's quite simple. Haley wants to control the Public Service Commission for his own personal and financial interests. The Kemper County power plant, owned by Mississippi Power, - a subsidiary of Southern Company - is grossly over budget to the tune of nearly $4 billion! What is more troubling is that there is no clear answer about how this will be paid. Will Southern Company write off the debt? Will the cost be pushed onto customers like you and me? If Haley has his way, I think we all know who will be left to pick up the tab.

Haley envisions a Public Service Commission that will continue doing his bidding while he accepts hundreds of thousands of dollars in lobbying fees from companies regulated by the Commission. 

It's not a secret that Mitch Tyner and his conservative supporters are not satisfied with the "establishment" politics provided by the Barbour wing of the Republican Party. It stands to reason that, should Mitch Tyner be the Republican nominee, he could scrutinize the Haley's Kemper project harder than Haley's hand-picked establishment candidate. That's the point. Haley wants to be sure his puppet on the Commission will do as he is told and not ask questions. Thus the reason Haley wants his loyal soldier to take the Republican field with no opposition.

The question now is if Mitch Tyner will buckle and drop out under the immense pressure Haley Barbour and his lackeys are allegedly putting on him. Once again, the Republicans will have quite a race on their hands between the conservatives of Mitch Tyner and the establishment of Haley Barbour.