Travis Childers speaks before Young Democrats of Mississippi convention

United States Senate candidate Travis Childers, a Booneville native, visited Brandon on April 5 to speak before the Young Democrats of Mississippi Convention. During his remarks, Childers spoke of his life story and how the Democratic Party best represents the values of Mississippi’s working class. The son of a widowed mother, Childers worked from an early age to help support his family.

“It was an honor to have Travis Childers visit us in Rankin County. While the Republicans take Rankin County voters for granted, Travis is reaching out to voters from all walks of life because he has walked a mile in our shoes. He knows what it’s like to sacrifice to make ends meet for his family,” noted Rankin County Democratic Party Chairman Ryan Brown. “Phil Bryant, Chris McDaniel, and the rest of our state’s Republican leaders work very hard to keep Mississippi on the bottom of just about every bad list you can imagine. I look forward to helping Travis Childers become Mississippi’s next United States Senator.”

The Democratic Primary will be held June 3 with the General Election on November 4.

Greetings!

Updated voter registration cards have begun making their way to voters across the county to reflect changes made during the latest round of redistricting. As a reminder, these new voter registration cards ARE NOT acceptable forms of voter identification. If you have not received your updated voter registration card, if you know someone who needs a voter identification card, or if you have any specific questions, please contact the Rankin County Circuit Clerk’s office at 601-825-1469.

The Rankin County Federation of Democratic Women will hold its next meeting Tuesday, April 1, at the Pearl Library. It will begin at 6:00 pm. All are welcome to come!

The Young Democrats of Mississippi will hold their biennial convention Saturday, April 5, at Brandon City Hall. It is not too late to register!

Please call Mississippi Democratic Party headquarters at 601-969-2913 or email [email protected] for more information. The cost per delegate is $10 and can be paid at the door. Any young Democrat who is 15 years of age or older who has not yet reached her or his 36th birthday is invited to be a delegate.

Special guests at the convention will include Congressman Travis Childers, state Senator David Blount, and Mississippi Democratic Trust Executive Director Brandon Jones. Young Democrats, you do not want to miss this convention! Let’s have a strong showing from Rankin County!

Be sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook.  Check out our website for news and event updates.

Support your Rankin County Democratic Party by investing $10, 20, or even $100 by clicking HERE!

Be sure to check out the news and social media today for an announcement that a strong Democratic candidate will enter this year’s race for the United States Senate!

Please join us tomorrow at 8:30 am at the Flowood Corner Bakery for our monthly Breakfast with Democrats!

The Young Democrats of Mississippi convention is still scheduled for April 5 in Brandon. If you or someone you know is interested in obtaining credentials information, please respond to this email and let us know. Let’s have a strong showing from Rankin County!

Monday evening, the Rankin County Circuit Clerk addressed the Rankin County Democratic Executive Committee to bring everyone up to speed on voter id implementation and other issues.

First, if you or someone you know needs a voter id, please call the Rankin County Circuit Clerk’s office at 601-825-1469. They can arrange a free ride to and from the Clerk’s office for a person unable to drive.

Second, new county precinct lines have been adopted. You can check out the new precinct listing HERE. If you would like to be a contact for your precinct, please email back and let us know.

Third, after a push from Rankin County Democrats, new voter registration cards will be issued to all Rankin County voters in mid-to-late March. Please note that these cards will not be an acceptable form of voter id. The new cards will update voters on where their new precincts are under the new map.

Support your Rankin County Democratic Party by investing $10, 20, or even $100 by clicking HERE!

Be sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook.  Check out our website for news and event updates.

Friends,

The Republicans are at it again!

This week, the Mississippi House of Representatives voted against a Democratic-sponsored amendment which would provide our teachers with a clean pay raise that is many years overdue. Unlike the Republican plan, the Democrats offered a proposal that would not require our hard-working teachers from having to jump through hoops in order to obtain a pay raise.

You can see the vote for yourself HERE.

Every single member of Rankin County’s House delegation – all of which are Republican (for now) – voted no on the Democratic proposal to reward our teachers with a clean pay raise, including the House Education Committee Chairman!

Please chip in $10, $20, or even $50 TODAY to tell Rankin County Republicans that they are out of touch with our hard-working teachers!

Be sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Check out our website for news and event updates.

Thank you for all that you do!

Ryan Brown, Rankin County Democratic Party Chairman

Season’s Greetings! We hope you and your family had a wonderful holiday season! Please be careful if you travel and celebrate New Year’s Eve tonight.

It is with a heavy heart that we mourn the loss of our former chairman, John Tyson. John was one of the hardest-working Democrats around, and we are better off for his dedicated service to our Party. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.

The Rankin County Federation of Democratic Women held its annual holiday luncheon at Miller’s Grocery in Brandon on December 21. Members and guests enjoyed a festive atmosphere with good food and fellowship, and special guest Dierdre Payne entertained the guests by reading a poem written for the occasion. Federation members signed a card and viewed a plaque honoring John Tyson for his contributions to the Party and his support in establishing the Federation, which was later presented to him.

Join us this Saturday for our monthly Breakfast with Democrats. We will get underway at 8:30 am at the Flowood Corner Bakery next to Dick’s Sporting Goods. All are welcome!

The Rankin County Democratic Executive Committee will hold its quarterly meeting on January 9 at Pearl City Hall in the large event room. It will begin at 6:00 pm and is open to the public. A special thanks to Councilman Todd Jenkins for arranging the space for us.

YOUNG DEMOCRATS! LISTEN UP! 

A statewide convention will be called on Saturday, April 5, for the Young Democrats of Mississippi, and we need your help! We need at least ten Democrats under the age of 36 to be part of our Rankin County delegation. Here’s a perk: the convention will be held in Brandon! This will be an exciting opportunity to invest in your Democratic Party. For more details, please email Ryan Brown at [email protected].

Be sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook.  Check out our website for news and event updates.

Click here to support your Rankin County Democratic Party by investing $10, 20, or even $100 TODAY!

With three weeks before health insurance plans purchased on state health insurance marketplaces activate, thousands of Americans are rushing to purchase a plan.

I am one of those who had the option to purchase a health insurance plan through the marketplace, since I am not provided health insurance coverage through my employer. My choices were to go without coverage and pay a tax penalty or purchase a plan. I opted for buying a plan through the marketplace. I’m 29 years old and in good health, but none of us will be young and invincible forever.

Much has been said about the rough launch of the healthcare.gov website. Sure, it wasn’t perfect; no one claimed it was. For those still cautious about the site, allow me to set your minds at ease. From the time it took me to begin speaking with a representative to her completing the process took less than 30 minutes. The nice lady I spoke with compiled my information ranging from my address (which I will explain later), expected income, and whether I am a tobacco user (which I am not.) I will now be able to purchase a quality health insurance plan for less than the cost of filling up my car’s gas tank. As soon as my application was finalized, I looked around and was relieved to see that the Plagues of Egypt had not broken out around me.

Living in Rankin County, I have two companies from which to choose. Most Mississippians do not have that luxury. For months, Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney (R) and his staff worked tirelessly to build a state-managed insurance marketplace that would open up our marketplace to multiple insurance companies statewide rather than have the complicated coverage map that now exists. In addition, if a Mississippian had a question about the plans like I did, a phone call would have been answered by a fellow Mississippian.

While I was completing the application over the phone, I couldn’t help but think of the thousands of Americans who are as relieved as I am that they will soon be able to have health insurance coverage. Sadly, I also thought about the thousands of my fellow Mississippians that are missing out on coverage because of the short-sighted thinking of our governor.

As we know, Governor Bryant decided that this free market thinking would be a bad idea. Here we are a few days before Christmas, and Bryant is still wishing a bah humbug on those who need peace of mind that they will not go broke just because they get sick. Bryant has to live with his decision that keeps hundreds of thousands of Mississippians from obtaining not only private health insurance but also Medicaid coverage. A recent study found that expanding Medicaid eligibility would improve the state’s finances while covering around 220,000 more Mississippians. It’s quite a poor legacy for Bryant to leave behind.

Do not let the fear mongering from Bryant frighten you. Keep in mind that he already has government-sponsored health insurance provided to him thanks to his career-long service to the state. He’s in good shape.

This Christmas, I wish individuals, families, and small business owners would call the marketplace at 1-800-318-2596 or visit www.healthcare.gov to find out what options they have.

Greetings! We hope you and your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Rankin County Democrats held a great fundraising reception with House Democratic Leader Bobby Moak on November 21 at the home of Joy and Tom Williams. Thanks again, Joy and Tom, for having us in your home!

Leader Moak did a terrific job of firing us up for the exciting things to come for Mississippi Democrats! The future looks bright, and we greatly appreciate Leader Moak for taking time to join us.

If you were not able to attend but would still like to donate, you can contribute online HERE.

We would like to give our thanks to our sponsors that evening. Please check out their websites if they can ever be of service to you! They have been linked for your convenience.

Representative Cecil Brown

Representative Tom Miles

Jennie and Matt Eichelberger

Mary Etta and Graham Carner

Lance Stevens

Be sure to join us for our monthly Breakfast with Democrats on December 7. We will meet at the Flowood Corner Bakery at 8:30 am. Everyone is welcome!

The Rankin County Federation of Democratic Women will hold their holiday social on Saturday, December 21. It will be held at Miller’s Grill and Pizzeria beginning at 12:00 pm. All are encouraged to join!

The price of the meal is a reasonable $13 which covers gratuity and tax. The deadline to RSVP is Wednesday, December 4. Please mail a check, made out to RCFDW, to Post Office Box 2012, Brandon, MS 39042. If you have any questions, please call Federation President Eugenie Bradshaw at 601-919-0021.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook.  Check out our website for news and event updates.

Support your Rankin County Democratic Party by investing $10, 20, or even $100 by clicking HERE!

Greetings and Happy Halloween!

We were delighted to welcome Lily Womble of Ready for Hillary on October 10. It was exciting to hear about this grassroots movement to help prepare for 2016!

Be sure to join us Saturday, November 2, at 8:30 am for our monthly Breakfast with Democrats. We will meet at the Flowood Corner Bakery next to Dick’s Sporting Goods.

Mark your calendars! Rankin County Democrats are hosting a reception with Representative Bobby Moak, Leader of the Mississippi House Democratic Caucus!

When: Thursday, November 21, from 5:30 pm until 7:30 pm

Where: The home of Joy and Tom Williams: 106 Colony Crown, Brandon, MS 39047. Thank you, Joy and Tom, for hosting us at your home!

Cost: The suggested donation is $25 per person or $40 per family. To donate in advance, you can donate online HERE. You can purchase your ticket at the door or mail a check made out to Rankin County Democrats to PO Box 54361, Pearl, MS 39288.

If you have any questions about the event, please call Paula Fava at 601-212-8286 or email [email protected].

Please join us in welcoming Leader Moak and other members of the Mississippi Legislature to Rankin County! We hope to see you there!

Be sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook.  Check out our website for news and event updates.

Tempers are flaring in the Republican-led Mississippi Senate where members of the Tea Party Senate Conservative Coalition seem to have gotten to the point where they will say and do anything just to annoy Lt. Governor Tate Reeves.