By Staff
VOTERS n Republican mayoral candidate Wally Hudnall, left, asks for Clint Stephens' vote Friday afternoon. Photo by Ben Alexander/The Meridian Star
By Ben Alexander/The Meridian Star
April 28, 2001
As Republican mayoral candidate Wally Hudnall travels door-to-door, he characterizes his campaign as a grass roots effort by a "working man."
Focus on working class citizens'
With only a few days left until citizens choose between Hudnall and incumbent Mayor John Smith in the Republican primary, the former grocery store owner drives around town talking about better jobs for Meridian's "working class citizens."
Hudnall said he sold his interests in two grocery stores earlier this week to concentrate on his campaign.
His first stop of the day was Gray's Hosiery Mill, where he asked some of the dozens of employees there to keep him in mind on Tuesday. The message was well-received by most.
Hudnall said grass roots campaigning not only means a lot to voters, but also to him because he doesn't have the money to air ads every few hours on television and radio.
After 15 minutes, Hudnall was on the move again passing by city employees at rest explaining the sight as one of the things wrong with the city.
Attracting better jobs
As he plotted campaign strategy over the cell phone with family members who will soon be out canvassing other neighborhoods, he decided to stop and talk to potential voters sitting on their front porch. Hudnall pitched the idea that a vote for him is a vote for better- paying jobs in Meridian.
Hudnall said some of his plans to grow the city are to use Mississippi's lower electric rates to lure industries from places like California where electricity is neither stable nor cheap.
A sudden instinct led Hudnall to the Sowashee Courts housing project, where he spent 30 minutes telling potential voters about the need for quality jobs.
Hudnall and Smith face each other Tuesday in the Republican primary. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.
Ben Alexander is a staff writer for The Meridian Star. Call him at 693-1551, ext. 3226, or e-mail him at balexander@themeridianstar.com.