Candidates On the Campaign Trail

By: Andrea Williams - Email

Updated: Mon 6:09 PM, Sep 30, 2002

U.S. Senate candidate Shawn O'Hara was in Meridian Monday. He lives in Hattiesburg. He's running as an Independent.

In November O'Hara will face Republican incumbent Thad Cochran. There is no Democratic candidate. Meanwhile, O'Hara said he is a candidate for the people.

"We need to cap lawsuits at $100,000 to protect our doctors and others. Let's stop giving billions of dollars to foreign countries. Lower gasoline prices. Also, I want to see to it that students have free college Internet classes," O'Hara said.

If elected O'Hara said he will call for the arrest of state Attorney General Mike Moore for allegedly stealing $20,000 from the state's tobacco fund.

Also on the campaign trail is Kenny Griffis, a Meridian native running for a seat on the Mississippi Court of Appeals. Griffis recently stopped to campaign in the Queen City. He now works as an attorney in Jackson. Griffis says electing the right judges could solve many of the state's problems.

"Whether it be tort reform, criminal justice reforms, I believe that first you start with who the judges are. That's the easiest way to make reforms. First you start with who the judges are and you elect people who have the courage to do what's right and the understanding of what's right and what's wrong," Griffis said.

Griffis calls himself a "Common Sense Conservative." He will face incumbent Jim Brantley in the Nov. 5 election.

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