By By William F. West / community editor
July 11, 2002
State Transportation Commissioner Dick Hall made clear his support of fellow Republican U.S. Rep. Chip Pickering, but he also noted his friendship with Democratic challenger Ronnie Shows.
Pickering, 38, of Laurel and the 3rd District congressman, and Shows, 55, of Bassfield, the 4th District congressman, are paired against each other in this fall's election for the newly re-drawn 3rd Congressional District.
A loss in Mississippi's population reduced the state's congressional districts from five to four, and that, along with redrawing the district lines, has resulted in the Pickering-Shows matchup.
Shows, prior to being elected to Congress, served as a transportation commissioner from 1988 to 1998, representing the southern district. Shows has also served in the state Senate.
Hall, 64, a transportation commissioner since 1999, has served in the state Senate as well as the state House. He said he hates to see Pickering and Shows running against each other because he considers them both personal friends.
But Hall said the bottom line is he wants a Republican up in Washington casting votes on the issues. "That's my position," he said.
Hall, of Jackson, declined to say whether he will run for governor next year should former Republican National Committee Chairman Haley Barbour of Yazoo City decide against campaigning for the position.