Candidates for Madison Co. Mayor have different methods for same goals

For the first time since February of 2008 when he won his first election after being appointed by the county commission the year before, someone besides Jimmy Harris will win an election for Madison County Mayor on Tuesday.

Tuesday’s vote is the primary nominations, and Democrat Fren’Cherry Miller is the only candidate representing his party.

“I’ve gone out and campaigned and gotten support, and I plan to be pretty low-key going into election day,” Miller said after last week’s mayoral forum at Union University coordinated by The Jackson Chamber and the Leadership Jackson Alumni Association. “And then I’ll be ready to hit the ground running campaigning in the general election.”

Miller’s opponent in the general election will either be A.J. Massey, John Newman or Gary Pickens, the three vying for the Republican nomination.

All three currently hold public office as Massey is finishing up a term on the Jackson-Madison County School Board, Newman has been the county trustee for 12 years and Pickens is two years into his first term on Jackson City Council.

All three candidates have the same mission in mind, according to their campaign messaging – lead Madison County into an unprecedented time of prosperity.

All three of them were born and raised in Madison County. With the exception of a few years for each moving off to college or serving in the military, all three have lived in Madison County their entire lives.

The differences between them are about why they each think they’re the best candidate for the job.

Newman’s experience as a former county commissioner, longtime official within the local and state Republican party and trustee give him more than ample experience to be able to work with the necessary people to help Madison County succeed.

Massey’s approach is to look for new ideas and new methods to try to accomplish the goals of the county, and to try to do so in a fiscally responsible way.

Pickens said he believes his experience as a leader and a person who can bring people together can be a key for Madison County to succeed.

“With everything going on right now that brings more and more potential to the county – Blue Oval City, Great Wolf Lodge, Georgia-Pacific – we’ve got to have the right leaders in place to really live up to that potential,” Pickens said.

Both Massey and Newman have spent most of the time of early voting sitting outside the Madison County Election Commission greeting early voters as they drove up to cast their votes.

Both feel confident from what they’re hearing from voters before and after they go in.

“My wife, Candy, has been out here with me almost all the time, and she’s got the system of when someone waves at us or gives us a thumbs up going in or coming out, we can count that as a vote,” Newman said. “And we had a lot of people wave or give that thumbs up.”

Massey appreciated the people who stopped their car as they turned off North Parkway or walked back to him to ask about his campaign and platform.

“That’s what this is all about – letting the voters know this is what I believe, this is what I think we should be doing, listening to the voters’ questions and concerns, addressing them and letting the voters make their decisions,” Massey said. “And hopefully after that conversation, they’ll come away thinking I am the best choice for this position.”

Voting hours on election day are from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Tuesday with 30 precincts across the county.

Reach Brandon Shields at bjshields@jacksonsun.com. Follow him on Twitter @JSEditorBrandon or on Instagram at editorbrandon.

This article originally appeared on Jackson Sun: Candidates for Madison Co. Mayor have different methods for same goals