Smith still cozying up with GOP

First, credit where credit is due. Justice Jim Smith traveled to the Tomato Festival, stood right across from Kitch’s tent in Kitch’s hometown and politicked for a little less than an hour.

Smith is a tough campaigner, and he’s not resting on his laurels as an incumbent. Truth be told, he shouldn’t.

That said, one of the reasons Smith stood right across the street from Kitch’s tent, however, is that is where the Copiah County Republican Party set up their tent. Jeppy Barbour, brother to this guy, was campaigning for Sen. Roger Wicker.

When Smith left, he left his push cards on the table at the GOP tent so people could hand them out.

Consider these two things:

1. More than a few Copiah County Republicans were quick to say Kitch had their vote.
2. We declined to put our push cards on their table because judicial races are non-partisan, and Kitch takes that very seriously.

Kitch is building a wide base of support. I stood at the crossroads of the festival, in front of the GOP tent and beside Jeppy Barbour, handing out stickers and push cards.

Die-hard Wicker supporters were telling me, “I love Mr. Kitchens. Known him all my life.”

People who declined to take Wicker stickers would say to me, “Tell Mr. Kitchens he has my vote.”

I can look at our donors and the people who have signed up on our website, and I know Kitch is getting support from everywhere.

But Smith’s campaign is developing a disturbing pattern: He is seeking only Republican support. He relies on Republicans to organize his events, and he is asking county Republican Parties to do his campaigning.

I’ll ask again: How can Smith marry his campaign to the Republican Party and still call it a non-partisan race?

Commonsense says he can’t, and thus commonsense says he is not running a non-partisan race.