Mississippi Today

New state Democratic Party leader ‘laser focused’ on fundraising during pivotal election year

Published

2 years ago

July 10, 2023

State Rep. Cheikh Taylor has only been the chairman of the Mississippi Democratic Party for a few days, but he’s planning to use his transition as the newly minted head of the organization to advocate for more resources into the cash-strapped organization.

The Mississippi Democratic Party’s executive committee, in a rare emergency meeting on Jul 6, chose Taylor, a 49-year-old House member who represents parts of Oktibbeha, Lowndes and Clay counties, to lead the state party in the middle of a pivotal election year.

Party leaders often help organize messaging, coordinate fundraising, and strategize campaign efforts. When lawmakers and statewide officials are on the ballot, the voice at the top of the system is crucial.

His term is only set to run through the end of next year, but the Golden Triangle resident believes his experience as a legislator and relationships with other Democratic officials will allow him to use his brief time to navigate party and state politics deftly.

“I think this is just the right amount of time to move with laser focus to secure funding that helps candidates up and down the ballot running for state offices this year,” Taylor said in an interview on Friday.

A lack of funding and resources are the two of the most pressing issues that have hampered the state Democratic Party from growing its influence and presence in a Deep South state dominated in recent years by the Republican Party.

The Democratic National Committee was in the middle of sending the state party a needed $250,000 donation when Tyree Irving, the former chairman of the party, sent national committee staffers an email filled with personal attacks of the state organization’s No. 2 leader over a discussion on how they should spend the money.

After state leaders feared Irving’s comments could jeopardize the quarter-of-a-million-dollar contribution, a majority of the state party’s executive committee ultimately ousted the former Court of Appeals judge as its leader.

Taylor said one of his first acts as the newly elected head of the party was to secure that $250,000 donation from the DNC to invest in voter turnout and races across the Democratic ticket.

“We’re going to make sure that we have an action plan in place on how the money will be spent, an action plan on how we’re going to help these candidates and to make sure the DNC knows we have the mechanism in place to spend this money wisely and well,” Taylor said.

The other matter the two-term lawmaker said he hopes to tackle during his term is sharpening the party’s message on issues like Medicaid expansion, K-12 public education and raising the minimum wage — a tool candidates on the campaign trail could utilize.

Democratic candidates for years have expressed discontent about the lack of support they receive from the state party when running for office and have felt alone when organizing their campaigns.

But Taylor is the first lawmaker since Bobby Moak in 2020 to serve as chairman. He hopes this “boots on the ground” experience, as he calls it, can finally rehab a perception that the party is an out-of-touch fixture in state politics.

“We have to make sure candidates understand the party is there to help and that the party is not some stoic figure or unapproachable,” Taylor said. “The party is there as a friend.”

But while he may want to extend a warm hand to candidates vying for public office, acrimony within the ranks of the executive committee or Irving himself could continue to be a thorn in the side of Taylor’s push for unity.

The new leader acknowledged that there would likely be more party drama as he tries to unite the 80 committee members around key issues and candidates. Still, he hopes his personal touch and listening ear could negate those problems.

Several committee members passionately tried to keep Irving as leader of the party, potentially leaving bitter divisions in leadership. The former judge has also threatened to sue the party over his ouster, meaning more rancorous debate could continue.

Still, Taylor praised his predecessor for leading the minority party in the conservative state, a role he’ll soon understand firsthand.

“There’s going to be talks or distractions,” Taylor said. “But at the end of the day, anyone who serves in this capacity, their name should be held in high regard. These are thankless tasks.”

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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Mississippi Today

UMMC holds free cancer screenings

Published

13 hours ago

April 30, 2025

Staff Editor

mississippitoday.org – @EricJShelton – 2025-04-30 12:00:00

by Eric J. Shelton, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Resident physician Claire Babin, right, performs an oral cancer screening on Ella Holmes during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Physicians prepare for oral, head and neck cancer screenings during a free screening event at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Resident physician Brooks Lampkin, center, screens Diane Carter for oral cancer as medical students Mason Nodurft, left, and Eva Kiparizoska observe during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Educational giveaways advocating against smoking are available during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Sharon Terry, senior tobacco treatment specialist, waits for patients during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Skylar Robinson, medical office assistant, left, and Kiandria Bruce, registered nurse, review materials at the patient sign-in table during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Head and neck cancer literature is available during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Dr. Alex Brooks and registered nurse Angela Noble talk during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Nina Brown, clinical manager, helps Ned Bostic with paperwork during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Resident physician Brooks Lampkin performs an oral cancer screening on Ned Bostic at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Ned Bostic receives a neck cancer screening during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Resident physician Brooks Lampkin, center, and medical student Hanna Watson examine Ned Bostic during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.

The University of Mississippi Medical Center’s Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery hosted a free oral, head, and neck cancer screening Wednesday at the Jackson Medical Mall as part of Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week.

The event featured quick, noninvasive screenings aimed at catching cancer early — when treatment is most effective. Onyx Care provided free HPV vaccinations, while the ACT Center for Tobacco Treatment, Education, and Research offered resources on smoking cessation and free services.

“These screenings take about 10 minutes and can save lives,” said Dr. Gina Jefferson, head and neck surgical oncologist at UMMC. “The earlier a cancer is diagnosed, the better chance we have of curing it.”

Tobacco and alcohol use remain major risk factors for these cancers. However, physicians say an increasing number of cases are linked to HPV, especially among younger adults with no history of smoking or drinking. Dentists are often the first to spot early signs, which can include persistent sores, lumps in the neck, or difficulty swallowing.

Oral, head and neck cancers are among the most common globally. When found early, survival rates can exceed 80 percent.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post UMMC holds free cancer screenings appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This article presents factual information about a free cancer screening event without showing a clear ideological stance. It primarily focuses on the health benefits of early cancer detection and the availability of free resources, such as HPV vaccinations and smoking cessation support. The language used is neutral and the content is centered around public health education rather than promoting a political viewpoint. The inclusion of factual statistics, such as survival rates and risk factors, adds to its informative and objective tone. There are no signs of bias or advocacy for a particular political agenda, making this a centrist piece.

Crooked Letter Sports Podcast

Podcast: What next for Mississippi State baseball?

Published

14 hours ago

April 30, 2025

Staff Editor

mississippitoday.org – @rick_cleveland – 2025-04-30 10:46:00

by Rick Cleveland and Tyler Cleveland, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Mississippi State didn’t even wait until the end of the season to fire Chris Lemonis, who brought the national championship to Starkville not quite four years ago. Where do the Bulldogs go from here. Robbie Faulk who covers the Bulldogs more closely than anyone else joins the podcast to discuss the situation.

Stream all episodes here.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post Podcast: What next for Mississippi State baseball? appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Mississippi Today

Mobile sports betting users: We want to hear from you

Published

15 hours ago

April 30, 2025

Staff Editor

mississippitoday.org – @MSTODAYnews – 2025-04-30 10:21:00

by Mississippi Today, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Mississippi Today is looking to speak with current and former mobile sports betting users. We’d like to speak with people who spend considerable amounts of time and money betting on sports through online gambling sites.

We’re interested in hearing the experience of people who have suffered from gambling addiction or problems, or friends and family members of people who have. We also would like to talk with people who believe legalizing mobile sports betting would benefit Mississippi and its residents.

We want to hear from you. Please take the survey below or contact Political Reporter Michael Goldberg by email at mgoldberg@mississippitoday.org

TAKE THE SURVEY:

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This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post Mobile sports betting users: We want to hear from you appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This article from Mississippi Today appears to present a neutral stance, focusing on gathering input from various groups of mobile sports betting users, including those who may have experienced addiction issues. The content does not advocate for or against the legalization of mobile sports betting but instead seeks to gather diverse perspectives, including those of individuals who may support or oppose it. The language used is objective and does not suggest a particular ideological perspective, allowing for a balanced exploration of the issue at hand.