Mississippi’s Republican Party lost another of its statesmen last week with the death of Gil Carmichael, 88, of Meridian, who rose to become the nominee in races for Congress, U.S. senator, governor and lieutenant governor, always running strongly but never winning.
In the process, his progressive voice shaped the state party’s growth in the late 20th century, as had Tupelo’s exceptional civic leader, Jack Reed Sr., who died recently.
The two men, who were of the same generation and longtime friends, shared many convictions about public service and public policy.
Carmichael, a prosperous automobile dealer and real-estate developer, may have had his finest hour when he ran against Democratic populist Cliff Finch for governor in 1975. Carmichael won more than 45 percent of the general election vote, stunning many mossbacks who believed the Yellow Dog Democratic Party could rule Mississippi forever. His race was a foreshadowing of Reed’s near victory against Democrat Ray Mabus in the 1987 governor’s contest, and of Kirk Fordice’s first-since-Reconstruction victory for the GOP against Mabus in 1991.
Carmichael’s race against the venerable and feared Democratic U.S. Sen. James O. Eastland in 1972 also was a breakthrough for the GOP. Eastland retired in 1978, and he was succeeded by Thad Cochran.
Carmichael became a choice for many centrist Democrats who no longer felt loyalty to their party in the state or at the national level.
Carmichael solidified the perception of Mississippi as a two-party state. Much has changed within the state GOP since Carmichael’s era of greatest influence, but whatever part of it is considered negative should not be laid at Carmichael’s feet.
Carmichael was a George H.W. Bush kind of Republican, and during the Bush administration he was director of the Federal Railroad Administration. He had been an advocate of strong railroad infrastructure and service all his adult life. He was an advocate and leader for Amtrak, the federal passenger service which operates through Meridian, historically a railroad town.
Carmichael was a big-tent politician, supporting the Equal Rights Amendment, which was unpopular among many Mississippians, and appealing to the historically black base of the Mississippi GOP to stay in or rejoin the party.
Carmichael clearly was a futurist in terms of policy and position.
Political leaders like Carmichael, grounded in the private sector and visionary about governance, walk among us seldom. Carmichael caused many Mississippians to rethink what kind of state we seek for all citizens.
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