Changes

==1963 election results==

==1963 election results==

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In a 64 percent turnout, Johnson defeated Phillips, 225,456 votes (62 percent) to 138,515 (38 percent). Gartin received 258,857 (74 percent) to Stanford Morse's 90,948 (26 percent) in the race for lieutenant governor. Phillips carried seven counties, ranging from [[Washington County, Mississippi|Washington]] (61 percent) to [[Jones County, Mississippi|Jones]] (50.6 percent). Phillips received 53 percent in [[Harrison County, Mississippi|Harrison County]] and 44.7 percent in both his native Alcorn and in Hinds County, which includes the capital city of  Jackson, where he spent the major part of his life.<ref>State of Mississippi, Election Statistics, 1963</ref>​

In a 64 percent turnout, Johnson defeated Phillips, 225,456 votes (62 percent) to 138,515 (38 percent). Gartin received 258,857 (74 percent) to Stanford Morse's 90,948 (26 percent) in the race for lieutenant governor. Phillips carried seven counties, ranging from Washington (61 percent) to Jones (50.6 percent). Phillips received 53 percent in Harrison County]and 44.7 percent in both his native Alcorn and in Hinds County, which includes the capital city of  Jackson, where he spent the major part of his life.<ref>State of Mississippi, Election Statistics, 1963</ref>​

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''The Clarion-Ledger'' declared prematurely that "the handwriting is plain for all to see -- the Magnolia State wants nothing to do with the two-party system."<ref>''Jackson Clarion-Ledger'', November 7, 1963</ref> Ungracious in victory, Adam telegraphed Yerger that since the GOP had been "electrocuted, will you please advise the date and place you will deliver the funeral oration?"<ref>''Hattiesburg American'', November 6, 1963</ref> Phillips in defeat said his new party had "lost a battle ... we have not lost the war. We now know that we have a strong two-party system."<ref>''Hattiesburg American'', November 6, 1963; ''[[U.S. News and World Report]]'', November 18, 1963, p. 46</ref> Years later, chairman Wirt Yerger said that Phillips might have run stronger had he endorsed legalized liquor sales. A 1963 poll found that 75 percent of Mississippi voters wanted to end statewide [[prohibition]], something not achieved until 1966. Mississippi was the last state with prohibition. Yerger said that the validity of the survey was unclear.<ref>"Challenging the Status Quo," p. 257</ref>​

''The Clarion-Ledger'' declared prematurely that "the handwriting is plain for all to see -- the Magnolia State wants nothing to do with the two-party system."<ref>''Jackson Clarion-Ledger'', November 7, 1963</ref> Ungracious in victory, Adam telegraphed Yerger that since the GOP had been "electrocuted, will you please advise the date and place you will deliver the funeral oration?"<ref>''Hattiesburg American'', November 6, 1963</ref> Phillips in defeat said his new party had "lost a battle ... we have not lost the war. We now know that we have a strong two-party system."<ref>''Hattiesburg American'', November 6, 1963; ''[[U.S. News and World Report]]'', November 18, 1963, p. 46</ref> Years later, chairman Wirt Yerger said that Phillips might have run stronger had he endorsed legalized liquor sales. A 1963 poll found that 75 percent of Mississippi voters wanted to end statewide [[prohibition]], something not achieved until 1966. Mississippi was the last state with prohibition. Yerger said that the validity of the survey was unclear.<ref>"Challenging the Status Quo," p. 257</ref>​

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Three Republicans were elected to full legislative terms in 1963 to the state legislature: Representatives [[Lewis McAllister|Lewis Leslie McAllister, Jr.]], a businessman from Meridian who had first won a [[special election]] in 1962, and attorney [[Charles K. Pringle]] of [[Biloxi, Mississippi|Biloxi]], and State Senator [[Seelig Wise]]<ref>"Challenging the Status Quo", p. 242, 262</ref> of [[Clarksdale, Mississippi|Clarksdale]], who represented [[Coahoma County, Mississippi|Coahoma]], [[Tunica County, Mississippi|Tunica]], and [[Quitman County, Mississippi|Quitman]] counties.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.pressregister.com/article_b087cf45-a5b0-5c9e-b798-4dd9cf620d9f.html|title=Seelig Bartel "Bushie" Wise, September 7, 2004|newspaper=''Clarksdale Press Register''|accessdate=May 10, 2014}}</ref> ​

Three Republicans were elected to full legislative terms in 1963 to the state legislature: Representatives Lewis Leslie McAllister, Jr., a businessman from Meridian who had first won a [[special election]] in 1962, and attorney Charles K. Pringle of [[Biloxi, Mississippi|Biloxi]], and State Senator Seelig Wise]]]]<ref>"Challenging the Status Quo", p. 242, 262</ref> of Clarksdale, who represented Coahoma, Tunica and Quitman counties.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.pressregister.com/article_b087cf45-a5b0-5c9e-b798-4dd9cf620d9f.html|title=Seelig Bartel "Bushie" Wise, September 7, 2004|newspaper=''The Clarksdale Press Register''|accessdate=May 10, 2014}}</ref> ​

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The ''Greenville Delta Democrat-Times'' urged Republicans to run candidates in all future elections. "Within the next decade, the Republicans ... will be on par with the Democrats. When that day arrives, the GOP will look back on this election as the real starting point."<ref>''Greenville Delta Democrat-Times'', November 4, 1963</ref> The paper claimed that Phillips faced the opposition of "virtually every Democratic officeholder as well as the crushing weight of the state's one-party tradition. In the face of these odds, the showing was even more amazing."<ref>''Greenville Delta Democrat-Times'', November 6, 1963</ref> ​

The ''Greenville Delta Democrat-Times'' urged Republicans to run candidates in all future elections. "Within the next decade, the Republicans ... will be on par with the Democrats. When that day arrives, the GOP will look back on this election as the real starting point."<ref>''Greenville Delta Democrat-Times'', November 4, 1963</ref> The paper claimed that Phillips faced the opposition of "virtually every Democratic officeholder as well as the crushing weight of the state's one-party tradition. In the face of these odds, the showing was even more amazing."<ref>''Greenville Delta Democrat-Times'', November 6, 1963</ref> ​

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Goldwater's 87 percent victory in Mississippi, accomplished the year prior to passage of the [[Voting Rights Act]], was accompanied by the upset victory of Prentiss Walker to Congress. In 1965, Republicans won mayoral positions in Hattiesburg and [[Columbus, Mississippi|Columbus]] and lost narrowly in [[Laurel, Mississippi|Laurel]] and [[Clarksdale, Mississippi|Clarksdale]].<ref>''The New York Times,'' June 9, 10, 1965.</ref> The gains from 1964 and 1965 were halted in 1966 and 1967. The Democrat [[Gillespie V. Montgomery|G. V. "Sonny" Montgomery]] reclaimed Walker's House seat and held it for thirty years. Phillips ran again for governor in 1967 as a moderate candidate against the more conservative Democratic nominee John Bell Williams, who along with Albert William Watson of [[South Carolina]] had been stripped of congressional seniority in 1965 for having endorsed Goldwater for president the previous year. Williams specifically was denied the chairmanship of the House Interstate and Foreign Affairs Committee.<ref>''Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report,'' XXV (October 20, 1967), pp. 2140-2141.</ref>​

Goldwater's 87 percent victory in Mississippi, accomplished the year prior to passage of the [[Voting Rights Act]], was accompanied by the upset victory of Prentiss Walker to Congress. In 1965, Republicans won mayoral positions in Hattiesburg and Columbus, and lost narrowly in Laurel and Clarksdale.<ref>''The New York Times,'' June 9, 10, 1965.</ref> The gains from 1964 and 1965 were halted in 1966 and 1967. The Democrat Gillespie V. Montgomeryreclaimed Walker's House seat and held it for thirty years thereafter. Phillips ran again for governor in 1967 as a moderate candidate against the more conservative Democratic nominee John Bell Williams, who along with Albert William Watson of [[South Carolina]] had been stripped of congressional seniority in 1965 for having endorsed Goldwater for president the previous year. Williams specifically was denied the chairmanship of the House Interstate and Foreign Affairs Committee.<ref>''Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report,'' XXV (October 20, 1967), pp. 2140-2141.</ref>​

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Phillips opposed the since ended two-year residency requirement for voter registration, the longest of any state in the nation, having claimed that the rule was an impediment to industrial development. Phillips proposed a freeze on state employment, but Williams countered that such a move would limit the opportunities of young people.<ref>''Jackson Daily News'', October 17, 31, 1967; ''Hattiesburg American'', November 4, 1967</ref>​

Phillips opposed the since ended two-year residency requirement for voter registration, the longest of any state in the nation, having claimed that the rule was an impediment to industrial development. Phillips proposed a freeze on state employment, but Williams countered that such a move would limit the opportunities of young people.<ref>''The Jackson Daily News,'' October 17, 31, 1967; ''The Hattiesburg American,'' November 4, 1967.</ref>​

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Some four months after Phillips' defeat, Louisiana Republican figure [[Charlton Lyons]] of [[Shreveport, Louisiana|Shreveport]] waged a similar campaign with nearly equal results in his state against the successful Democratic gubernatorial nominee, [[John J. McKeithen]] of [[Columbia, Louisiana|Columbia]], Louisiana.​

Some four months after Phillips' defeat, Louisiana Republican figure [[Charlton Lyons]] of [[Shreveport]] waged a similar campaign with nearly equal results in his state against the successful Democratic gubernatorial nominee, [[John J. McKeithen]].​

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==1967 campaign==​

==1967 campaign==​

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In his race against Williams, Phillips had no running-mate. His previous nominee for lieutenant governor, Stanford Morse, endorsed Williams. Phillips later said that the GOP did not at the time realize the importance of offering full candidate slates.<ref>"Challenging the Status Quo," p. 258</ref> The unopposed Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor, Charles L. Sullivan of Clarksdale, had defeated in his party's primary Governor Paul Johnson, who ran in 1967 for his former post of lieutenant governor. At the time Mississippi governors could not succeed themselves but could sit out a term and enter the next race four years later.<ref name="ReferenceD">"Challenging the Status Quo", p. 259</ref> Sullivan earlier said that he could work with either Phillips or Williams, but he endorsed the Democratic nominee, having verbally sparred with Phillips at a meeting in [[Biloxi, Mississippi|Biloxi]] of the Mississippi Manufacturing Association.<ref>''Greenville Delta Democrat-Times'', October 15, 26, 1967</ref>​

In his race against Williams, Phillips had no running-mate. His previous nominee for lieutenant governor, Stanford Morse, endorsed Williams. Phillips later said that the GOP did not at the time realize the importance of offering full candidate slates.<ref>"Challenging the Status Quo," p. 258.</ref> The unopposed Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor, Charles L. Sullivan of Clarksdale, had defeated in his party's primary Governor Paul Johnson, who ran in 1967 for his former post of lieutenant governor. At the time Mississippi governors could not succeed themselves but could sit out a term and enter the next race four years later.<ref name="ReferenceD">"Challenging the Status Quo", p. 259</ref> Sullivan earlier said that he could work with either Phillips or Williams, but he endorsed the Democratic nominee, having verbally sparred with Phillips at a meeting in Biloxi of the Mississippi Manufacturing Association.<ref>''Greenville Delta Democrat-Times'', October 15, 26, 1967</ref>​

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[[Clarke Reed]] of [[Greenville, Mississippi|Greenville]], who succeeded Yerger as state chairman in 1966, recalled that Phillips did not wish to run for governor again in 1967 but was persuaded to do so my party leaders in need of a candidate though there was little expectation of success.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://docsouth.unc.edu/sohp/html_use/A-0113.html|title=Interview with Clarke Reed|publisher=docsouth.unc.edu|accessdate=May 12, 2014}}</ref> For his second race, Phillips shed his past segregationist image and ran to the middle, as had Williams' unsuccessful primary opponent, state Treasurer [[William Winter (politician)|William F. Winter]], who ultimately won the governorship in 1979. ''Time'' magazine called Phillips "an erstwhile segregationist who this year appealed for an end to the racial rancor."<ref>''Time'', XC (November 17, 1967), p. 29</ref> Phillips later said that his moderate stance hurt the Republicans at that time but that the party since "benefited from the things we did."<ref name="ReferenceD"/>​

Clarke Reed of Greenville, who succeeded Yerger as state chairman in 1966, recalled that Phillips did not wish to run for governor again in 1967 but was persuaded to do so by party leaders in need of a candidate though there was little expectation of success.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://docsouth.unc.edu/sohp/html_use/A-0113.html|title=Interview with Clarke Reed|publisher=docsouth.unc.edu|accessdate=May 12, 2014}}</ref> For his second race, Phillips shed his past segregationist image and ran to the middle, as had Williams' unsuccessful primary opponent, state Treasurer William F. Winter, who ultimately won the governorship in 1979. ''Time'' magazine called Phillips "an erstwhile segregationist who this year appealed for an end to the racial rancor."<ref>''Time Magazine,'' XC (November 17, 1967), p. 29.</ref> Phillips later said that his moderate stance hurt the Republicans at that time but that the party since "benefited from the things we did."<ref name="ReferenceD"/>​

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In a television address, Phillips reaffirmed his belief in segregation but spoke in conciliatory language toward African Americans:​

In a television address, Phillips reaffirmed his belief in segregation but spoke in conciliatory language toward African Americans:​

<blockquote>The influence of race ... is so dominant that it is utterly unrealistic to expect any significant progress in such vital fields as education, economic development, and federal-state relations until we have brought the race issue out into the open and begun, at least begun, to deal with it effectively. ... I advocate spending money to develop our underdeveloped human resources ... with the expectation of getting all that money back ... With [[God]]'s held and your help, I will bring peace and harmony and material progress to Mississippi.<ref>''Biloxi-Gulfport Daily Herald,' October 4, 1967.</ref></blockquote>​

<blockquote>The influence of race ... is so dominant that it is utterly unrealistic to expect any significant progress in such vital fields as education, economic development, and federal-state relations until we have brought the race issue out into the open and begun, at least begun, to deal with it effectively. ... I advocate spending money to develop our underdeveloped human resources ... with the expectation of getting all that money back ... With [[God]]'s held and your help, I will bring peace and harmony and material progress to Mississippi.<ref>''Biloxi-Gulfport Daily Herald,' October 4, 1967.</ref></blockquote>​

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''The Meridian Star'' charged that Phillips had "made it plain that he is no conservative. He is a member of the Republican Party, not just here ... but at the national level."<ref>''The Meridian Star'', October 13, 1967.</ref> ''The Jackson Clarion-Ledger'' judged Phillips' in his second race as "a weak candidate with a weak pitch" and correctly termed his prospects as virtually "hopeless."<ref>''Jackson Clarion-Ledger,'' October 18, 1967.</ref>​

''The Meridian Star'' charged that Phillips had "made it plain that he is no conservative. He is a member of the Republican Party, not just here ... but at the national level."<ref>''The Meridian Star,'' October 13, 1967.</ref> ''The Jackson Clarion-Ledger'' judged Phillips' in his second race as "a weak candidate with a weak pitch" and correctly termed his prospects as virtually "hopeless."<ref>''Jackson Clarion-Ledger,'' October 18, 1967.</ref>​

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Phillips urged a "long-range master plan for education" and the reinstatement of compulsory attendance, which had been repealed in 1958.<ref>''The Meridian Star,'' October 17, 1963; estimates were that 84,000 pupils were not attending school in Mississippi in 1967.</ref> Phillips questioned the need of the Mississippi Milk Commission, which he said kept the price of milk artificially too high.<ref>''The Hattiesburg American,'' October 10, 1967.</ref>​

Phillips urged a "long-range master plan for education" and the reinstatement of compulsory attendance, which had been repealed in 1958.<ref>''The Meridian Star,'' October 17, 1963; estimates were that 84,000 pupils were not attending school in Mississippi in 1967.</ref> Phillips questioned the need of the Mississippi Milk Commission, which he said kept the price of milk artificially too high.<ref>''The Hattiesburg American,'' October 10, 1967.</ref>​

Phillips died in retirement at the age of eighty-six in Ridgeland in Madison County near Jackson, some five months before his party in 2011 swept most statewide elections and won majorities in the legislature. He was survived by his wife, the former Margaret James, whom he married c. 1955; two sons, Rubel Phillips, Jr., and wife Melinda of [[Virginia]], and Dr. William James Phillips and wife Alison of Jackson, Mississippi; two granddaughters, and two brothers, William Maurice Phillips and wife Joan of Corinth, Mississippi, and Frank Price Phillips of [[Memphis]], [[Tennessee]]. Services were held on June 22, 2011, in Jackson at the Northminster Baptist Church. Interment  followed at the Shiloh [[Presbyterian Church in the United States|Presbyterian]] Church Cemetery in Alcorn County.<ref name=obit/>​

Phillips died in retirement at the age of eighty-six in Ridgeland in Madison County near Jackson, some five months before his party in 2011 swept most statewide elections and won majorities in the legislature. He was survived by his wife, the former Margaret James, whom he married c. 1955; two sons, Rubel Phillips, Jr., and wife Melinda of [[Virginia]], and Dr. William James Phillips and wife Alison of Jackson, Mississippi; two granddaughters, and two brothers, William Maurice Phillips and wife Joan of Corinth, Mississippi, and Frank Price Phillips of [[Memphis]], [[Tennessee]]. Services were held on June 22, 2011, in Jackson at the Northminster Baptist Church. Interment  followed at the Shiloh [[Presbyterian Church in the United States|Presbyterian]] Church Cemetery in Alcorn County.<ref name=obit/>​

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==References==

==References==

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