Changes

==Switching to the GOP==

==Switching to the GOP==

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Though Phillips had endorsed [[Adlai Stevenson]] for president in 1956 against the Republican incumbent [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] and Kennedy over Nixon in 1960, he left the Democrats in 1963 to run for governor as the Republican nominee in a bid to succeed the term-limited Ross H. Barnett, who had fought the [[Segregation|desegregation]] in 1962 of the University of Mississippi. Phillips faced the Democratic nominee Paul Johnson, who was nearly as outspoken in defense of segregation as his predecessor, Barnett.<ref>Billy Hathorn, "Challenging the Status Quo: Rubel Lex Phillips and the Mississippi Republican Party (1963-1967)," ''The Journal of Mississippi History'' XLVII, November 1985, No. 4, pp. 240-242.</ref> ​

Though Phillips had endorsed [[Adlai Stevenson]] for president in 1956 against the Republican incumbent [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] and Kennedy over Nixon in 1960, he left the Democrats in 1963 to run for governor as the Republican nominee in a bid to succeed the term-limited Ross H. Barnett, who had fought the [[Segregation|desegregation]] in 1962 of the University of Mississippi. Phillips faced the Democratic nominee Paul Johnson, who was nearly as outspoken in defense of segregation as his predecessor, Ross Barnett.<ref>Billy Hathorn, "Challenging the Status Quo: Rubel Lex Phillips and the Mississippi Republican Party (1963-1967)," ''The Journal of Mississippi History'' XLVII, November 1985, No. 4, pp. 240-242.</ref>

 

Bidwell Adam, a former lieutenant governor under segregationist Governor Theodore G. Bilbo and the Democratic state chairman in Mississippi at the time, said that Phillips had contacted him in 1962 to seek backing for a potential Democratic campaign for governor.<ref>''Hattiesburg American,'' October 16, 1963; ''Jackson Clarion-Ledger'', October 24, 1963.</ref> Paul Johnson then claimed that Phillips had become "an overnight Republican" after failure to acquire financial support in a primary with a large open field. Johnson said that Phillips had been "anointed by Squirt Yerger in a Jackson hotel room," a reference to Republican chairman Wirt Adams Yerger, Jr., who served from 1956 to 1966.<ref>''The Jackson Clarion-Ledger,'' October 16, 24, 1963; ''The Meridian Star'', October 9, 1963.</ref> the first Republican candidate since 1947, when a former governor of [[Nebraska]], George L. Sheldon, polled 2.5 percent of the Mississippi gubernatorial general election vote.<ref>State of Mississippi, Election Statistics, 1947.</ref> ​

Bidwell Adam, a former lieutenant governor under segregationist Governor Theodore G. Bilbo and the Democratic state chairman in Mississippi at the time, said that Phillips had contacted him in 1962 to seek backing for a potential Democratic campaign for governor.<ref>''Hattiesburg American,'' October 16, 1963; ''Jackson Clarion-Ledger'', October 24, 1963.</ref> Paul Johnson then claimed that Phillips had become "an overnight Republican" after failure to acquire financial support in a primary with a large open field. Johnson said that Phillips had been "anointed by Squirt Yerger in a Jackson hotel room," a reference to Republican chairman Wirt Adams Yerger, Jr., who served from 1956 to 1966.<ref>''The Jackson Clarion-Ledger,'' October 16, 24, 1963; ''The Meridian Star'', October 9, 1963.</ref> the first Republican candidate since 1947, when a former governor of [[Nebraska]], George L. Sheldon, polled 2.5 percent of the Mississippi gubernatorial general election vote.<ref>State of Mississippi, Election Statistics, 1947.</ref> ​

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Johnson and Adam questioned the new Republican's dedication to segregation by noting that as the clerk of Alcorn County from 1952 to 1956 Phillips had supervised the registration of more [[African-American]] voters than had been permitted in most other Mississippi counties at that time.<ref>''Hattiesburg American,'' November 4, 1963.</ref> The pair stressed Phillips' support for Adlai Stevenson in 1956 and Kennedy in 1960. They too had also backed Stevenson over Eisenhower but supported the unpledged electors which carried Mississippi (and half of [[Alabama]]) in 1960 over the Kennedy and Nixon electoral slates.<ref>''The Hattiesburg American,'' October 16 and November 4, 1963.</ref>​

Johnson and Adam questioned the new Republican's dedication to segregation by noting that as the clerk of Alcorn County from 1952 to 1956 Phillips had supervised the registration of more [[African-American]] voters than had been permitted in most other Mississippi counties at that time.<ref>''Hattiesburg American,'' November 4, 1963.</ref> The pair stressed Phillips' support for Adlai Stevenson in 1956 and Kennedy in 1960. They too had also backed Stevenson over Eisenhower but supported the unpledged electors which carried Mississippi (and half of [[Alabama]]) in 1960 over the Kennedy and Nixon electoral slates.<ref>''The Hattiesburg American,'' October 16 and November 4, 1963.</ref>​

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<blockquote>the only hope for the South. Although he is considered by many a moderate, that is at least a step in the right direction by us. It is my view that those of us who are taking a moderate course in respect to all social legislation will be recognized ten years from now as having taken the only practical course for people who believe in progressive [it is unclear what Phillips meant about the use of the word "progressive" in his statement] government. ​

<blockquote>the only hope for the South. Although he is considered by many a moderate, that is at least a step in the right direction by us. It is my view that those of us who are taking a moderate course in respect to all social legislation will be recognized ten years from now as having taken the only practical course for people who believe in progressive [it is unclear what Phillips meant about the use of the word "progressive"] government. ​

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It is essential that intelligent and cool-thinking people remain in office even though it occasionally means that they have to give tacit support to measures they do not believe to be sound. There will be times that I, as chairman of the Public Service Commission, will have to take positions that I do not believe to be either sound or right, but if I sacrifice whatever opportunities I may have to do something important in the future for a point of minor significance, then I will have been of benefit to no one. That is a painful admission for anyone in public office. ... nevertheless, if we are ambitious, we have to make it.<ref>Memorandum from Rubel Phillips on Public Service Commission stationery, March 1, 1956, reprinted in ''The Jackson Clarion-Ledger,'' October 15, 1963</ref></blockquote> ​

It is essential that intelligent and cool-thinking people remain in office even though it occasionally means that they have to give tacit support to measures they do not believe to be sound. There will be times that I, as chairman of the Public Service Commission, will have to take positions that I do not believe to be either sound or right, but if I sacrifice whatever opportunities I may have to do something important in the future for a point of minor significance, then I will have been of benefit to no one. That is a painful admission for anyone in public office. ... nevertheless, if we are ambitious, we have to make it.<ref>Memorandum from Rubel Phillips on Public Service Commission stationery, March 1, 1956, reprinted in ''The Jackson Clarion-Ledger,'' October 15, 1963</ref></blockquote> ​

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==Racial politics==​

==Racial politics==​

With his "K.O. the Kennedys" slogan, Phillips attempted to present himself as a more determined segregationist than his rival, Paul Johnson. In a statewide television broadcast, Phillips said that he had concluded that only Republicans could offer a realistic challenge to the national Democrats.<ref>''Memphis Commercial Appeal'', October 3, 1963</ref> Phillips' segregationist views were confirmed by the historian [[James Silver|James W. Silver]] of the University of Mississippi, who quoted the Republican candidate as having told students in 1962 that the Kennedy administration was being "run by incompetents and [[communism|communist]] sympathizers."<ref>James W. Silver] ''Mississippi: The Closed Society (New York, 1966), p. 45.</ref> Silver added that Phillips had called [[United States Attorney General]] [[Robert F. Kennedy]] "a little juvenile" who had "declared war on Mississippi, and he will demand unconditional surrender."<ref>Silver, p. 45.</ref>​

With his "K.O. the Kennedys" slogan, Phillips attempted to present himself as a more determined segregationist than his rival, Paul Johnson. In a statewide television broadcast, Phillips said that he had concluded that only Republicans could offer a realistic challenge to the national Democrats.<ref>''Memphis Commercial Appeal,'' October 3, 1963</ref> Phillips' segregationist views were confirmed by the historian James W. Silver of the University of Mississippi, who quoted the Republican candidate as having told students in 1962 that the Kennedy administration was being "run by incompetents and [[communism|communist]] sympathizers."<ref>James W. Silver] ''Mississippi: The Closed Society (New York, 1966), p. 45.</ref> Silver added that Phillips had called [[United States Attorney General]] [[Robert F. Kennedy]] "a little juvenile" who had "declared war on Mississippi, and he will demand unconditional surrender."<ref>Silver, p. 45.</ref>​

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In Meadville, Phillips remarked, "I was born a segregationist, I am for segregation now, and I will be for segregation when I die."<ref>''The Memphis Commercial Appeal,'' October 17, 1963; ''The Jackson Clarion-Ledger,'' October 22, 1963.</ref> Phillips said that opponents who branded him a "closet integrationist" were deceptive: "noting could be further from the truth."<ref>''Memphis Commercial Appeal'', October 22, 1963</ref> Phillips said "the one-party system ... gave us John and Bobby Kennedy and the integration of our state's university."<ref>''Biloxi-Gulfport Daily Herald'' (since the ''Sun Herald''), September 3, 1963; ''The Hattiesburg American,'' October 4, 1963.</ref>​

In Meadville, Phillips remarked, "I was born a segregationist, I am for segregation now, and I will be for segregation when I die."<ref>''The Memphis Commercial Appeal,'' October 17, 1963; ''The Jackson Clarion-Ledger,'' October 22, 1963.</ref> Phillips said that opponents who branded him a "closet integrationist" were deceptive: "noting could be further from the truth."<ref>''The Memphis Commercial Appeal,'' October 22, 1963.</ref> Phillips said "the one-party system ... gave us John and Bobby Kennedy and the integration of our state's university."<ref>''Biloxi-Gulfport Daily Herald'' (since ''The Sun Herald''), September 3, 1963; ''The Hattiesburg American,'' October 4, 1963.</ref>​

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Phillips accused outgoing Governor Barnett and Democratic opponent Paul Johnson of "rooster fighting with U.S. marshals" in the 1962 desegregation crisis, which ended in the enrollment of [[James Meredith]] as the first African American student and subsequent Ole Miss graduate. Phillips said that Barnett and Johnson had merely tricked voters by staging their opposition to desegregation and that Johnson was the "Kennedy candidate" in the race.<ref>'The 'Memphis Commercial Appeal,'' September 7, 1963.</ref>​

Phillips accused outgoing Governor Barnett and Democratic opponent Paul Johnson of "rooster fighting with U.S. marshals" in the 1962 desegregation crisis, which ended in the enrollment of [[James Meredith]] as the first African American student and subsequent Ole Miss graduate. Phillips said that Barnett and Johnson had merely tricked voters by staging their opposition to desegregation and that Johnson was the "Kennedy candidate" in the race.<ref>'The 'Memphis Commercial Appeal,'' September 7, 1963.</ref>​

In its endorsement of Paul Johnson, the ''Jackson Clarion-Ledger'' urged voters "not to play with fire" and ignite the birth of a two-party system, which would lead to a political division among whites along partisan and economic lines.<ref name="ReferenceA">''Jackson Clarion-Ledger'', November 4, 1963</ref> Johnson called the two-party concept "a political rendezvous with death."<ref name="ReferenceB">''Jackson Clarion-Ledger'', October 16, 1963</ref> At a pre-election rally in Jackson, Barnett urged Mississippi Democrats to "push out this Republican threat" and added that he was "fed up with these fence-riding, pussy-footing, snow-digging Yankee Republicans."<ref>''The Hattiesburg American,'' October 16, 1963; ''Time Magazine,'' October 25, 1963, p. 29.</ref>​

In its endorsement of Paul Johnson, the ''Jackson Clarion-Ledger'' urged voters "not to play with fire" and ignite the birth of a two-party system, which would lead to a political division among whites along partisan and economic lines.<ref name="ReferenceA">''Jackson Clarion-Ledger'', November 4, 1963</ref> Johnson called the two-party concept "a political rendezvous with death."<ref name="ReferenceB">''Jackson Clarion-Ledger'', October 16, 1963</ref> At a pre-election rally in Jackson, Barnett urged Mississippi Democrats to "push out this Republican threat" and added that he was "fed up with these fence-riding, pussy-footing, snow-digging Yankee Republicans."<ref>''The Hattiesburg American,'' October 16, 1963; ''Time Magazine,'' October 25, 1963, p. 29.</ref>​

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The ''[[Hattiesburg American]]'' echoed the Democratic contention that the primary beneficiaries of a two-party system would be the then "920,000 Negroes who dwell here."<ref>''Hattiesburg American,'' October 7, 1963.</ref> ''The American'' denounced Republican leaders [[Barry Goldwater]] of [[Arizona]] and [[Nelson A. Rockefeller]] of [[New York]], rivals for the party's 1964 presidential nomination,  for their common membership in the [[National Urban League]] and the [[NAACP]]. ''The American'' also criticized then freshman [[U.S. Representative]] Robert Taft, Jr., son of the late conservative U.S. Senator [[Robert A. Taft]] of [[Ohio]], for having remarked that "no segregationist belongs on a Republican ticket or even in the party."<ref>''Hattiesburg Americ,'' October 24, 1963.</ref> An advertisement carried in the ''Jackson Daily News'' linked white Republicans with "modern [[scalawag]]s," a reference to southern whites who cooperated with [[carpetbagger]]s during [[Reconstruction]]."<ref>''The Jackson Daily News,'' October 15, 1963.</ref>​

''The Hattiesburg American'' echoed the Democratic contention that the primary beneficiaries of a two-party system would be the then "920,000 Negroes who dwell here."<ref>''Hattiesburg American,'' October 7, 1963.</ref> ''The American'' denounced Republican leaders [[Barry Goldwater]] of [[Arizona]] and [[Nelson A. Rockefeller]] of [[New York]], rivals for the party's 1964 presidential nomination,  for their common membership in the National Urban League and the [[NAACP]]. ''The American'' also criticized then freshman [[U.S. Representative]] Robert Taft, Jr., son of the late conservative U.S. Senator [[Robert A. Taft]] of [[Ohio]], for having remarked that "no segregationist belongs on a Republican ticket or even in the party."<ref>''Hattiesburg Americ,'' October 24, 1963.</ref> An advertisement carried in the ''Jackson Daily News'' linked white Republicans with "modern [[scalawag]]s," a reference to southern whites who cooperated with [[carpetbagger]]s during [[Reconstruction]]."<ref>''The Jackson Daily News,'' October 15, 1963.</ref>​

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Phillips defended the two-party format on the grounds that competition can produce excellence and questioned how competitive general elections would be "dangerous" because white voters had for years been divided in contentious Democratic primary runoff elections.<ref>''Jackson Daily News'', October 18, 1963; ''Biloxi-Gulfport Daily Herald'', September 20, 1963</ref> Phillips stressed that in the 1850s, when Mississippi Democrats faced competition from [[Whig Party (United States)|Whigs]], the state ranked fifth nationally in per capita income. Like Johnson, Phillips felt compelled to denounce the [[Radical Republicans|Radical]] Reconstruction policies of the 1860s and 1870s.<ref name="ReferenceB"/>​

Phillips defended the two-party format on the grounds that competition can produce excellence and questioned how competitive general elections would be "dangerous" because white voters had for years been divided in contentious Democratic primary runoff elections.<ref>''Jackson Daily News'', October 18, 1963; ''Biloxi-Gulfport Daily Herald'', September 20, 1963</ref> Phillips stressed that in the 1850s, when Mississippi Democrats faced competition from [[Whig Party (United States)|Whigs]], the state ranked fifth nationally in per capita income. Like Johnson, Phillips felt compelled to denounce the [[Radical Republicans|Radical]] Reconstruction policies of the 1860s and 1870s.<ref name="ReferenceB"/>​

''The Vicksburg Evening Post'' deplored the campaign invective and claimed that "demagoguery is replacing logic, and that appeals to passion and prejudice far outweight any effort to discuss intelligently the problems and future of our state."<ref>''Vicksburg Evening Post,'' October 21, 1963.</ref> ''The Greenville Delta Democrat-Times]],'' then published by Hodding Carter, II, a Kennedy supporter but a critic of the state Democratic Party, endorsed Phillips:​

''The Vicksburg Evening Post'' deplored the campaign invective and claimed that "demagoguery is replacing logic, and that appeals to passion and prejudice far outweight any effort to discuss intelligently the problems and future of our state."<ref>''Vicksburg Evening Post,'' October 21, 1963.</ref> ''The Greenville Delta Democrat-Times]],'' then published by Hodding Carter, II, a Kennedy supporter but a critic of the state Democratic Party, endorsed Phillips:​

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<blockquote>Democrats see clearly that the Republican Party, once it gains power in Mississippi, will offer the kind of effective outlet for the feelings of most Mississippians that the isolated state Democrats (who renounce any connection with the national party) can never hope to produce. All that the state Democratic Party can offer is another four years of frustrated political impotence in national affairs and a never-never land existence within the state's borders.<ref>''[[Delta Democrat Times|Greenville Delta Democrat-Times]],'' September 5, 1963.</ref></blockquote>​

<blockquote>Democrats see clearly that the Republican Party, once it gains power in Mississippi, will offer the kind of effective outlet for the feelings of most Mississippians that the isolated state Democrats (who renounce any connection with the national party) can never hope to produce. All that the state Democratic Party can offer is another four years of frustrated political impotence in national affairs and a never-never land existence within the state's borders.<ref>''Greenville Delta Democrat-Times,'' September 5, 1963.</ref></blockquote>​

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''[[The New York Times]]'' concluded that Phillips' potential for an upset rested with "an unlikely coalition of Goldwater Republicans and Democrats who range in viewpoint from middle-of-the-road to liberal."<ref name="ReferenceC">''The New York Time,'' October 26, 1963.</ref> The state [[AFL-CIO]], then with some fifty thousand members, endorsed Phillips despite his support of the Mississippi [[right-to-work]] law. Labor president Claude E. Ramsay of Pascagoula on the Gulf Coast  denounced the Barnett-Johnson administration as "the most corrupt and irresponsible in the state's history" and supported Phillips' proposed educational reform, civil service merit system, and opposition to an increase in the state [[sales tax]].<ref>''Jackson Clarion-Ledger,'' October 28, 1963; Gary M. Fink, ed., ''Biographical Directory of U.S. Labor Leaders'' (Westport, [[Connecticut]], 1974), pp. 297-98; ''The New York Times,'' October 26, 1963.</ref> Johnson said that he was not disturbed by Ramsay's "false prophet" endorsement: "Everyone has known Ramsay to have a tendency toward integration."<ref>''The Jackson Clarion-Ledger,'' October 28, 1963.</ref><ref>''Biloxi-Gulfport Daily Herald,'' October 30, 1963.</ref>​

''[[The New York Times]]'' concluded that Phillips' potential for an upset rested with "an unlikely coalition of Goldwater Republicans and Democrats who range in viewpoint from middle-of-the-road to liberal."<ref name="ReferenceC">''The New York Time,'' October 26, 1963.</ref> The state [[AFL-CIO]], then with some fifty thousand members, endorsed Phillips despite his support of the Mississippi [[right-to-work]] law. Labor president Claude E. Ramsay of Pascagoula on the Gulf Coast  denounced the Barnett-Johnson administration as "the most corrupt and irresponsible in the state's history" and supported Phillips' proposed educational reform, civil service merit system, and opposition to an increase in the state [[sales tax]].<ref>''Jackson Clarion-Ledger,'' October 28, 1963; Gary M. Fink, ed., ''Biographical Directory of U.S. Labor Leaders'' (Westport, [[Connecticut]], 1974), pp. 297-98; ''The New York Times,'' October 26, 1963.</ref> Johnson said that he was not disturbed by Ramsay's "false prophet" endorsement: "Everyone has known Ramsay to have a tendency toward integration."<ref>''The Jackson Clarion-Ledger,'' October 28, 1963.</ref><ref>''Biloxi-Gulfport Daily Herald,'' October 30, 1963.</ref>​