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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]].​

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]].​

 

==1967 campaign==​

==The 1967 campaign==

 

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>''The 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>''The Greenville Delta Democrat-Times,'' October 15, 26, 1967.</ref>​

 

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"/>​

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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Phillips in 1963 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 in 1963 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>​

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Presidential politics played some role in the 1967 campaign, as Williams stressed his friendship with former Governor [[George Wallace]] of Alabama, who was preparing for an independent presidential candidacy in 1968. Phillips countered that only a Republican, perhaps Richard Nixon or Governor   [[Ronald W. Reagan]] of [[California]], could defeat a national Democratic presidential nominee. Reagan cut a campaign commercial for Phillips; [[Maureen Reagan]] made some twenty appearances on Phillips' behalf at various places in the state.<ref>''Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report,'' XXV (November 10, 1967), pp. 2295-2296; ''Vicksburg Evening Post,'' September 23, 1967</ref> Neighboring Governor [[Winthrop Rockefeller]] of [[Arkansas]], younger brother of [[Nelson Rockefeller]], spoke in Corinth and assisted Phillips in fundraising. Phillips raised $300,000 in the 1967 race.<ref>''Hattiesburg American,'' November 1, 1967.</ref>​

Presidential politics played some role in the 1967 campaign, as Williams stressed his friendship with former Governor [[George Wallace]] of Alabama, who was preparing for an independent presidential candidacy in 1968. Phillips countered that only a Republican, perhaps Richard Nixon or Governor [[Ronald W. Reagan]] of [[California]], could defeat a national Democratic presidential nominee. Reagan cut a campaign commercial for Phillips; his older daughter, Maureen Reagan, made some twenty appearances on Phillips' behalf at various places in the state.<ref>''Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report,'' XXV (November 10, 1967), pp. 2295-2296; ''Vicksburg Evening Post,'' September 23, 1967</ref> Neighboring Governor [[Winthrop Rockefeller]] of [[Arkansas]], younger brother of [[Nelson Rockefeller]], spoke in Corinth and assisted Phillips in fundraising. Phillips raised $300,000 in the 1967 race.<ref>''Hattiesburg American,'' November 1, 1967.</ref>​

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Williams rejected Phillips' pleas for debates, as had Paul Johnson in 1963. In fact, the congressman spent few days on the general election campaign trail and urged friends "to do the campaigning for me."<ref>''Jackson Daily News'', October 25, 28, 1967; 'The 'Jackson Clarion-Ledge,'' October 28, 1967.</ref> Williams, who had lost the lower part of his left arm while serving in the [[United States Army]] Air Corps during World War II, was hospitalized during the campaign with a leg ailment, which also stemmed from war injuries.<ref>''Vicksburg Evening Post,'' October 25, 1963.</ref> At a $40 per person fundraiser attended by some five thousand and hosted by the state's congressional delegation, Williams vowed to "destroy that Republican crowd so bad that they won't be able to find a Rubel in the rubble."<ref>''Jackson Clarion-Ledger,'' October 31, 1967.</ref>​

Williams rejected Phillips' pleas for debates, as had Paul Johnson in 1963. In fact, the congressman spent few days on the general election campaign trail and urged friends "to do the campaigning for me."<ref>''Jackson Daily News'', October 25, 28, 1967; 'The 'Jackson Clarion-Ledge,'' October 28, 1967.</ref> Williams, who had lost the lower part of his left arm while serving in the [[United States Army]] Air Corps during World War II, was hospitalized during the campaign with a leg ailment, which also stemmed from war injuries.<ref>''Vicksburg Evening Post,'' October 25, 1963.</ref> At a $40 per person fundraiser attended by some five thousand and hosted by the state's congressional delegation, Williams vowed to "destroy that Republican crowd so bad that they won't be able to find a Rubel in the rubble."<ref>''Jackson Clarion-Ledger,'' October 31, 1967.</ref>​

Phillips obtained the endorsement of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, which sent a rival delegation to the 1964 national party convention in [[Atlantic City]], [[New Jersey]]. The Freedom Democrats backed Phillips because he had expressed his own doubts that Williams as governor would be able to fight the desegregation policies of the then [[United States Department of Health and Human Services|United States Department of Health, Education and Welfare]].<ref>''U.S. News and World Report,'' LXII (November 20, 1967), p. 35.</ref>​

Phillips obtained the endorsement of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, which sent a rival delegation to the 1964 national party convention in [[Atlantic City]], [[New Jersey]]. The Freedom Democrats backed Phillips because he had expressed his own doubts that Williams as governor would be able to fight the desegregation policies of the then [[United States Department of Health and Human Services|United States Department of Health, Education and Welfare]].<ref>''U.S. News and World Report,'' LXII (November 20, 1967), p. 35.</ref>​

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As in 1963, the ''Greenville Delta Democrat-Times'' endorsed Phillips in 1967, having hailed his racial-moderation speech as "frank, honest, courageous ... the unvarnished truth."<ref name="autogenerated1967">''Greenville Delta Democrat-Times'' November 5, 1967</ref> The paper claimed that Phillips had abandoned the earlier GOP efforts to "out-Dixiecrat the Dixiecrats," a reference to [[Strom Thurmond]]'s 1948 presidential campaign.<ref name="autogenerated1967"/> An unidentified Republican told ''[[U.S. News and World Report]]'' that the GOP had "thrown off the tag of being a racist, segregationist party in the South." <ref>''U.S. News and World Report,'' November 20, 1967, p. 35.</ref>​

As in 1963, ''The Greenville Delta Democrat-Times'' endorsed Phillips in 1967, having hailed his racial-moderation speech as "frank, honest, courageous ... the unvarnished truth."<ref name="autogenerated1967">''Greenville Delta Democrat-Times,'' November 5, 1967.</ref> The paper claimed that Phillips had abandoned the earlier GOP efforts to "out-Dixiecrat the Dixiecrats," a reference to [[Strom Thurmond]]'s 1948 presidential campaign.<ref name="autogenerated1967"/> An unidentified Republican told ''[[U.S. News and World Report]]'' that the GOP had "thrown off the tag of being a racist, segregationist party in the South." <ref>''U.S. News and World Report,'' November 20, 1967, p. 35.</ref>​

 

==1967 election results==​

==1967 election results==​

 

Phillips was rudely treated during his appearance at the Tri-State Fair in Greenville<ref>''Greenville Delta Democrat-Times,'' October 5, 1967.</ref> even though Washington County gave him his best vote in the state in both 1963 (61 percent) and 1967 (49.7 percent). Overall, Phillips received only 133,379 votes (29.7 percent), 5,136 fewer than in 1963. Williams polled 315,318 votes.<ref>State of Mississippi, Election Statistics, 1967.</ref> One Republican told ''Time'' magazine that the results had halted Republican growth in Mississippi by probably fifteen years.<ref>''Time Magazine,'' November 17, 1967, p. 29.</ref> The GOP lost its three seats in the Mississippi legislature. Republican Representative Lewis McAllister, Jr., was among those defeated though he polled a majority within the boundaries of his former Meridian-based district. Two others who lost their seats were state Senator Seelig Wise and Representative Charles Pringle. A rare Republican victory was the election of Roy Fulton as a supervisor in Washington County. Even the Republican coroner in Hinds County, Dr. Thomas Davis, was swept from office in the Williams landslide. Phillips wired Williams to offer congratulations and support for what he called the new governor's "every progressive endeavor."<ref>''Challenging the Status Quo," p. 262.</ref>​

Phillips was rudely treated during his appearance at the Tri-State Fair in Greenville<ref>''Greenville Delta Democrat-Times,'' October 5, 1967.</ref> even though Washington County gave him his best vote in the state in both 1963 (61 percent) and 1967 (49.7 percent). Overall, Phillips received only 133,379 votes (29.7 percent), 5,136 fewer than in 1963. Williams polled 315,318 votes.<ref>State of Mississippi, Election Statistics, 1967.</ref> One Republican told ''Time'' magazine that the results had halted Republican growth in Mississippi by probably fifteen years.<ref>''Time Magazine,'' November 17, 1967, p. 29.</ref> The GOP lost its three seats in the Mississippi legislature. Republican Representative Lewis McAllister, Jr., was among those defeated though he polled a majority within the boundaries of his former Meridian-based district. Two others who lost their seats were state Senator Seelig Wise and Representative Charles Pringle. A rare Republican victory was the election of Roy Fulton as a supervisor in Washington County. Even the Republican coroner in Hinds County, Dr. Thomas Davis, was swept from office in the Williams landslide. Phillips wired Williams to offer congratulations and support for what he called the new governor's "every progressive endeavor."<ref>''Challenging the Status Quo," p. 262.</ref>

 

The Mississippi GOP slowly rebounded from Phillips' defeat. Five years later in 1972, two Republicans, [[Thad Cochran]] and [[Trent Lott]], were elected to the U.S. House and both eventually became influential U.S. Senators as well. Senator Lott was succeeded by another Republican still in office, [[Roger Wicker]]. The GOP did not offer a gubernatorial candidate in 1971 but has done so in all elections since 1975. The party nominee did not prevail until 1991, with the victory of the late Kirk Fordice. Since Fordice's two terms, [[Haley Barbour]] has also served two terms as governor. In 2012, a third Republican, [[Phil Bryant]], assumed the office. In the 2011 elections and steps down in 2020. Republicans also won control of both houses of the legislature, advances unimaginable at the time of Rubel Phillips' second gubernatorial defeat.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.enterprise-journal.com/opinion/article_db724200-9c46-11e0-8a04-001cc4c002e0.html|title=Editorial: "How Times Have Changed"|publisher=enterprise-journal.com|accessdate=December 1, 2011}}</ref>​

The Mississippi GOP slowly rebounded from Phillips' defeat. Five years later in 1972, two Republicans, [[Thad Cochran]] and [[Trent Lott]], were elected to the U.S. House and both eventually became influential U.S. Senators as well. Senator Lott was succeeded by another Republican still in office, [[Roger Wicker]]. The GOP did not offer a gubernatorial candidate in 1971 but has done so in all elections since 1975. The party nominee did not prevail until 1991, with the victory of the late Kirk Fordice. Since Fordice's two terms, [[Haley Barbour]] has also served two terms as governor. In 2012, a third Republican, [[Phil Bryant]], assumed the office. In the 2011 elections and steps down in 2020. Republicans also won control of both houses of the legislature, advances unimaginable at the time of Rubel Phillips' second gubernatorial defeat.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.enterprise-journal.com/opinion/article_db724200-9c46-11e0-8a04-001cc4c002e0.html|title=Editorial: "How Times Have Changed"|publisher=enterprise-journal.com|accessdate=December 1, 2011}}</ref>​