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Presidential politics played a 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>​

Presidential politics played a 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>​