• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

O'Keefe Kicks Off Senate Campaign: Democrat Backs 12 Mile Goal

Posted on: Tuesday, 21 March 2006, 09:00 CST

By Tracy Dash, The Sun Herald, Biloxi, Miss.

Mar. 21--GULFPORT -- James O'Keefe, son of former Biloxi Mayor Jerry O'Keefe, started his career digging graves for his father's funeral home business, but believed he had a calling to do more with his life.

The 54-year-old businessman revealed that calling Monday night to about 50 people who attended his campaign kickoff for the U.S. Senate.

"I'm no different than you, trying to make a living every day," O'Keefe said. "I knew one day this was my destiny."

O'Keefe is one of four Democrats in the race. The winner of the June 6 Democratic primary will face longtime GOP Sen. Trent Lott and Libertarian Harold M. Taylor of Nesbit in the Nov. 7 general election.

The other Democrats are Bill Bowlin of Hickory Flat, Erik Fleming of Clinton and Catherine M. Starr of Hattiesburg.

O'Keefe supports the 12 Mile South Coalition, which is opposed to drilling in the Gulf. He criticized statements Lott made last year in the Sun Herald that described the fight as "ridiculous."

"We cannot be represented by this type of arrogance," O'Keefe said.

O'Keefe

-----

Copyright (c) 2006, The Sun Herald, Biloxi, Miss.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

For information on republishing this content, contact us at (800) 661-2511 (U.S.), (213) 237-4914 (worldwide), fax (213) 237-6515, or e-mail reprints@krtinfo.com.

Source: The Sun Herald (Biloxi, Miss.)

More News in this Category