Shows Drops Out Of Miss. Senate Race

Ronnie Shows, a former Democratic congressman from Mississippi, announced today that he has dropped his nascent Senate bid against Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and endorsed the candidacy of former Democratic Gov. Ronnie Musgrove.

“After weeks of talking to my family and friends, I have come to the conclusion that we would not be able to raise the millions of dollars needed to compete with a former governor and the handpicked candidate from the sitting governor,” Shows said in a statement.

“I look forward in the coming months to helping Gov. Musgrove win this election so Mississippi will have a senator who will work to end the partisan bickering that prevents Washington from getting anything done.”

Musgrove will now face Wicker one on one in a November 2008 special election. Wicker, the former 1st District congressman, was appointed by Gov. Haley Barbour, to fill the vacant seat of former Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.).

The state is heavily Republican, having given President Bush 59 percent of the vote in 2004. 

Shows served in Congress for two terms, but in 2002, the state’s redistricting pitted him against Rep. Chip Pickering (R-Miss.) and he handily lost his reelection bid — even within his old district.