16. November 2007 by P. Leslie Riley.

Now that the election is over, the obvious question becomes : “Now what ?”

Well, first, I am going to give my wife & children some well earned time with their husband/ Daddy.  I and they need a time of rest & Spiritual renewal. To that end, we will seek to walk closer with our Lord.

Secondly, the campaign put me way behind on making a living and with a family of 11, that can make things tough.
So, I will concentrate on trying to catch up/ earn some income and we will “batten down the hatches” for the winter & try to stretch a little bit a long way.

Beyond that, we intend to remain in the fight on a number of fronts. We still stand for the Cause of Christ; for the family; for liberty; for limited government; for safe foods; for independence in food, fiber & energy; and for a economic & cultural renewal in rural Mississippi built around bottom up, decentralized agricultural prosperity.

 For the time being, we will leave the www.RileyforAgriculture.com web site live & I will be blogging there fairly regularly. At some point, we will likely be altering it to something not specific to the campaign with the same Conservative, populist, pro-liberty, small government Rural Renewal themes.

Also, you can keep up with what the Mississippi Constitution Party will be doing here in Mississippi through our site & blog here : http://www.mississippicp.com/ 

 And, for my personal rants on everything from farming to family to history to theology to politics to practical Christian living go to my personal web site www.lesriley.net where most of the action takes place on the Discussion Board ( which basically functions as a blog site).

*********************

We are considering things like  :
~~ Future Runs for Political office
~~ Helping other candidates that stand for the same things
~~ Continuing to build the Mississippi Constitution Party into a vibrant political force
~~ Standing for/ against issues in the state as the need arises
~~ Promoting/ hosting events aimed at the restoration of the Christian family as the cornerstone of our culture
~~ A Possible Radio program/ pod cast/ web cast
~~ Private Sector Efforts to promote Value Added Agriculture & Profitability for Family Farms

And more.

Keep in touch
Les Riley & Family

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9. November 2007 by P. Leslie Riley.

“Common Sense from the Piney Woods” is a conservative blog based in South, Mississippi. Here is his election analysis :

http://www.commonsensefromthepineywoods.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Just how impressive was Les Riley’s Showing?

Riley has a lot to be proud of

I have to give a big hand to Les Riley for his showing in the Ag. Commissioner’s Race. Riley was a big underdog from the start. He worked hard, he got his message out and he convinced many that he was the true conservative in the race. He worked the Internet blogs and interactive forums very effectively. He even caused Ricky Cole to follow his lead and venture onto the www.myHattiesburg.com forum community where they each laid out their platforms and took questions from forum members.

From what we’ve learned the Dem. base is 39% before the ballots are even cast and the GOP base is near 40%. Riley started with 0% and gained 7.04% of the popular vote or 47,724. That’s quite an accomplishment for the obstacles he faced. Beef Plant Spell the long time incumbent took the win with 50.8% or 342,884 votes. Cole took 42.1% of the vote or 281,685 actual votes. There were 672,293 votes cast in the race. Cole started the night with 262,195 (39%), and added 19,490 to that total. Spell started the night with 268,917 and added 73,967 to that number (hope he’s thanked Gov. Barbour for the coat tails). Riley started with basically zero and added 47,724 through campaigning.Considering that he spent a fraction of what the other two spent, it looks like Riley out worked them. Some will say a vote for a third party candidate is a wasted vote, I voted for Riley and will never consider it a wasted vote.

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7. November 2007 by P. Leslie Riley.

Support Idealism over Cynicism — Vote Riley for Agriculture
www.RileyForAgriculture.com -
A Conservative Voice for Rural Mississippi - Smaller Government & Safer Food for All

Dear Friends of Freedom & Farming in Mississippi,

I called Commissioner Spell this morning to congratulate him on his victory. When I got off the phone, I heard Dr. Marty Wiseman ( Director of the John C. Stennis Institute of Government at Mississippi State) being interviewed on the radio about the election results and our race came up.

Dr. Wiseman, told the host that “third party candidate is like a red wasp. They sting & it hurts, but then they go away & die.”

As Mark Twain quipped, “Reports of my demise have been greatly exagerated.”  I think Dr. Wiseman may need to go over to MSU’s entemology dept & check his facts. Unlike bees, wasps do not die after they sting and can sting multiple times.I am writing to thank the voters of Mississippi for giving me nearly 50,000 votes (7%) – even though we did not have the resources or name recognition of my two opponents; to thank the handful of media outlets that gave our campaign a fair hearing; to let people know that Les Riley and the Constitution Party have a lot to build on and will be heard from again; and to declare victory on several fronts — even though we weren’t able to get enough votes to take the office this time.1) We won because we did our duty. Stonewall Jackson & John Quincy Adams both made similar statements along the lines of “Duty is ours, results are God’s”.

Posted in 3rd Parties, Constitution Party, Lester Spell, Rickey Cole, Media Coverage, Riley for Agriculture Campaign, Smaller Government, How Agriculture affects Everything else, Mississippi Politics, Freedom in Agriculture | Print | No Comments »

7. November 2007 by P. Leslie Riley.

Posted in Rickey Cole, Lester Spell, Media Coverage, Riley for Agriculture Campaign, Mississippi Politics | Print | No Comments »

5. November 2007 by P. Leslie Riley.

I received copies of two endorsement letters last night. If you did not already, plesae forward these to your friends. The first is from Chuck Baggett, an elder in my church & personal friend who is sending his first political endorsement letter. The second is from a long time GOP activst (Ross Aldridge) who is voting for a 3rd Party candidate for the first time ever.Letter from Chuck Baggett, New Albany, Mississippi

Hi all,

This is a first for me, but I’m writing to ask for your support for
Leslie Riley as Commissioner of Agriculture. Leslie is the only
conservative in this field of admitted Democrat Rickey Cole and Democrat
turned Republican Lester Spell — that’s Lester Spell of $55 Million in
taxpayer dollars to the failed Cull Cattle Plant. That’s Lester Spell
of who it is everyone’s fault but mine. I recently attended a debate
between these three at MSU, and the difference was made abundantly
clear: Both Mr. Cole and Mr. Spell attempted to answer each question
with how the government can help. Leslie Riley believes the first
question to ask is whether the particular issue is even the business of
government. Many of his answers during the debate had to do with
getting government out of the way of free enterprise so that issues
could be addressed by private entities.

Most folks don’t think much about Commissioner of Agriculture. This
position though is one that regulates both food in grocery stores and
gas at the pump, among many other things. If you eat or buy gas, this
position should be of some importance to you.

I’ve had the privilege to observe Leslie’s life over the past 2-3 years
since they began attending Christ Community Church. He is a dedicated,
consistent believer who steadfastly believes that God’s law triumphs all
other laws. When you talk to him, it is obvious that he has thought out
much more than most folks how his beliefs work themselves out in so many
areas of life. He is also a strict constitutionalist (running under the
Constitution party, for which he serves as state president), believes in
limited government and that government is not the answer for all that is
wrong in the world.

The father of nine living children, he is consistently and adamantly
pro-life.

You can learn more about him from his website, www.rileyforagriculture.com

You may not have heard much about him, but that’s because Leslie has run
his campaign with a very limited budget, and much of the media has
ignored him since he is not running on either the Republican of
Democratic ticket. I know he would greatly appreciate your vote, and
if after looking closer you feel that he represents those beliefs that
you also hold dear, please let others know of his candidacy.

Chuck

Letter from long time Republican political operative Ross Aldridge

Family & Friends:

The kind of day I live and work for is almost here–ELECTION DAY ‘07. I have watched this one grow for over a year and from a political science perspective, as well as partisan, this WILL be a turning point in Mississippi History. Just one example–the politics of the next decade is being written. How? Because the Legislature that is elected this Tuesday will draw the new district lines after the 2010 Census. Other long term issues abound–Katrina Recovery, Illegal aliens, Tort Reform–just to name a few.

On a specific note, the election of Agriculture Commissioner could make history, also. Most of you know that I have supported the GOP for over twenty-five years–longer than I could vote. Supporting the ‘conservative cause’ meant voting GOP. Goldwater and Reagan ‘were’ our standard bearers. Much has changed regarding ideology and principle, just since 1988–change not to the ‘right’ but backsliding to the ‘left.’ Our Party has been invaded by (or infected with) RINOs, republicans-in-name-only. On the national scene there are plenty of examples, Giuliani being one of the best. On the State level, it is none other than ‘Johnny-come-lately’ Lester Spell. (The negative effect of the RINOs is obvious and something I will save for a later ‘lesson.’ )

I will be voting this Tuesday and I will be voting GOP in every race, save one. Lester is a RINO. He slithered into the Party during the height of the Auditor’s/FBI investigation into the Beef Plant debacle (aka-Cattlegate). Now, he says he had good intentions but that it was an honest attempt that went wrong. He admits NO FAULT. I say ‘BULL.’ Need proof–just look at the documents listed on the Auditor’s website. Our Performance Audit Division researched well the ‘birthing’ of the Beef Plant, studying the actions of the Land, Water, & Timber Board, which Lester co-chairs. He knew early on how a cull cattle plant would have a hard time making a profit under the best conditions, turning a blind eye on the MSU study. Then there was the LWT’s lack of holding the Beef Plant ‘administrator’ accountable. On and on I could go about Lester’s role in ‘Cattlegate.’ Other issues–funny how Lester only worries about imported foods and labeling around election time; he still stands behind getting rid of our current Flag; and then there is the new Farmers Market–how well is it doing considering what it cost to build? These are NOT the actions of a ‘conservative’ nor a true Republican.

Folks, there is a ‘conservative’ alternative, Les Riley of Pototoc. I have known Les for over two years and his principles I’ve known much longer. Conservative and reform-minded are just a few of Les Riley’s qualities. Devout and dedicated are two more. He is no fake. Les says he is conservative, he acts conservative and that which he promotes as a candidate for Agr. Commissioner is what the philosophy of ‘conservatism’ calls for. Mississippi should be able to promote and protect one of its largest industries without the intrusion of the ‘federal’ government through excessive regulations, mandates and non-representative made administrative ‘law.’ Les Riley knows agriculture–what it needs to succeed and how it not only benefits our broad economy but how it rewards those individuals who ‘grow it.’ The FAMILY FARM, part of Mississippi’s rural greatness and cultural identity, could be a thing of the past by the middle of this century. Les Riley says lets make it where those ‘Fathers of Farming’ need not worry about passing down through their sons and daughters the virtues of tilling the land, growing a crop and harvesting a product. The future holds greater technology for agricultural output from chicken producing to alternative fuels–all areas where ‘Les knows Best.’

I am confident in my support for Les Riley. For the first time since I started voting in 1983 I am going with a third party candidate. Like every vote I have ever cast I am true to the philosophy of the Founders of our Republic and our State–less government, individual responsibility, property rights and Faith in the Sovereign GOD that made it all.

You have a choice Tuesday between two democrats and one conservative. Put being principled over being pragmatic. Les Riley does–and will, as your next Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce.

With Great Affection and Sincere Devotion, I am

Humbly Yours,
Ross

P.S. Please forward this message, if you agree, with your own comments to everyone in your address book living in our great Magnolia State. My thanks to each of you.

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5. November 2007 by P. Leslie Riley.

Support Idealism over Cynicism — Vote Riley for Agriculture
www.RileyForAgriculture.com -
A Conservative Voice for Rural Mississippi - Smaller Government & Safer Food for All

PLEASE RSVP
You’re Invited to the

 Riley for Ag Victory Party

Tues. Nov. 6 - 7:30 PM at the Riley home in Pontotoc County

Friends,

This Tuesday night (Nov. 6), we will be watching the election returns & hosting a victory party for all the folks who have helped on the campaign from 7:30 until the results are in. Please plan on coming for a little while or staying all evening. Please e-mail or call at the numbers below if you’d like to come.

It may seem presumptuous to plan a “Victory Party” before the votes are counted — especially for a “third party” candidate that conventional wisdom gives no chance of winning. However, I believe we have already won this race on several fronts :

1) We won because we did our duty. Stonewall Jackson & John Quincy Adams both made similar statements along the lines of “Duty is ours, results are God’s”. God has already foreordained who will get the most votes on Tuesday. He requires us to be faithful — me by running/ you by working & voting.

2) We won because we introduced ideas & principles about the role of government that were long since thought of as forgotten.

3) We won because we ran a postive, honourable, issues-based campaign. We pushed our ideals & our vision. In this age of vicious character assasinations and surface level marketing of a candidate like any other product we have done things the right way.

4) We won because we have given Mississippians something to vote for rather than merely something to vote against.

And

5) We won because we have made so many new friends and built a grassroots coalition that we can work with to have a postitive impact on our state for years to come (inside or outside the Ag Com office).

So again, please accept our invitation to come watch the returns with us and have a good time of fellowship. 

Tuesday, November 6, 2007 beginning at 7:30. At the Riley home in Pontotoc County ( call for directions).

Thank you,

Leslie & Christy Riley

662-489-6505 home

662-308-8391 Leslie cell

662-308-8394 Christy cell

lesriley@bellsouth.net

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31. October 2007 by P. Leslie Riley.

State Snapshot

Previous Photo Next Photo

SHARING A LAUGH — Prior to a Tuesday night debate at MSU, state agriculture and commerce commissioner candidates (from left) Leslie Riley Jr., Lester Spell and Rickey Cole shared a laugh backstage at the university’s McComas Hall theater. Spell is the Republican incumbent, while Riley and Cole are candidates of the Constitutional and Democratic parties, respectively. Sponsored by the student Stennis-Montgomery Association, the debate drew an audience of approximately 260.  (Oct 24, 2007 Photo by Kristen Hines)

Posted in Rickey Cole, Lester Spell, Media Coverage, Riley for Agriculture Campaign | Print | No Comments »

30. October 2007 by P. Leslie Riley.

Mississippi Prayer Warriors is a non partisan Christian political web site. They sent me a questionare a few weeks back. They posted this today :

http://mississippiprayerwarriors.org/lesriley.html

Leslie Riley, Jr. Speaks with MPW

1) How does faith play a role in shaping your views, platforms, and voting practices?
It plays the central and dominant role.
At the beginning of the Great Commission, Jesus Christ declares :”ALL authority in heaven & on earth has been given to me” and Romans 13 tells us that “all authority comes from God.”

Government is a God-ordained institution. Those who would govern should do so in the fear of the Lord and giving due dilligence to govern within the parameters God has given the civil magistrate. ( This is even tru for unbelievers — Psalm 2).
This is even more for a sinner who has been saved by the grace & mercy of Christ. The way we live affects the reputation of our Saviour. Beyond that, Jesus Christ is not only our Saviour, but our Lord. If the way we think & live — not only in the realm of politics, but in our families, our communities, our workplaces, should be under the — should be changed if we have truly been transformed from the Kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of His Son.

As far as my platform goes. I would encourage you to go to read the Constitution Party platform which is the most distinctively, unappologetically Christian platform you will find. My general views on politics and the Christian in a nutshell can be found in this peice I wrote after the 2006 Congressional elections — before I decided to run for Ag Com.

2) Do believe that your constituency see you as a leader of faith?
I would hope so, but I would be much more concerned that my Lord would see me as a faithful servant & child.

3) How could our organization pray for you specifically?
Pray for protection for me & my family and that we would be granted wisdom, discernment, boldness, & humility.

4) What upcoming issues do you see as particularly requiring a faith-based decision?
If you will see my first answer, I think it will basically answer this question as well.

Rev. R.J. Rushdoony once said : “All ideas are inherently religious”. By this he meant that a person’s understanding of the nature of God, the nature of man, and the relationship between the two will determine what you belive about everything else.

In light of the fact that God’s Word says “the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof ” and other such claims of Supreme, undivided, Sovreign authority, there is no square milimeter of creation that is outside of His rule. We cannot, therefore, separate & compartmentalize issues. Our faith governs our views on ALL issues.
This does not mean that we attach Christian words and phraseology to everything we do, but rather we live out our faith in the way we make decisions and the decisions that we make. ( James 2)

I certainly covet your prayers.
Thanks for the opportunity,

Leslie Riley

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30. October 2007 by P. Leslie Riley.

Six months ago no one thought we would get over 1-2%. Now a Republican site is guessing that I’ll get 20%. We are gaining ground, keep putting the word out.

http://rightofmississippi.wordpress.com/2007/10/30/2007-mississippi-statewide-election-predictions/

2007 Mississippi Statewide Election Predictions
Right of Mississippi 2007 Predictions:

This is on record 7 days out, we have carefully studied all of these campaigns for nearly a year now and this is our best guess on the final outcome.

Governor: VERY SAFE GOP

Haley Barbour: 58.4%

John Arthur Eaves Jr: 41.6%

Lt. Gov: SAFE GOP

Phil Bryant: 56.1%

Jamie Franks: 43.9%

SOS: SAFE GOP

Delbert Hosemann: 55.9%

Rob Smith: 44.1%

Attorney General: SAFE DEM

Jim Hood: 55.3%

Al Hopkins: 44.7%

State Treasurer: VERY SAFE GOP

Tate Reeves: 60.1%

Shawn O’Hara: 39.9%

State Auditor: TOO CLOSE TO CALL/LEAN GOP

Stacey Pickering: 51.8%

Mike Sumrall: 48.2%

Insurance Commissioner: TOO CLOSE TO CALL/SLIGHT LEAN DEM

Gary Anderson: 51.0%

Mike Chaney: 49.0%

Commissioner of Agriculture: TOO CLOSE TO CALL

Lester Spell: 40.4%

Rickey Cole: 39.5%

Les Riley: 20.1%

The 3 of us here at ROM personally called through our address books and got responses from about 50 voters, hardly a random sample but it helped us please feel free to discuss and disagree, things could change in the next week and we will show updates if we make them. Make your own scorecard and we can compare in a week.

Posted in Lester Spell, Rickey Cole, 3rd Parties, Media Coverage, Riley for Agriculture Campaign, Mississippi Politics | Print | No Comments »

30. October 2007 by P. Leslie Riley.

Sid Salter is the political columnist/ editor for the Clarion Ledger & his column is published statewide. Mr. Salter has been very fair & balanced in its coverage of the Ag race. The most recent entry in his blog is no exception ( Salter’s blog post below) . . . let’s just hope he’s wrong about the 5 to 8% and we even get in excess of the 20 % that Right of Mississippi ( a Conservative Republican site) is guessing. We can still win. Keep working !
( the post about the Ag Com race is about half way down the page)

http://www.clarionledger.com/misc/blogs/ssalter/sidblog.html

Les Riley may well decide the Ag Commissioner’s race

While most of the attention has been on incumbent Republican Agriculture Commissioner Lester Spell and his Democratic challenger Rickey Cole, the fact is that the deciding factor in that race may be Constitution Party candidate Les Riley.

Riley, who is a legitimate candidate with the ability to run the Department of Agriculture and Commerce, is not your average third party or fringe candidate. Riley is working hard, campaigning across a wide area with limited resources and has a following.

Superior resources and incumbency should be enough to re-elect Spell. But Spell’s consistent policy of throwing fellow Republicans, state legislators, Mississippi State University and anyone else he can under the bus by blaming them for the failed Mississippi Beef Processors plant will make it hard for a lot of Republicans to vote for Spell. There are a significant number of Republicans telling me they just can’t vote for him.

That leaves them in the position of either voting for Cole, a staunch Democrat, or for Riley. I think a lot of frustrated Republicans may park their vote with Riley.

That could put Spell shy of winning a 50 percent plus one vote majority needed to win and throw the vote into the Democrat-controlled House, which will almost certainly elect Cole.

If Riley can take from 5 to 8 percent of the vote, Spell will be in trouble.

Posted in Lester Spell, Rickey Cole, Beef Plant, Constitution Party, 3rd Parties, Riley for Agriculture Campaign, Media Coverage, Mississippi Politics | Print | No Comments »