Setting the Record Straight

Throughout this race, it has been the Toby Barker Campaign`s policy to run an efficient, organized and positive campaign. We have never talked negatively about our opponent on the campaign trail, and we have never condoned any public criticism of him. We were determined to run a different kind of campaign. We did not campaign negatively. We did not put signs in city right-of-ways. We did not do misleading phone surveys.

We knew that we would win this race by working hard on the ground level.

We hoped that our opponent, his party and his supporters would run by the same mantra. However, with two weeks remaining in the race, Mr. Matthews broke his word, allowing three negative mail pieces (as of Tuesday, Oct. 30) to run to selected voters in District 102. Over the weekend, a similar commercial ran as well.

These mail pieces were charged with some of the most irresponsible and untrue accusations imaginable. And while we trust the judgment of voters to discern between truth and garbage, we want to officially set the record straight on one of the more ridiculous accusations of Mr. Matthews.

The most disturbing of all accusations was made through a mail piece that ran Thursday, October 25, depicting Mr. Matthews as the protector of freedom and Toby Barker as someone who wanted to take away guns from law-abiding citizens. Nothing could be further from the truth, and Mr. Matthews knows this.

Toby Barker received a A rating from the National Rifle Association in its final assessment. This A rating was sent electronically to every NRA member in District 102 and can be seen on the NRA's website.

Toby Barker believes in protecting the right to bear arms. Toby Barker supports the Castle Doctrine passed in the Mississippi legislature to ensure citizens have the ability to protect their families and their property. Indeed, Toby Barker is the candidate who believes in small government and personal liberty.

The sad truth is that Mr. Matthews, the Democratic Party and other third party organizations supporting him will stop at nothing to win this race. We know that in the next few days, possibly even as you read this, another false or misrepresented campaign ad might have already appeared. The Toby Barker Campaign, however, will not campaign in a reactive way. While we felt the need to respond to such this particular false allegation and prepare our supporters for more of these, we will not try to respond to every negative statement that comes from Mr. Matthews and his party.

We will continue to work hard in the right way, and we know that our positive vision for Hattiesburg and all of Mississippi will be rewarded on November 6.

We hope you'll join us in spreading the right message.