A Look Back at the Travis Childers 2010 Campaign



This was the official website for the 2008 and 2010 campaigns of Travis Childers, a member of the Democratic Party and a socially conservative county official from the far northeastern corner of the Mississippi. He successfully wrested the congressional seat away from the Republicans in this deeply conservative state. He won the seat vacated by Rep. Roger Wicker in 2008 in a special election for the for Mississippi 1st District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Serving out the final months of that term before having to gear up in November of 2008 for a full two-year term, Travis Childers ended up serving as the U.S. Representative for Mississippi's 1st congressional district from 2008 to 2011. Childers ran for the United States Senate in 2014, but lost the election to the Republican incumbent Thad Cochran.
Content is from the site's 2008 - 2010 archived pages as well as from other outside sources.

Content below is for historical reference only.

 

2008 Campaign News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY,MAY 124, 2008

Travis Childers wins decisive victory in Mississippi special election

OONEVILLE (Wednesday, May 14, 2008) – Congressman-Elect Travis Childers today released the following statement on his decisive 54 percent-46 percent victory to represent the people of Mississippi's 1st Congressional District:

“I am honored and humbled that the people of Mississippi's 1st District have placed their trust in me to represent them in Congress and honored by the strong support we have received.

“Our victory was a great win, not for any political party, but for the working families of North Mississippi who need someone to stand up for them and get results. I plan to hit the ground running in Congress and work with both parties to get things accomplished on priorities like creating jobs, fixing our economy and bringing down skyrocketing gas and health care prices.

“Even though there has been national interest in this race, for me this campaign has always been about winning the endorsement of the working families of North Mississippi, and I am proud to have received their support.”

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Meet Travis

Travis Childers knows hard work.

After the death of his father when Travis was 16 years-old and still in high school, he worked nights and weekends at Booneville's first convenience store to help support his mother and sister and then worked his way through college.

As a local small business owner and economic development leader, Travis Childers has made payroll and helped recruit and create thousands of jobs in North Mississippi.

In 2008, Travis won a special election to fill the seat of Congressman for Mississippi's First District in the U.S. House of Representatives left vacant by Senator Roger Wicker. He ran in and won five elections in 2008 before he gained a full term in November.


Travis, 52, has already established himself as an independent voice for North Mississippi, and the National Journal even ranked him as one of the most independent Members of Congress. He has consistently worked hard to create jobs, jumpstart the economy, and protect North Mississippi values.

Travis won the endorsements of the National Rifle Association (NRA), earning an “A-plus” pro-gun voting record, and the National Right to Life for his “exemplary pro-life record.” He also received the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Spirit of Enterprise Award in recognition of his pro-business record.

Travis is a product of Mississippi public schools from grade school through college. He attended Northeast Mississippi Junior College and the University of Mississippi, where in 1980 he received a degree in business administration. Even before graduating from Ole Miss, Travis was licensed as a realtor. He soon joined the real estate business of Robert Davis in his hometown of Booneville.

First elected in 1991, Travis served 16 years as Prentiss County Chancery Clerk. He balanced 16 budgets and was ranked as one of the most fiscally responsible Clerks in the state. His hard work and strong leadership were further recognized in 2001-2002 when Travis was chosen to serve as President of the Mississippi Chancery Clerks Association.

Travis has been married for 29 years to the former Tami Gibson. The couple has two children – Dustin, an Ole Miss graduate and a recent graduate of the Mississippi College School of Law, and Lauren, a senior at Ole Miss. They all are members of East Booneville Baptist Church.

Together, Tami and Travis also own the Landmark Community, a personal care home, and the Landmark Nursing Center, an 80-bed skilled care facility and Alzheimer's unit.

Travis will continue to proudly represent Mississippi's First Congressional District by putting North Mississippi first, creating jobs, jumpstarting the economy, and standing up for North Mississippi values.

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Jump ahead to 2020 with Some observations: I would think that owning a nursing home during the Covid 19 pandemic must be tough. Although I live in NYC where we had our own overwhelming and devastating surge with Covid 19 in this past Spring, I follow the spread of the virus in Mississippi because some of my family live in Booneville where Travis Childers Landmark Nursing and Rehab Center is located. As of 11/15/2020, this home reported 53 COVID-19 infection cases among its residents and staff up from 14 the week before. It's pretty shocking, but I guess not unexpected considering. Even while recognizing masks were highly effective in cutting virus transmission, Gov. Tate Reeves let the mandate expire Nov 11 instead of extending it by several weeks as he has done before. Then Thanksgiving occurred> Today my cousin sent me an article she saw online at www.wapt.com/ that: JACKSON, Miss.
Mississippi’s COVID-19 numbers are surging and health leaders said the first cases from Thanksgiving gatherings are being reported.
The alarmingly high case numbers started last week. State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs announced on Twitter over the weekend that the Thanksgiving surge has arrived. The high numbers are expected to keep rising.
“We are starting to see increases just in the last five days. We have gone from in the high 50s to the low 70s,” said Dr. Allan Jones, University of Mississippi Medical Center vice chancellor of clinical affairs.

Fortunately, Gov. Tate Reeves has placed more than 50 of the state’s 82 counties on mask mandates and indicated Monday in a tweet that he will update his executive order this week. Perhaps he shouldn't have let it expire at the beginning of November.

It was appalling that yesterday over 3100 people died from Covid. Even NYC is seeing a rise in cases. I feel lucky that I have able to work from home. As a freelance graphic / website designer I have always worked from my place, unlike many of my friends who had to make that adjustment.

Needless to say a lot of people are having a hard time with all this Covid. Conflicts between even family members as to whether Covid is really that serious to wearing a mask, abound. Family violence, alcohol and drug use are up. I feel so thankful that my alcohol use is under control due to an alternative method from the standard abstinence-only treatments, instead using medication to stop drinking. Two years ago before Covid hit I foud a website call LifeBAC that changed my relationship with alcohol. Supported by their proven, medication-backed online program, I was able to cut back to only moderately drinking. The craving was gone. I won't say it was effortless to accomplish my goal, but I am now able to choose when and how much I drink instead of the mindless consumption that I indulged in for several years. Once you are approved for the LifeBac program you can access your custom medication plan through the LifeBac mobile app or web portal. Depending on whether you choose Baclofen or Naltrexone, the medication is delivered directly to your door in discreet packaging. within 3-5 days.The LifeBAC program is HIPAA-approved in-app telemedicine, so there is no need to go to a doctor's office. I was able to set my own goals, achieving them at my own pace. A client also has unlimited access to LifeBAC's vast array of tools, online support group, and LifeBac guides to help shape your own journey. The site says " LifeBac clients see a 50% reduction in drinking by month 3, and a staggering 82% after 6 months." I don't know if those statistics are accurate. All I know is that their method worked for me.

Right now I am working on two ad campaigns, one for Pinterest and one for Facebook under the guidance of Liat Kuttner, one of the principals at the firm, SEO ZEN. She and her partner are search engine experts NYC vicinity. My most recent client introduced me to this SEO firm. It's been a great learning experience for me. I hope I can work with them on other projects.

Meanwhile, like many folks, I an anxiously awaiting a Covid vaccine. Even if it gets approved in the next week or so, I suspect I won't be getting it till next spring or summer. I certainly hope the elderly and those in nursing homes, along with staff and other front line workers get sooner.

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2010
Travis on the Issues

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JOB CREATION & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Travis Childers knows what it's like to struggle. His number one priority as Congressman is, and will continue to be, jump starting our economy and making sure every North Mississippian who wants to work has a job. Travis has fought for major investments in our schools and infrastructure to save jobs and create new ones, and has fought to end tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas. As a small businessman himself, Travis knows how important small businesses are to job creation and economic development. That's why he's consistently worked to encourage investment in small businesses and provide small business tax credits and loans. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce recently recognized Travis's pro-business record by honoring him with the Spirit of Enterprise Award.

GIVING OUR CHILDREN THE EDUCATION THEY NEED TO SUCCEED Travis believes that a good education is the best jobs program, and the best way for North Mississippians to lift themselves up, especially during economically trying times. He will also continue to support teaching jobs throughout the district to both prevent unemployment and ensure our children receive the education they need to secure good-paying jobs and contribute to a skilled workforce in Mississippi's First District. He'll also keep working to make higher education opportunities more accessible and affordable.

Travis Childers’s Education Platform

Travis Childers will continue building on his record of putting North Mississippi first and providing our children with a quality education by:

1. Ensuring that North Mississippi students receive the education they need to secure good-paying jobs and compete in a highly-skilled workforce.
Travis has increased investment and encouraged interest in science, technology, engineering and math education, and has worked with Mississippi universities to support programs that lead to highly-skilled, good-paying jobs. He’ll continue helping shore up state education budget shortfalls, promoting education in innovative fields, and ensuring that these programs have the resources necessary to produce a competitive workforce.

2. Supporting public education in rural communities.
Rural communities make up the majority of the First District, and Travis believes that our children deserve the same opportunities as children anywhere else. He’s worked hard to protect funding for rural schools, bring broadband access to our most rural communities, and support agriculture outreach education. He’ll keep working to encourage the teaching of agriculture in schools and ensure that rural communities have the education resources they need.

3. Protecting Mississippi’s teaching jobs.
Hiring more teachers and keeping the ones we have will help prevent classes from becoming over-crowded so that children can do what they come to school to do – learn. Travis helped pass legislation that will save and create an estimated 2,000 education jobs in Mississippi, and supported a State Stabilization Fund to help prevent teacher layoffs statewide. He’ll continue fighting to protect education jobs, helping lower unemployment and providing our state’s children with a quality education.

4. Making higher education more accessible and affordable.
Travis is a Pell Grant recipient himself. He voted to shore up the program’s shortfalls and to increase the grant by $500. He also supported a $2,500 college tax credit for families, as well as provisions that help students consolidate their loans. Travis will continue working to maintain the availability of education assistance like the Pell Grant Program, gain additional funding for federal student loans in Mississippi, and give all our students the opportunity to receive a higher education.

5. Providing alternative educational opportunities so that all North Mississippians have the tools to succeed.
Travis graduated from Northeast Mississippi Community College. He knows that community colleges in Mississippi are some of the best in the nation and that they play an important role in preparing students for today’s workforce. Travis will continue working to build a world-class community college system, and support vo-tech programs in North Mississippi to ensure that students have access to cutting-edge technologies that enable them to compete successfully for 21st century jobs

PROTECTING SENIORS Travis is against raising the retirement age, and is adamantly opposed to the privatization of Social Security, which would put seniors' hard-earned savings in the hands of the very same Wall Street bankers who caused our financial meltdown. Travis has also supported shoring up state Medicaid shortfalls and closing the Medicare Part D "donut hole" to help make seniors' medication more affordable.

FIGHTING FOR MAIN STREET Travis's loyalty lies with Main Street, not Wall Street, and he will continue working to ensure that North Mississippians are never again forced to bear the burden of Wall Street's reckless decision making. He voted twice against bailing out Wall Street, and has voted to end abusive practices by credit card companies. Travis knows that the best way to improve our economy is to provide relief for hard-working North Mississippians, and put money back in their pockets. That's why he helped pass one of the biggest middle-tax tax cuts in American history, benefitting 99% of North Mississippi's families and individuals.

ENDING OUR DEFICIT Travis is a fiscal hawk focused on protecting taxpayer dollars and fighting wasteful spending. Travis strongly opposed the bailouts of Wall

Street banks and voted against trillion-dollar budgets that drove up the deficit. He's worked to cut non-defense spending all around, and has consistently supported efforts to balance our budget. He also led the fight against Congressional pay raises, and actually pushed for a Congressional pay cut.

 

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TOP 10 WAYS TRAVIS CHILDERS HAS BEEN AN INDEPENDENT VOICE FOR NORTH MISSISIPPI

1. Putting North Mississippi First. The latest annual National Journal “Vote Ratings” issue ranked Travis as the 3rd most independent member of his party in the U.S. House of Representatives. [National Journal Magazine, 2/26/10] Congressional Quarterly’s also reported that Travis has one of Congress’ most independent party unity scores, at 63%.

2. Restoring Fiscal Responsibility. On a daily basis, hard-working North Mississippians make tough decisions to make ends meet, and Travis believes the federal government should operate no differently. To help restore fiscal responsibility and a balanced budget, he has twice voted against excessive budgets, successfully fought to pass pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) rules, stopped a congressional pay raise twice, and is leading the way to cut congressional pay.

3. Protecting Second Amendment Rights. By fighting to protect the right to bear arms in our nation’s capital, Travis is working to set a national precedent and protect gun rights here in North Mississippi. Travis recently won the endorsement of the National Rifle Association (NRA), his second NRA endorsement since 2008. The NRA has also awarded Childers an “A+” – its highest rating – for his pro-gun voting record.

4. Fighting for Pro-Life Values. Travis has consistently fought to protect the sanctity of life and has successfully prevented taxpayer-funded abortions in the health care reform bill. He won the endorsement of the National Right to Life (NRL) for his 100% pro-life voting record.

5. Standing Up for Main Street, Cracking Down on Wall Street. Travis twice voted against the Wall-Street bailout, or Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), because he believes it’s fundamentally unfair for hard-working North Mississippians to bear the burden of big banks’ reckless decision making. He also voted against financial regulatory reform legislation paid for by TARP funds because he believes those funds should go back into taxpayers’ pockets or be used to pay down the deficit.

6. Supporting Mississippi Businesses. Travis is a small businessman himself, and he knows how important keeping Mississippi businesses competitive on a national and global scale is to creating and saving jobs and improving the economy in the First District. That’s why he’s worked hard to promote small businesses by encouraging investment and providing tax incentives. Travis received the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Spirit of Enterprise Award for his pro-business record.

7. Providing Health Care Reform that Makes Sense for North Mississippi. Travis voted against the health care reform bill because the price tag was too high, especially during today’s tough times, and because he believes that North Mississippi would be better off if we reformed health care step by step rather than all at once. However, Travis thinks that calls for a complete repeal are politically-motivated, and that we should fix the bad parts of the bill and let the good parts work. That’s why he’s working to support and pass certain bipartisan repeal provisions, like a measure that helps small businesses by ending an expensive and burdensome new tax paperwork requirement.

8. Working for Commonsense Energy Reform. Travis knows we need a comprehensive energy policy to reduce energy costs for families and businesses, and to end America’s dependence on foreign oil. However, any effective energy legislation also has to make sense for the First District. That’s why Travis voted against Cap & Trade legislation that would place a disproportionate burden on Mississippi families and farmers during today’s difficult times. Travis will continue working with both parties to come up with commonsense energy policy that works for North Mississippi.

9. Securing Our Borders, Protecting American Jobs. Travis is working hard to secure our borders, make sure that legal immigrants are paying their fair share of taxes, and enforcing the laws that we already have to ensure that those who hire illegal immigrants are punished. The first summer Travis was in office, he met with representatives of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on the U.S.-Mexico border to gain first-hand knowledge about the challenges facing U.S. border security. He has worked directly with DHS to permanently station Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in North Mississippi, and has also introduced and passed legislation to prevent the hiring of illegal immigrants on federally-funded transportation projects

10. Rising Above Partisanship. Travis wants to make things better for the people of North Mississippi, not play party politics. He has continuously reached across party lines, working with Members from both sides of the aisle to get things done for the First District. He co-chairs the bipartisan Congressional Rural Caucus, was appointed to the bipartisan Second Amendment Task Force (SATF), and is also a member of the bipartisan Congressional Sportsmen Caucus.

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2010 Campaign News

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Contact: Patrick Gillece, 662-554-5845

Childers Wins U.S. Chamber of Commerce Endorsement Launches “Putting North Mississippi First” tour 8 days after Alan Nunnelee ducks debate

Booneville, MS – The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has announced its endorsement of Travis Childers for Mississippi's First District congressional race. In declaring its support for Childers, the Chamber noted that his “election to the U.S. House will help produce sustained economic growth and help create more jobs.”

Local elected officials presented the Chamber endorsement today in West Point as Childers kicked off his district-wide “Putting North Mississippi First” Tour. During the tour, Childers will visit small businesses and work places to talk with North Mississippians about the issues that matter to them and share his record of working for the First District. Childers launched the tour by serving lunch and speaking with local patrons at the Ritz.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce's letter of endorsement is attached.

“My number one priority is jumpstarting our economy and creating jobs here in North Mississippi. That's why I'm so honored to have received the endorsement of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the world's largest business federation. This past spring, I was also proud to receive the Chamber's Spirit of Enterprise Award for my pro-business record. As a small businessman myself, I understand that Mississippi's businesses are the engine of our economy and are a driving force in creating jobs and strengthening our communities,” said Childers.

“That's why I'm proud to have launched my working tour here at Café Ritz, a local small business that helps employ North Mississippians and contribute to our economy. During my tour, I look forward to continuing to talk directly with voters and small business owners about the tough issues they face today. I remain committed to fighting to support businesses and ensure that every North Mississippian who wants to work has a job.”

“At no other time in our nation's history has it been more critical that Members of Congress provide leadership that protects and advances the interests of the business community,” said Thomas J. Donohue, President and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, in the endorsement letter. “We believe that your election to the U.S. House will help produce sustained economic growth and help create more jobs.”

The Chamber's endorsement of Childers comes on the heels of several pro-business awards and endorsements. These include:

•  The National Association of Manufacturers' (NAM) Award for Manufacturing Legislative Excellence, which Childers received for his outstanding voting record on behalf of America's manufacturing community

•  The National Association of Realtors (NAR) endorsement

•  The Guardian of Small Business Award from the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) for Childers' 100% pro-small business voting record

•  The U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Spirit of Enterprise Award for Childers' pro-business record

In addition, Childers has been endorsed by the National Rifle Association (NRA) and the National Right to Life for his pro-gun, pro-life record.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Childers to Launch District-Wide Working Tour, Receive Major Endorsement
Childers to continue talking directly to voters 8 days after Alan Nunnelee ducks AARP debate

Booneville, MS – Tomorrow, Travis Childers will kick off his district-wide “Putting North Mississippi First” Tour, visiting small businesses and work places to talk with North Mississippians about the issues that matter to them and share his record of working for the First District. The tour will begin TOMORROW, Wednesday, October 6, in West Point , where Childers will serve lunch at a local restaurant and be presented with a major endorsement by local leaders.

Last week Childers' opponent, State Senator Alan Nunnelee, refused to talk directly to North Mississippians when he ducked an AARP debate, claiming he was “booked up.” [NEMS Daily Journal, 9/30/10]

“I've been working full-time since I was 16 years old. Serving the people of North Mississippi is the most important job I've had,” said Childers. “Today, North Mississippi families are struggling to makes ends meet. I've been fighting to create and save jobs and improve our economy, protect seniors' Social Security savings, and provide our children with the quality education they need to succeed. It's important to me to hear from the people of the First District about these issues. That's why I've been in all 24 counties since day one. I look forward to continuing to put North Mississippi first by talking directly with voters about the real issues that matter to them.”

Travis Childers knows hard work. His father passed away when he was 16 years old and he went to work full-time at a local grocery store while he was also in school to help support his mother and sister. He's been working hard for his family and the people of the First District ever since. Travis Childers knows that serving North Mississippians is a privilege, and he has kept his word to serve as an independent voice, stand up for hard-working families, and always put North Mississippi first.

WHO: Travis Childers and Local Leaders
WHAT: Launch of “Putting North Mississippi First” Tour, Major Endorsement Announcement
WHERE: Cafe Ritz
125 Commerce St.
West Point, MS
WHEN: 11:45 a.m. CT
Wednesday, October 6, 2010

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Contact: Patrick Gillece

North Mississippians Choose Travis Childers in Latest Poll
After leading opponent in cash on hand and conservative endorsements, Childers now leads with North Mississippi Voters

Booneville, MS – In a poll released today, North Mississippians chose Travis Childers for First District Representative by 5 points. Childers has consistently led his opponent, State Senator Alan Nunnelee, in cash on hand and conservative endorsements, and now he's also leading with North Mississippi voters “going into the pivotal post-Labor Day stretch of the campaign.” [“Rep. Childers has edge on GOP challenger in poll,” The Hill , 9/7/10]

“Today's poll shows that, despite his opponent's attempts to play partisan political games, Travis Childers has continued to win support from North Mississippians who know that this race is about who gets it and who doesn't,” said Dana Edelstein, Childers for Congress Communications Director. “Following key endorsements from the NRA and the National Right to Life, as well as a 4 to 1 cash on hand advantage, Travis's lead in the polls reflects what we hear every day on the ground, that people want an independent representative who is focused on jobs and fighting for them.  Travis Childers has never backed down from a fight when it comes to doing what's right for North Mississippi.”

In the Anzalone Liszt Research poll, which surveyed likely voters in the First District from August 30th to September 1st , Childers leads Nunnelee 46% to 41% in the head-to-head vote. Despite a difficult national climate, Childers remains personally popular and received a more than 50% positive job rating.

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Paid for by Childers for Congress. Kermit Jones, CPA, Treasurer.

 





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