Robert Gray, a 46-year-old Terry independent truck driver, didn't vote in the Mississippi party primaries yesterday. Before this morning, he said he had never stepped foot inside the state Capitol building. Yet, as of now, he is the presumptive Democratic nominee for governor.
Gray shocked political watchers around the state by finishing first among the three Democratic candidates with 51 percent of the vote, which would not necessitate a runoff if the totals hold up. Most pundits believed Vicki Slater, who had a robust and active campaign, would capture the nomination, but she only drew 30.2 percent. Dr. Valerie Short, a retired physician, received 18.8 percent.
