Daily Journal - Outspoken Holland serious about helping - After nearly 25 years in the Legislature, Holland has high name recognition not only in the north Mississippi district he hopes to serve in Congress, but also throughout the entire state. He is a large man with a large heart and, some would say, an even larger mouth. He is rowdy and candid, funny and shocking, passionate and impulsive. He's a politician, a family man, a business owner and a raconteur. It is said that you either love Holland or you hate him.
On a sunny morning last week in Houston and Aberdeen, Holland covered several city blocks to greet residents and ask for their support in Tuesday's runoff election. He didn't huff or puff, never sat for a break, and never once complained about the effort. In fact, Holland seemed to relish it.
The people Holland met seemed to enjoy the campaigning as much as the candidate. They hugged him, laughed with him, slapped him on the back and called him a "true Democrat."
It wasn't always so. Holland flirted heavily with the Republican party during and after his college days at Mississippi State University. He worked on the staff of the state GOP and spent more than one year as political director on Republican U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran's staff.
But Holland switched sides in 1983 to win the 16th District seat in the state House of Representatives. He also spent three years as an aide to the late Democratic U.S. Rep. Jamie Whitten. The Democratic party was a perfect fit, he said, even though he continues his friendships with old Republican pals like Gov. Haley Barbour.
"We have a macabre-kind of relationship today," Holland said. Barbour spokesman Pete Smith said he would "politely decline" to comment on the friendship.
While in the House, Holland worked his way up through the ranks, befriending Democrats and Republicans alike to carve a niche for himself and, finally, become one of the Legislature's senior members. Today, Holland chairs the House's Public Health and Human Services Committee and sits on eight others, including the powerful Appropriations Committee.
The 52-year-old jokes that younger colleagues call him "Papa Bear," because he often takes them under his wing when they enter Jackson politics. One of them, Holland said, was Greg Davis. Davis, a Republican vying for the same congressional seat in this election, came to the House in 1991 as an Independent. Holland said he was one of the Legislature's rising stars. When contacted later about Holland's comments, Davis chuckled, adding, "He said that?"
While serving in the Legislature, Holland grew a successful business as an undertaker and funeral home operator. Today, he owns Holland-Harris Funeral Directors in Tupelo and Okolona and is vice president of Seven Oaks Funeral Home in Water Valley. The profession introduced him - and endeared him - to a number of the region's people.
Holland offered this experience in response: "When my oldest daughter was 16, I caught her in the pool one night with a boy. I was so mad. I grabbed the young man and slammed him against the brick wall and straightened him out. He's a doctor now, and he still calls me every year and thanks me for making a man out of him."
Replace the hormonal teenager in that story with a broken health care system, stingy Republicans or a litany of other political peeves, and you have a good idea of how Holland the statesman operates.
Case in point: While outside the courthouse that day, a woman came running down the steps calling Holland's name. It was Donna Schomburg with C.O.P.E.S., a dropout prevention program sponsored by the Exchange Club of Houston. She complained that a lack of public transportation and Medicaid registration in Houlka prevented her clients from seeking health care for themselves and their children. Outraged, Holland immediately phoned various agencies to get Schomburg help.
"He got a representative of Medicaid to call me who is going to try to rectify the situation and get a representative out to the clinic there," Schomburg told the Daily Journal several days later. "And Mr. Holland is investigating the transportation situation right now. He was very helpful. He could have said, well, call your congressman."
And, incidentally, that's what Holland wants to become. His main motivation: helping more people like Schomburg. "I would like nothing more than to have an office and a staff to help people and to give people a ray of hope," Holland said. "I've been advocating every second of my life for the least, the last, and the most vulnerable - poor folks, just like me."
Showing posts with label Profile. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Profile. Show all posts
3/27/08
3/26/08
DJournal Profile: Childers
Daily Journal - Childers: 'I've lived the challenges' - (This is the first in a series profiling the candidates in Tuesday's Democratic and Republican runoffs for the 1st District U.S. House seat. TODAY: Travis Childers - THURSDAY: Steve Holland -
FRIDAY: Greg Davis - SATURDAY: Glenn McCullough Jr.)
Childers was 16 years old when on Christmas day 1974 his father committed suicide. It left the family in shock - mostly because no one had expected it from the handsome and talented auto mechanic who seemed to have everything in life. Looking back, Childers said it's clear his father suffered from depression. But no one talked about the mental illness back then, not the way they do today. So, the family struggled to understand why its patriarch wanted to die, leaving behind a wife, son and 9-year-old daughter.
"I've lived the challenges facing north Mississippi," Childers said while on the campaign trail Monday. "And I believe one person can make a difference. If you don't believe that, you shouldn't be in public service."
A Democratic candidate for U.S. House of Representatives 1st District seat, Childers spent the afternoon greeting supporters in his hometown of Booneville, where he also serves as Prentiss County's chancery clerk.
He faces Democratic challenger Steve Holland, a man he called "larger than life," in the April 1 runoff after both men garnered a majority of the vote in the March 11 primaries. Childers was the front-runner in that election, having won about 10,000 more votes than Holland.
"Prentiss County gave me 87 percent of the vote in the primaries," Childers told one of his supporters at Anderson Elementary School, "and I don't want you all to think I take it for granted. I need you to come back out and vote again."
"I'm running for Congress," he told students lined up for recess.
"What's Congress?" one boy asked.
"It's in Washington," said Childers.
Since qualifying for the election in January, Childers has kept a grueling schedule of campaigning while still working as chancery clerk and helping his wife, Tami, run the family's two businesses - Landmark Nursing Center and Landmark Community. The first is an 80-bed skilled-care facility; the second is an independent-living home with an on-site staff. He also owns Travis Childers Realty, but leaves the day-to-day operations to an associate.
But he didn't realize his lifelong dream until 1991, when he narrowly won a countywide election to become chancery clerk.
"Many, many, many, many years ago, I knew I wanted to run for chancery clerk," Childers said. "I never wanted to be sheriff, never wanted to be mayor, never wanted to be circuit clerk." A strange obsession for a child, perhaps, but Childers explained that former Prentiss County Chancery Clerk Gene Gray was a family friend and a positive influence on him.
The old building that used to house Booneville High School faced the wrecking ball unless someone bought and renovated it. Childers, it turned out, was that someone.
He and his family converted the 70-year-old structure into an independent living community for seniors. Then they partnered with Joey and Tracie Langston to build a new 80-bed nursing home next door. The Childers bought out the Langstons' business interest in 2002, becoming the sole proprietors years before Joey Langston pleaded guilty to conspiracy to bribe a judge in one of the most sensational scandals in state history.
FRIDAY: Greg Davis - SATURDAY: Glenn McCullough Jr.)
Childers was 16 years old when on Christmas day 1974 his father committed suicide. It left the family in shock - mostly because no one had expected it from the handsome and talented auto mechanic who seemed to have everything in life. Looking back, Childers said it's clear his father suffered from depression. But no one talked about the mental illness back then, not the way they do today. So, the family struggled to understand why its patriarch wanted to die, leaving behind a wife, son and 9-year-old daughter.
"I've lived the challenges facing north Mississippi," Childers said while on the campaign trail Monday. "And I believe one person can make a difference. If you don't believe that, you shouldn't be in public service."
A Democratic candidate for U.S. House of Representatives 1st District seat, Childers spent the afternoon greeting supporters in his hometown of Booneville, where he also serves as Prentiss County's chancery clerk.
He faces Democratic challenger Steve Holland, a man he called "larger than life," in the April 1 runoff after both men garnered a majority of the vote in the March 11 primaries. Childers was the front-runner in that election, having won about 10,000 more votes than Holland.
"Prentiss County gave me 87 percent of the vote in the primaries," Childers told one of his supporters at Anderson Elementary School, "and I don't want you all to think I take it for granted. I need you to come back out and vote again."
"I'm running for Congress," he told students lined up for recess.
"What's Congress?" one boy asked.
"It's in Washington," said Childers.
Since qualifying for the election in January, Childers has kept a grueling schedule of campaigning while still working as chancery clerk and helping his wife, Tami, run the family's two businesses - Landmark Nursing Center and Landmark Community. The first is an 80-bed skilled-care facility; the second is an independent-living home with an on-site staff. He also owns Travis Childers Realty, but leaves the day-to-day operations to an associate.
But he didn't realize his lifelong dream until 1991, when he narrowly won a countywide election to become chancery clerk.
"Many, many, many, many years ago, I knew I wanted to run for chancery clerk," Childers said. "I never wanted to be sheriff, never wanted to be mayor, never wanted to be circuit clerk." A strange obsession for a child, perhaps, but Childers explained that former Prentiss County Chancery Clerk Gene Gray was a family friend and a positive influence on him.
The old building that used to house Booneville High School faced the wrecking ball unless someone bought and renovated it. Childers, it turned out, was that someone.
He and his family converted the 70-year-old structure into an independent living community for seniors. Then they partnered with Joey and Tracie Langston to build a new 80-bed nursing home next door. The Childers bought out the Langstons' business interest in 2002, becoming the sole proprietors years before Joey Langston pleaded guilty to conspiracy to bribe a judge in one of the most sensational scandals in state history.
2/13/08
Commercial Appeal Profiles Greg Davis
Commercial Appeal - KNOW THE CANDIDATES Mayor touts legislative experience - Greg Davis
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