Labor Union Endorses Anderson in Miss. Insurance Campaign

The Mississippi AFL-CIO on Wednesday endorsed Gary Anderson as the Democratic candidate for state insurance commissioner.

Brenda Scott, a spokeswoman for the labor union and director of the Mississippi Alliance of State Employees, lauded Anderson for refusing to accept campaign contributions from the insurance industry.

“Gary has not taken one single dime from the insurance companies. Therefore, we trust him not be under any influence,” Scott said during a news conference at AFL-CIO headquarters in Jackson.

Anderson, a former state fiscal officer, is trying unseat Commissioner George Dale, who has been in the office for 32 years.

Anderson and Dale will be on the ballot in Tuesday’s Democratic primary. State Sen. Mike Chaney of Vicksburg and Ronnie English of Vancleave are the insurance commissioner candidates in the Republican primary.

In stump speeches across the state, Anderson has criticized Dale for accepting campaign cash from the industry and its representatives.

Anderson reported raising $142,119, including a $100,000 contribution from himself, in filings this week with the secretary of state’s office.

“Let there be no confusion, not lawyers, not insurance companies and not any of that will be dictating to Gary Anderson how we go about rate setting in this state,” Anderson said Wednesday.

Dale, who reported raising $212,910 in July with much of it coming from the industry, has said that accepting money from insurance companies does not make him obligated to them.

“I hear that all the time,” Dale said in a recent interview, referring to Anderson’s remark about the contributions. “That sounds good on the campaign trail.”

The race has become one of Dale’s toughest as he’s been accused of favoring insurance companies in payoff disputes with Hurricane Katrina victims and failing to force insurers to hold down their rates.

Dale has said 99 percent of the Katrina insurance claims have been resolved, but Anderson doubted that statistic.

“It’s too many people still staying in those crowded Katrina trailers. It’s too many folks still standing around, lives are broken and families are torn apart,” Anderson said. “To say that 99 percent of that is all put back together, no that is wrong.”

Anderson, 50, has been running his own government affairs and financial consulting business. He is making his second run for statewide office. In 2003, he was the Democratic nominee for state treasurer when no incumbent was running. He lost to Republican Tate Reeves, a political newcomer.