From Grass-Roots to the Governor’s Mansion: The 1991 Fordice Campaign
New Addition to the Fordice History Project Library: "Together Forward"
We are thrilled to announce a significant addition to our digital repository. As part of our ongoing mission to preserve the legacy of Mississippi’s 61st Governor, we are launching a new library section dedicated to scholarly works, articles, and primary source documents.Our inaugural entry is the Master’s Thesis of Heath Hillman, a name many of you will recognize as a dedicated Fordice alum.
About the Author: Heath Hillman
Heath Hillman was a firsthand witness to the "Fordice Phenomenon." Beginning his journey as a student volunteer who drove the campaign van during the initial 1991 press tour, Hillman rose to become a staff assistant and Southern Area Field Representative for the campaign. After the historic victory, he served on the Governor’s staff and later transitioned into a career in higher education and law.
Hillman submitted this work, titled Together Forward: Grass-Roots Politics and the 1991 Gubernatorial Campaign of Daniel Kirkwood Fordice, Jr., to the Graduate School of Mississippi College in May 1997.
Do you have any original documents, photos, or articles from the 1991 campaign or the Fordice administration that you would like to contribute to our digital archive?
Thesis Summary: The Making of a Mandate
Hillman’s thesis provides an intimate, "inside-the-foxhole" look at how a Vicksburg contractor with zero name recognition upended 115 years of political tradition in Mississippi.
Key themes explored in the work include:
The Republican Realignment: Hillman traces the evolution of the Mississippi GOP from the "Dixiecrat" revolt of 1948 through the "Southern Strategy" of the Nixon era, setting the stage for a viable Republican candidacy in the early 90s.
The Outsider Strategy: The research details how Fordice’s "rawboned and direct" style—initially dismissed by insiders—bonded with an electorate that was "sick to death" of professional politicians.
Defining the Issues: From the famous "back to the cotton fields" stance on prison reform to the pioneering "school choice" education vouchers, Hillman documents how the campaign's core planks were built on data-driven dissatisfaction with the status quo.
The Primary Battle: A significant portion of the work covers the heated primary and runoff against State Auditor Pete Johnson, illustrating how Fordice successfully positioned himself as the "only real Republican" in the race.
Hillman concludes that the 1991 election was more than just a victory of personality; it was a "defining moment" that forced Mississippi into a true two-party system.
Access the Full Work
We invite you to read the full thesis to explore the detailed anecdotes, campaign strategies, and historical analysis that Hillman captured just a few years after the administration began.
Click Here to Read: Together Forward by Heath Hillman (PDF Download)
“Historical study is the only way that a people can learn from the successes and failures of the past to see what it takes to move, Together Forward.”
Explore the Library: This is just the beginning. We are committed to building a robust repository of oral histories, video recordings, and academic research. Stay tuned as we continue to digitize the history of the Fordice years.
