The Clay Edwards Show

On my FAFO Friday episode of The Clay Edwards Show, I tackled a heated story out of Gulfport, Mississippi, where the Mississippi Republican Party, led by Chairman Mike Hurst, accused Democratic mayoral candidate Sonya Williams Barnes of vote-buying ahead of the June 3, 2025, election. Broadcasting from Flora on 103.9 FM WYAB, I dug into the GOP’s claims that Barnes’ campaign violated Mississippi law by offering meal vouchers—worth about $10 at Ms. Audrey’s Southern Kitchen—for absentee votes and hosting a “Vote & Vibe Day Party” with free brunch for voters. Hurst called it “illegal, immoral, and un-American,” citing video evidence of vouchers handed out at City Hall. I noted the Attorney General’s office, under Lynn Fitch, is investigating, believing Barnes may have broken campaign finance laws. A local pastor, Eddie Hartwell Sr., claimed the vouchers were his idea to boost voting, not tied to any candidate, but I questioned the timing, just days before the election against Republican Hugh Keating. I pointed out past similar controversies in 2005 and 2010, deemed legal then, but the GOP’s pushing hard, with Hurst demanding vigilance. Barnes denied wrongdoing, calling it a GOP scare tactic, while my callers and I leaned skeptical, seeing it as Democrats possibly exploiting Gulfport’s shifting demographics to flip the seat.

On my show, The Clay Edwards Show, I sat down with former Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn, who shared a heart-wrenching story about losing his family in a tragic car accident. Broadcasting from Flora, Mississippi, I listened as Philip recounted the devastating event from 1988, 37 years ago, when he was 25 and in his second year of law school at Ole Miss. His parents, both 46, and his 20-year-old sister were killed when a drunk driver struck their car, causing it to explode. Philip, newly married, described the closeness of his Christian family—his sister, his biggest fan, would crawl into his bed as a child for comfort. The loss left him reeling, compounded by the criminal trial of the driver, a repeat offender convicted of three counts of vehicular manslaughter and sentenced to 60 years. Philip credited his faith in God and his wife’s support for pulling him through, believing his family is in heaven and that he’ll reunite with them one day. This tragedy reshaped his priorities, emphasizing faith and family above all, and fueled his resilience to become a transformative leader in Mississippi politics.

On my FAFO Friday episode of The Clay Edwards Show, I dove into a head-scratching story about the Metrocenter Mall in Jackson, Mississippi, where country music legend Randy Travis and his wife Mary are planning to invest $5 million to transform the former Burlington Coat Factory into a Randy Travis Country Store and Travel Center. Broadcasting from Flora on 103.9 FM WYAB, I couldn’t hide my skepticism about the project’s chances in a high-crime area with demographics that don’t scream country music fans. I jokingly called it a “redneck Buc-ee’s” and predicted it might turn into a troubled gas station within three years, given the area’s rough reputation. Listeners chimed in on the Guns & Gear text line, echoing my doubts, with some pointing out Travis’s health challenges since his 2013 stroke, which left him with aphasia, raising questions about whether he’s being taken advantage of. I also noted the mall’s decline—once Mississippi’s largest when it opened in 1978, now a ghost town since its last store closed in 2022. Recent plans for a film studio there have been plagued by theft, and I questioned the logic of banking on interstate traffic without understanding Jackson’s realities. My callers, like Jason and Miss Lacey, agreed, giving the project a grim over-under of weeks before trouble hits, with one suggesting a mental health facility would be a better fit for the site.

In my second hour of The Clay Edwards Show, I sat down with Philip Gunn, former Mississippi House Speaker and the first Republican in that role in 136 years, serving from 2012 to 2024. Broadcasting from the Men’s Health & Women’s Wellness Studios in Flora, Mississippi, I aimed to show the real Philip. He shared the gut-wrenching story of losing his parents and sister to a drunk driver 37 years ago when he was 25, a tragedy that deepened his faith and reshaped his priorities. Philip reflected on his improbable rise from a minority representative in a Democrat-controlled House to Speaker, elected by his peers after Republicans flipped 13 seats in 2011. We discussed Mississippi’s political shift, driven by Democrats’ leftward drift, and his legislative wins, like education reform and the state’s largest tax cut. I laughed hearing how he outsmarted Democratic delay tactics by cranking up a bill-reading machine to warp speed, dodging a constitutional quirk from 1894. Philip, ever humble, hinted at future public service if guided by faith. I wrapped up grateful for his authenticity and for treating me like family since my early days, reminding my listeners why he’s a leader we’d be lucky to have back.

Kim Wade did a one hour, in-depth interview with Jackson, Mississippi mayoral candidate Rodney Depriest on Wednesday, May 28th. Here's that interview in it's entirety.  

Be sure to subscribe to Kim's podcast at the link below, we upload his daily radio show every morning the day after it airs from 3pm - 6pm on 103.9 FM WYAB in Jackson, Mississippi.

https://kimwadeshow.podbean.com/

Mississippi state Auditor Shad White joins the show for a wide ranging interview that covers everything from social media use, 2027 presidential race, his potential run for the Governors office, claims that MAGA & Trump don't like him, the reason we must rid the state of DEI & much, much more.