Bartee is a former Navy intelligence officer, and State Department consultant. He told Mississippi Today that he would file paperwork with the Democratic Party Friday morning. Bartee will be facing Espy in the March 10 Democratic Primary. Bartee stated that there is a lot of work to do and that he wants to continue the conversation about how to accomplish it. Bartee was fourth among four candidates in the 2018 special Senate race. He received 1.5 percent of the vote. Three candidates, Hyde Smith, Espy and the arch-conservative state senator Chris McDaniel with big war chests and large name identification, overshadowed him. Bartee emphasized his intelligence and military experience on the stump. When discussing foreign policy, he mentioned “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu at one campaign stop in 2018. He said that Thomas P. O’Neill, the former Democratic Speaker of Congress (D-Mass.) were his political heroes. Bartee said that he was a great researcher and developer of policy. He also praised Trent Lott, the former Republican Senate majority leader (R-Miss. Bartee said that he was an expert at implementing policies. “It’s all about the things I see in the country, and the state. That’s the only reason I got involved in this campaign. It’s almost like an appeal to service,” Bartee said to Mississippi Today in 2018. It’s not about me believing that I can make a difference. It’s about building a partnership with voters – making sure they are taking responsibility for getting involved to ensure that their voices are heard, and that elected officials are held responsible. It’s about taking responsibility for good policy development and having a discussion about policies.” Espy is a former congressman and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. He hopes to meet Hyde Smith again during the November general elections. In November 2018, the two met in a special election for the same seat. Espy submitted his paperwork on Thursday and officially declared his candidacy. In the November general election, incumbent Hyde Smith will face the winner of the Democratic primary on March 10.
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