NATCHEZ &045; The two Republican candidates for state representative in District 97 both agree &045; if elected, either one will make the post a full-time jobs.

Candidates Randall Love of Summit and Sam Mims of McComb made their comments at a Thursday night meeting of the Adams County Republican Committee, which included a brief candidates’ forum.

As it now stands, Love works full time as owner of Southern Fire Extinguishers and Southern Fencing; Mims works in sales at Craft Metals.

But after much prayer and after consulting with family and friends, both men decided they would run and, if elected, would the position their full attention.

&uot;I have good employees who will give me the time I need to do the things I need to do,&uot; Love said.

&uot;I’ll resign my job if I’m elected,&uot; Mims said. &uot;I pledge I’ll represent Adams County just like my neighbor in McComb.&uot;

That’s important, they admitted, given the fact that the district they will represent is a combined district that now extends all the way from Adams County to Pike County.

Both men pointed to community and political service as their strong points.

Love has served as a law enforcement officer for 12 years and a volunteer firefighter for 20-plus years. Mims was elected last year as chairman of the McComb Republican Party.

That sort of leadership, they said, will be needed to get southwest Mississippi past the tough times that lie ahead.

With the closing of IP and other industries and a tight state budget, &uot;it’s going to take people from all walks of life working together&uot; to find a solution, Love said.