Pinkins re-announces candidacy for U.S. Senate
Ty Pinkins, veteran, lawyer, author, and Vicksburg resident, Monday, Jan. 8 re-announced his candidacy for the United States Senate in Jackson.
With over 21 years of leadership experience as an Army Warrant Officer and several years in the non-profit and public interest sector, Pinkins said, “I stand before you today, filled with hope, determination, and resilience as I proudly re-announce my campaign for the United States Senate. I am running because I am concerned about the direction in which our country is going. Families are struggling to make ends meet because life is more expensive for Mississippians, women’s reproductive rights are under attack by politicians and unelected judges, and our very democracy is being threatened by those who wish to tear down the institutional safeguards provided by our Founding Fathers that have guided us for centuries. My educational, military, and professional qualifications are perfectly suited to meet this precarious moment our state and our country face and ensure that our democratic ideals endure and prevail for future generations. I understand the responsibilities of the office– that those responsibilities demand all my effort and energy.”
Of the many issues facing our country, Pinkins said the three main issues that motivated him to run for office are the economy, healthcare, and education.
Economy. “Raised in the Mississippi Delta, sometimes in a home without a bathroom, the oldest of four children, I grew up knowing the value of hard work, and knowing how important every dollar was for a family living in poverty. My family depended on food stamps, struggling to survive on my father’s salary from driving a tractor. My parents did their best to support their children and teach us the value of hard work.” Throughout his teenage years, Ty chopped cotton to help his parents make ends meet. Now, as a veteran, lawyer, and community organizer in the Mississippi Delta, Ty works to ensure Mississippians–who are willing to work–have access to quality jobs that pay well. “That’s why I stood up for workers facing discriminatory wage practices that cheated them out of their hard-earned pay for decades,” Pinkins said.
Healthcare. “I believe healthcare is a fundamental human right for which we should always fight. That’s why I will work to see that every Mississippian is adequately covered, and no family goes broke from paying the expenses of filling a prescription, or urgent medical care.” When Pinkins was in high school, his father was an active sportsman, and a star athlete on the community softball team. Later Ty’s dad became the team’s coach and leader, mentoring young men to do something constructive with their lives. When he left for the military, Ty’s dad was one of the healthiest people he knew; but when he returned home several years later, as a consequence of diabetes his dad was a double amputee and nearly blind. Because of this, his father had to quit working on the farm, lost the one vehicle the family depended on, and nearly lost the mobile home they had lived in for years. “Too many Mississippians face significant challenges in accessing affordable healthcare. That’s why I support the expansion of Medicaid in Mississippi, which would make an additional 220,000 Mississippians eligible for coverage for vital and life-saving healthcare,” Pinkins said.
Education. Ty is a product of the Mississippi public school system. His parents instilled in him the importance of earning a good education. After graduating from Rolling Fork High School and before joining the army, he enrolled at Tougaloo College. While on active duty, Ty earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland’s Global Campus–working to complete it while serving his country on four different continents. Years later, he attended law school using the GI Bill, graduating from the prestigious Georgetown University Law Center and earning a Master of Law degree in National Security Law. Pinkins served a 21-year military career, including three combat tours in Iraq, during one of which he was awarded the Bronze Star. During his Army career, Ty was nominated and selected to serve at the White House Communications Agency where he served under both President Republican and Democratic Presidents. “I believe every student should have access to a meaningful, high quality education. And that starts with adequately and equitably funding public schools, so all students have access to a quality education. It is our duty to provide a solid educational system for the good of our citizens and our state.”
More information about Ty Pinkins and his campaign can be found on his website at www.typinkins.com. This site includes biographical information about Ty and a calendar of upcoming events, as well as his position on the important issues affecting Mississippians.
Pinkins is running for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in the March primary. Incumbent U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, state Rep. Dan Eubanks, and Timothy Burton have announced their candidacy for the Republican nomination.
