The American Spectator

Washington Prowler

p> TUCK AND ROLL br> It won't make national headlines, but Republicans in Mississippi picked up a new member on Monday when Lt. Gov. Amy Tuck switched parties. Tuck gained a bit of national notoriety in 2000, when she was one of the few state Democratic officials in the country who declined to endorse Al Gore for president. Since then rumors of her jumping to the GOP have been rampant. /p>

Tuck's decision was interesting in that some thought it might lead her to make a play for a run for governor. That election in next year. But Tuck made her announcement flanked by both Mississippi Sens. Trent Lott and Thad Cochran, and one of the speakers was the presumptive GOP gubernatorial candidate, Haley Barbour.

"Barbour was one of the people encouraging her to make the switch," says a Barbour protégé. "He wouldn't have been pushing if she was competition."

Barbour remains a favorite to run in 2003, and will look to Tuck to help with the female vote. Tuck is expected now to run for re-election. Prior to her winning the lieutenant governorship, she served in the state senate.

p> CASH AND KERRY br> Sen. John Kerry

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