John Arthur Eaves Jr. is running for governor in Mississippi. He’s a Democrat, but his positions on the issues are a strange hybrid of economic populism and extreme social conservatism. His campaign is not the same as Harold Ford Jr’s. Ford ran as a stalwart friend of business…not so for Eaves.

“Eaves is putting his entire life’s savings into the race to ensure he is beholden to none but God and the people who elected him. He will work for the benefit of the people of Mississippi and not Big Tobacco, Big Oil, or Big Insurance. He will lower the grocery tax and raise the tobacco tax so the greatest financial burden no longer falls on those least able to bear it.”

He is hammering incumbent Governor Haley Barbour for his connections to lobbyists for Big Oil and Big Tobacco, but he is also trying to out-Jesus his opponent.

“Especially drawn to Jesus’ teachings on caring for the more vulnerable of society, he dedicated his career as a lawyer to defending people in Mississippi and around the world against those who would place monetary gain over the need to protect human life. Eaves has taken to heart the Gospel call to care for the least and the last and believes that society is at its best when we all work together for the common good.”

It’s refreshing to see a southern Democrat run aggressively on the Social Gospel, but Eaves takes his religion into other places.

To teach our children strong values and moral character, I believe it is time we bring back voluntary student-led school prayer to Mississippi schools and offer classes on Bible literacy…

…A true Pro-Life commitment must not only include a desire to end abortion but also a willingness to care for all who are vulnerable in our society…

He even brings The Jesus into his discussion of illegal immigration.

If the federal government won’t take responsibility to stop illegal immigration, then as Governor I will. I understand why people want to come here because Mississippi is a great state with great people, and as a Christian I don’t blame anyone for wanting to come.

To really get a feel for the potion Eaves is selling you can read this transcript of a speech he gave at the Neshoba County Fair. Here’s an excerpt:

Haley Barbour has opened the doors of power to the money changers: Big Tobacco, Big Oil, Big Insurance. These groups—who Haley has lobbied for—may talk about helping Mississippi, but they are merely wolves in sheep’s clothing who have been making false promises and pulling the financial strings of our leaders to force us to accept false choices.

They promise that Haley will use his Washington lobbyist connections to get money for Mississippi, but only if we agree to never ask whose pocket the money actually goes into. They ask us to ignore our broken schools and our children getting hooked on cigarettes so that Big Tobacco can make bigger profits. They tell us to ignore the fact that our state government has failed the people on the coast, and instead to give thanks that at least we don’t look as bad as Louisiana.

These moneychangers have led us astray, and the current governor has continued to side with them over the people of Mississippi because, as we all know, where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Now, that’s Biblical, no?

I’ve talked to a lot of progressives about this race and there seems to be a regional split. The northern and coastal progressives are appalled at his anti-choice, anti-gay marriage, hardline anti-immigration, pro-school prayer positions on the issues. But southern progressives are excited about his unapologetic populism, and accuse critics of elitism, purity trolling, and a lack of realism.

My first instinct is to hope that this guy loses, and loses badly. I have long argued that his brand of populism is the way for Democrats to succeed in the south. But my whole point in making that argument was that we do not need to adopt socially conservative positions to win…let alone bringing up The Jesus and God at every (often nonsensical) opportunity.

The Democrats need to stop running away from their positions in socially conservative regions. A strong and unashamed party can win anywhere. Eaves’ economic message can carry the day without the it being completely subsumed within a Christian framework. But it’s not my secularism that is really offended by Eaves campaign…it’s my commitment to civil rights for women and gays, and my belief that immigrants should be treated with dignity and respect.

However, southern progressives make different arguments. They are desperate to be rid of Gov. Barbour and his radical policies. They’ll take what they can get. And if Eaves has his faults on social issues, other southern Dems (like fmr. Sen. John Breaux) were far from populists (and thus, worse).

What do you think?