CARTHAGE, Miss.–The DUI arrest of Hinds County GOP Chairman Pete Perry had nothing to do with the election and should not reflect on the Republican Party, the man himself told WJTV-TV in Jackson. He was picked up by Carthage Police Saturday night.
“This has nothing to do with the Senate election or the Hinds County Republican Party,” he told the news station. He said he would not comment further because he believed the media was trying to make that connection.
Laura Van Overschelde, Mississippi Tea Party chairperson, said she does believe the arrest reflects on the Republican Party.
“I think Pete Perry has made some very unfortunate choices for himself and it reflects on the Republican Party in Mississippi and Hinds County and he will have to address those issues himself,” she told WJTV.
Perry’s arrest was at about 8:30 Saturday night in Carthage. He is from Leake County. Perry has been at the center of the Senate election controversy. McDaniel and his supporters have been questioning the legality of votes in Hinds County, which helped put Cochran over the top to win the Republican nomination last week.
Perry has said that irregularities did not exist.
The election has been riddled with scandals and controversies, being neck in neck the entire time.
