adoption of an expansive education reform program. Dye was not initially a strong supporter of the bill, but decided that the Senate should approve the measure—including the creation of public kindergartens—after the House approved it. He feared that Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ellis B. Bodron would block the bill's passage. The night the reform legislation passed the House, Dye called Bodron and told him, "Ellis, what you do with your politics is fine, but in running your mouth, you've hurt my politics. I want you to add some Senate things to the House bill." When Bodron asked for clarification, Dye told him "I want a commitment out of you right now—that this bill is going to come out of Finance Committee and you'll support it. If you're not, this is going to be the first time the Education Committee has ever raised taxes in this state." Bodron acquiesced to Dye's request, and the reform bill was ultimately passed into law. Dye remained generally supportive of education reform but was accused by journalists of blocking other reform legislation. In 1983, Dye won his second term as lieutenant governor by defeating Republican Gil Carmichael, an auto dealer from Meridian who ran as an independent. In 1987, Dye won re-election to a third consecutive four-year term in office. In 1986 a commission studying the state's constitution affirmed Dye's perspective on the powers of the lieutenant governor's office. In 1991 Dye was challenged in the Democratic primary by state senator Ken Harper, accused him of creating "gridlock" over reform legislation affecting ballot initiatives, referendums, and limits on lobbying. Dye shortly thereafter declared his support for these reforms in a speech at the Neshoba County Fair, but this action was viewed as opportunistic by many voters. In televisions attack ads, Harper criticized Dye for using $850 of public funds to acquire a new office chair while supporting a tax hike. Dye countered by accusing Harper of improperly using his office for private gain by performing legal services for three state bodies. While his opponent garnered the support of labor unions and the state teacher association, Dye was narrowly re-nominated, earning 51.5 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary. In the general election Dye faced Republican State Senator Eddie Briggs, a former Democrat who faced no primary challenge, and black independent Henry J. Kirksey. Briggs characterized Dye as beholden to "the tired, old, worn politic