. ▁In ▁the ▁words ▁of ▁Claude ▁Ram sey , ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁Mississippi ▁A FL - C IO , ▁Walker ▁tried ▁to ▁" out se greg ate " ▁East land , ▁but ▁most ▁white ▁vot ers ▁stayed ▁with ▁East land , ▁who ▁finished ▁with ▁ 6 5 . 6 % ▁of ▁the ▁vote . ▁ ▁With ▁ 1 0 5 , 6 5 2 ▁votes , ▁Walker ▁pol led ▁ 2 6 . 7 % ▁at ▁the ▁general ▁election . ▁His ▁supp or ters ▁included ▁black s ▁in ▁south western ▁Mississippi , ▁which ▁came ▁as ▁a ▁surprise ▁because ▁of ▁Walker ' s ▁open ▁support ▁for ▁seg reg ation . ▁ ▁Black ▁vot ers ▁had ▁entered ▁the ▁political ▁process ▁under ▁the ▁V oting ▁Rights ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 9 6 5 ▁and ▁carried ▁Cla ib or ne ▁and ▁Jefferson ▁Count ies ▁for ▁Walker ▁in ▁protest ▁of ▁East land ▁as ▁a ▁" D em ocr atic ▁Reg ular ." ▁ ▁Years ▁later , ▁W irt ▁Y er ger , ▁the ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁Mississippi ▁Republican ▁Party ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s , ▁said ▁that ▁Walker ' s ▁decision ▁to ▁rel in qu ish ▁his ▁House ▁seat ▁after ▁one ▁term ▁for ▁the ▁v ag aries ▁of ▁a ▁Senate ▁race ▁against ▁East land ▁was ▁" very ▁dev ast ating " ▁to ▁the ▁growth ▁of ▁the ▁Republican ▁Party ▁in ▁Mississippi . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 6 , ▁Mississippi ▁House ▁Represent ative ▁Lewis ▁Mc All ister ▁of ▁Mer id ian , ▁the ▁first ▁Republican