▁considered ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁strongly ▁influenced ▁by ▁the ▁campaign ▁of ▁Barry ▁Gold water , ▁who ▁carried ▁Mississippi ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁president ial ▁election ▁with ▁ 8 7 % ▁of ▁the ▁vote . ▁Gold water ▁won ▁many ▁of ▁the ▁count ies ▁in ▁the ▁district ▁with ▁greater ▁than ▁ 9 0 % ▁of ▁the ▁vote ; ▁two , ▁Hol mes ▁and ▁No x ub ee ▁count ies , ▁gave ▁him ▁a ▁st agger ing ▁ 9 6 . 6 %, ▁tied ▁for ▁his ▁best ▁showing ▁in ▁the ▁nation . ▁ ▁After ▁winning ▁the ▁election , ▁Walker ' s ▁first ▁public ▁appearance ▁was ▁to ▁speak ▁at ▁a ▁meeting ▁organized ▁by ▁the ▁group ▁Americans ▁for ▁the ▁Pres ervation ▁of ▁the ▁White ▁Race . ▁ ▁At ▁a ▁Republican ▁fund ra iser ▁at ▁the ▁Mississippi ▁Col ise um ▁in ▁the ▁capital ▁city ▁of ▁Jackson ▁on ▁June ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 1 9 8 3 , ▁US ▁President ▁Ron ald ▁Re agan ▁would ▁tell ▁the ▁following ▁an ec d ote : ▁ ▁Form er ▁Congress man ▁Pr ent iss ▁Walker , ▁who ▁I ▁understand ▁is ▁here ▁today , ▁tells ▁a ▁story ▁about ▁his ▁first ▁campaign . ▁He ▁dropped ▁in ▁on ▁a ▁farm ▁and ▁introduced ▁himself ▁as ▁a ▁Republican ▁candidate . ▁And ▁as ▁he ▁tells ▁it , ▁the ▁far mer ' s ▁eyes ▁lit ▁up , ▁and ▁then ▁he ▁said , ▁" Wait ▁till ▁I ▁get ▁my ▁wife . ▁We ' ve ▁never ▁seen ▁a ▁Republican ▁before ." ▁ ▁And ▁a ▁few ▁minutes ▁later ▁he ▁was