Jesse informs the current DA, Rex Dubisson, of his plans to challenge him by running for DA. Rex warns him, “There’s nothing clean about politics around here, Jesse. You’re being naive. It’s a dirty game,” to which Jesse replies, “It doesn’t have to be” (114). Jesse then formally announces his candidacy in the local newspaper, the Gulf Coast Register. Lance is amused by the announcement but recognizes Jesse’s mission to “clean up the Coast” (61) as a threat: “Once, many years ago, [Lance] had considered [Jesse] a friend. Those days were long gone. The new battle lines were clear and the war was on” (116). When Jesse’s campaign manager discovers his tires slashed, he quits the campaign, and Keith, now 19, steps into his place.

As part of his campaign, Jesse sends out a direct mailing targeting organized crime in Biloxi. Lance sees it as a threat and “the first sign of open warfare from Jesse Rudy” (123). As a countermeasure, Lance’s supporters send out a mailing featuring a photo of a woman who claims to have been raped by Jarvis Decker—a criminal Jesse defended in a domestic abuse case. The mailing claims that Jesse “cozies up” to violent criminals (125).