Timmy O’Bryant, who was disqualified from the race for Leflore County District 3 supervisor in 2019, is running again.
O’Bryant is running as an independent against incumbent Anjuan Brown, who successfully challenged O’Bryant’s eligibility for candidacy in 2019. He is Brown’s only challenger.
In 2019, O’Bryant entered the race against Brown but was disqualified due to “some mix-up with the court system,” he said.
At the time, Circuit Clerk Elmus Stockstill said, O’Bryant was disqualified due to a felony criminal record. Judge Ashley Hines expunged on Jan. 23 the only two felony convictions on O’Bryant’s record, potentially making him once again eligible to run for office.
Brown said he “absolutely” plans to challenge O’Bryant’s eligibility again, but O’Bryant is sure he will avoid disqualification.
“I am eligible to run,” he asserted.
O’Bryant added that he might challenge Brown’s eligibility to run. “If he wants to go digging in the trash, then let’s go digging in his history,” he said. “The best thing for him to do is just let this go.”
The Leflore County election commissioners will decide who remains in the race.
Wednesday was the qualifying deadline for county elections.
Six candidates will vie for the District 5 seat on the Leflore County Board of Supervisors in August’s primaries.
K.K. Henderson Kent, who owns K.K.’s Deli in Greenwood, submitted qualifying paperwork to run as an independent. Also running are incumbent Robert Collins and challengers Derrick Chambers, Bertha M. Woods Sparks, Troy Brown Sr. and Ulysses Kelly, all Democrats.
Collins said he’s not surprised by the number of challengers he is facing. “I always have four or five every year,” he said.
“There’s always going to be somebody who’s dissatisfied, and you can’t get 100% of the votes, but we still work to represent 100% of the people,” he said.
In District 2, Lelavie Grayson Sr. became the second challenger to incumbent Reginald Moore. Grayson, a Democrat, will face both Moore and Alonzo Evans in that party’s Aug. 8 primary.
Preston Ratliff is challenging incumbent Carlos Palmer for justice court judge in the Southern District. The two will face each other in the Democratic primary in August.
Larry “Blue” Neal, a former justice court judge who has run for a number of other offices, will challenge Neysha Sanders for justice court judge in the Central District.
Tax Collector Annie Conley has announced that she will retire at the end of her current term. Running for her position are Pamela Keys, Sheron Elliott and Curtis Coates.
Sheriff Ricky Banks also will retire. Four men have qualified to run: Democrats James Payne Sr., Earnest Adams and Demetrice Bedell and independent Byron O’Bryant.
O’Bryant is the brother of Timmy O’Bryant.
In Carroll County, Wayne Henderson has entered into the race for District 5 supervisor with six other candidates. Incumbent Rickie Corley announced that he will not seek reelection.
In District 4, Jerry Branch has joined the race against incumbent Claude Fluker with Leon Hallmon Jr. and Charles F. Humphrey.
Demarcus Peeples has qualified in the race for constable in the Southern District. He will face incumbent Roshaun Daniels and Travis Oswald Gatewood.
Wilton Neal will retire at the end of this term as Carroll County’s tax assessor and collector. Chris Downs, Donna Gregg Harper and Tammy J. Inmon will vie for the seat in the Democratic primary.
In the race for state offices, Everette Hill and Marty Evans Jr. will challenge incumbent David Jordan and Curressia M. Brown for Seat 24 in the Mississippi Senate. Evans is the only Republican candidate in the race.
Bill Downs has entered the race against Karl Oliver in the race for Mississippi House Seat 46. The two will face off in the Republican primary Aug. 8.
- Contact Katherine Parker at 662-581-7239 or kparker@gwcommonwealth.com.
The original version of this article incorrectly reported the party affiliation of Byron O'Bryant.
