Republicans and Democrats will go to the polls Tuesday to choose which candidates will represent their parties in November’s general election.
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The races that have drawn the most attention are for the top statewide offices, where the issues are large and complicated: whether the gas tax should be increased to pay for repairs to roads and bridges, whether the state should accept more than $1 billion annually in federal aid by expanding Medicaid coverage to an additional 300,000 people, and whether the failures of Mississippi’s public education system can finally be put behind us.
To run for governor in the Nov. 5 election, Republican voters will choose from Robert Foster, a freshman House member from Hernando; Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, closely aligned with the politics of Gov. Phil Bryant; and former Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Bill Waller Jr.
The winner of that primary will face one of the Democratic candidates selected from a long list: presumptive nominee and Attorney General Jim Hood, Michael Brown, William Bond Compton Jr., Robert J. Ray, Robert Shuler Smith, Gregory Wash, Velesha P. Williams and Albert Wilson.
In Leflore County and Carroll County races, with only one Republican having qualified for office over Leflore and Carroll counties — Jesse C. Saulter, supervisor candidate in Carroll County’s Beat 2 — all the action is reserved for the Democratic ballots. But with the race for the GOP nomination for governor drawing great interest as it supposedly tightens, the chances lessen for Republicans to cross over to vote in local Democratic races.
Among the Democrats, the matchups to watch are the House District 32 race between Solomon Osborne — who won a special election in March to fill the term of Willie Perkins after Perkins resigned to serve as chancery court judge — and Tavarris K. Cross Sr.
The rematch for Leflore chancery clerk between Johnny Lee Gary Jr. and incumbent Christine Lymon was short-circuited when Lymon decided to retire after she had qualified to be on the ballot. Still, Gary will face independent candidates Debra Tate Hibbler and Mary Rice-Roberson in November.
In the county’s race for coroner, incumbent Debra Sanders faces Eddie Martin Jr. The winner will assume office as no independent candidates have qualified for the seat.
The death last year of longtime District 2 Supervisor Robert Moore has brought four Democratic candidates to the ballot. Reginald Moore was appointed to fill out his father’s term as supervisor; he faces candidates Willie E. Brown, Alonzo Evans and Larry “Blue” Neal. To win, a candidate must have 50% plus one of the votes cast. If no candidate receives a majority of the votes, a runoff election will be held Aug. 27. And the winner of the runoff will still have to face independent candidate Lelavie Grayson Sr. in the fall.
Leflore County Circuit Clerk Elmus Stockstill, who runs elections for the county, said indications are there is a lot of voter interest in the race and an effort to get people to issue absentee ballots instead of going to the polls on Tuesday.
“From the office’s standpoint, we’re getting a high volume of absentee (ballots) from District 2,” Stockstill said, predicting turnout in that district’s two polling places could top 50% of registered voters. He expects the rest of the county will run about average with about 40% of registered voters going to the polls.
In the District 4 supervisor race, T.W. Cooper and Eric Mitchell have filed to represent the Democratic party against incumbent Wayne Self, who filed as an independent candidate. In District 5, incumbent Supervisor Robert Collins faces challenger Ulysses Kelly, with the winner to square off in November in the only race featuring two independent candidates to file qualifying papers with their nicknames attached: Derrick “Chitchy” Chambers and Kelvin “Hollywood” Hilton.
In the race for constable in the southern district, incumbent Andrew McQueen faces off with Chris Glass. McQueen has served for 20 years, and Glass has challenged him and lost twice before.
In Carroll County, the retirement of Stanley “Sugar” Mullins brought five candidates to the ballot. Three Democrats will face off — Casey James Carpenter, Christy Noah and Monica Prewitt Jones — with the winner facing independent candidates Danette Corder Roland and Jenifer Beryl Houston.
Incumbent Sheriff Clint Walker faces a challenge from his former deputy, David Keith Mims. No other candidates have filed, so the winner will claim the position for the next four years.
In the contest for tax assessor/collector, incumbent Wilton A. Neal faces Melinda Sanders Alderman. The winner will compete with independent candidate Donna Gregg Harper in the fall.
Among the supervisor races, Beat 1 incumbent Jim Neill Jr. faces challenger Scott Montgomery. In Beat 2, incumbent Terry G. Brown competes with Josh Hurst with the winner taking on lone Republican Saulter in the fall. In Beat 5, three Democrats crowd the card: incumbent Rickie Corley and challengers Andy K. McCorkle and Walter J. Mitchell.
For Justice Court judge in the northern district, incumbent Jimmy Avant faces Therrell Turner. In the southern district, incumbent Dorothy Branch faces Tinesha Erve-Earnest.
For constable in the northern district, incumbent Joe Holman faces Dustin Haddon. In the more crowded southern district, incumbent Rob Banks is challenged by Roshaun Daniels, Travis Gatewood and Andy Langham.
Besides the races for governor on the statewide ballots, Republicans will be deciding their nominee for lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, treasurer, public service commissioner and transportation commissioner.
On the Democratic ballot, besides governor, voters will choose among candidates for secretary of state, public service commissioner and transportation commissioner.
Results from Tuesday’s elections will be posted on www.gwcommonwealth.com as soon as they are available and will be updated through the evening.
