By: Frank Corder, Magnolia Tribune
(AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
Qualifying ended Monday for the court-ordered special legislative elections resulting from this year’s redistricting.
A federal three-judge panel mandated new legislative district boundaries be drawn to increase majority minority districts in areas in North Mississippi and the Pine Belt. This affected more than a dozen legislative districts.
Three seats will be unopposed in the special elections: Senate District 34 with Senator Juan Barnett (D), Senate District 41 with Senator Joey Fillingane (R), and House District 36 with Rep. Karl Gibbs (D).
Four races will be decided in the August 5 Primary Elections while the other seven will be determined in the November 4 General Election.
Here are the qualified candidates for the special elections as reported by the Mississippi Republican and Democratic parties late Monday night.
Senate District 1
- Michael McLendon (incumbent) – Republican
- Jon Stevenson – Republican
- Chris Hanna – Democrat
Senate District 2
- Charlie Hoots – Republican
- Theresa Gillespie Isom – Democrat
- Kelly Lisa Andress – Democrat
- Robert Walker – Democrat
- Note: Incumbent Senator David Parker announced last Thursday he would not be seeking re-election
Senate District 11
- Reginald Jackson (incumbent) – Democrat
- Abe Hudson, Jr. – Democrat
- Kendall Lee Prewett – Republican
Senate District 19
- Kevin Blackwell (incumbent) – Republican
- Dianne Dodson Black – Democrat
Senate District 34
- Juan Barnett (incumbent) – Democrat
Senate District 41
- Joey Fillingane (incumbent) – Republican
Senate District 42
- Robin Robinson (incumbent) – Republican
- Randy Robinson – Republican
- Donald Hartness – Republican
Senate District 44
- Chris Johnson (incumbent) – Republican
- Christopher Lott – Republican
- Shakita Taylor – Democrat
- Note: State Senator John Polk was paired with Johnson during the redistricting process but Polk decided to retire from the Senate instead of seeking re-election and running against Johnson.
Senate District 45
- Anna Rush – Republican
- Johnny DuPree – Democrat
House District 16
- Rickey Thompson (incumbent) – Democrat
- Brady Davis – Democrat
House District 22
- Jonathan Lancaster (incumbent) – Republican
- Justin Crosby – Democrat
House District 36
- Karl Gibbs (incumbent) – Democrat
House District 39
- Dana McLean (incumbent) – Republican
- Mitchell Wiggins – Republican
House District 41
- Kabir Karriem (incumbent) – Democrat
- Pierre Beard, Sr. – Democrat