The battle lines have been drawn and all that’s left now is the balloting. Candidate qualifying concluded on Wednesday with a couple of last-minute additions in Jones County races.
Party primaries are set for Aug. 8, and the winners of those will square off against each other and Independent candidates in the Nov. 7 General Election.
While the sheriff’s race has received the most attention, it’s field of five candidates — incumbent Joe Berlin, his three-term predecessor Alex Hodge and Kenny Rogers as Independents, and Republicans Macon Davis and Michael Reaves — has been set since Jan. 13.
But two races — the one for circuit clerk and for Beat 1 Supervisor — have more candidates, with seven and six, respectively.
A trio of newcomers signed up to run for circuit clerk in the final week of qualifying. The last one was Melissa Buchanan of Laurel, who is running as an Independent against Denis J. Borges and Thomas “Cliff” Prine Jr., and Republicans Greg “Red” Dickerson, Kim Knight, Scott Paxson and Colenia Ross. They are all vying to replace Circuit Clerk Concetta Brooks, who is the lone qualifier for chancery clerk to replace retiring Bart Gavin.
Longtime Beat 1 Supervisor Johnny Burnett has three challengers in the Republican primary — Barry Dunagin, Scott Gable and George N. Walters — plus Independents James Clark and Joey Toler.
The race for Beat 4 Supervisor added a fourth candidate on the final day, Roy Landrum, who joins Joey Bradshaw and Darrell Blackwell to challenge incumbent David Scruggs. All have Ellisville addresses and are running as Republicans.
In the District 2 Constable race, Kyle Smith qualified on the final day to run as a Republican against incumbent Danny Gibson, whose predecessor Larry Strickland qualified as an Independent.
Michelle Blackwell qualified to run against Laura Howse for District 2 Election Commissioner, which is a non-partisan race. John Herrington of Ellisville jumped in as the lone qualifier for District 4 Election Commissioner.
Of the 47 candidates who qualified in the 18 races that do have party primaries, only three are running as Democrats — Beat 5 Supervisor Travares Comegys (challenged by Independent Derrick Barber), Marian Allen (challenging Republican District 3 Justice Court Judge David Lyons) and Pamela Huddleston (challenging Republican Coroner Burl Hall and Zachary Rowell).
Beat 2 Supervisor Larry Dykes will face David Miller, and Beat 3 Supervisor Phil Dickerson will face Shane Hill in the Republican primary.
District 3 Constable David Livingston will face Joey Davis in the Republican primary, and three candidates are running to replace Mike Sumrall as District 1 Constable — Republicans Jake Driskell and Wayne McLemore, and Independent James Stiglet.
District Attorney Brad Thompson, Tax Assessor Tina Gatlin Byrd, District 1 Justice Court Judge Grant Hedgepeth, District 2 Justice Court Judge Sonny Saul, County Attorney Risher Caves and County Surveyor Harvey Saul will all get to cruise back into office unopposed.
There was plenty of last-minute shuffling for local seats in the state legislature set off by the announcement that four-term state Sen. Chris McDaniel (R-Ellisville) was running against Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann.
Don Hartness qualified to run for the Senate District 42 seat against Rep. Robin Robinson, who withdrew from her race for another term in House District 88 to seek the senate seat. Noel Rogers withdrew from that senate race.
Chris Hodge, Charles “Chuck” Blackwell and Tommy Parker were all 11th-hour qualifiers for the House District 88 seat after Robin “Buck” Torske signed up to run against Robinson.
Rep. Donnie Scoggin (R-Ellisville), Rep. Omeria Scott (D-Laurel) and Sen. Juan Barnett (D-Heidelberg) are unopposed.
Two other locals are running for state or regional offices. State Auditor Shad White, a Republican from Sandersville, is being challenged by Democrat Larry Bradford. Steven Brian Griffin of Laurel is running as an Independent against Republican Rep. Charles Busby for the open seat of Southern District Transportation Commissioner.
McDaniel and Hosemann will have company in the Republican primary race for lieutenant governor — Tiffany Longino and Shane Quick also qualified. The winner will face D. Ryan Grover of Hattiesburg, who qualified as a Democrat.
Northern District Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley of Nettleton announced last month that he would challenge incumbent Gov. Tate Reeves. Pundits believe Presley is the favorite to win the Democratic primary in August and advance to the November general election. But Presley will first have to defeat Democratic primary challengers Bob Hickingbottom and Gregory Wash, both of Jackson.
Reeves is being challenged in the Republican primary by John Witcher and David Grady Hardigree. Independent Gray Gwendolyn also will be on the November general election ballot for governor.
For attorney general, Jackson attorney Greta Martin, a Democrat, will challenge Republican incumbent Lynn Fitch.
In other races:
• Secretary of State: Democrat Shuwaski Young will challenge Republican incumbent Michael Watson.
• Treasurer: Democrat Addie Green will challenge Republican incumbent David McRae.
• Insurance commissioner: Democrat Bruce Burton and Republican Mitch Young are both running against Republican incumbent Mike Chaney.
• Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce: Four Democrats — Terry Rogers ll, Bradford Hill, Robert Briggs and Bethany Hill — will compete for the right to face Republican incumbent Andy Gipson in the November general election.
Democrat De’Keither Stamps will square off for the second consecutive election with Republican incumbent Brent Bailey for the Central District Public Service Commission post. Bailey defeated Stamps, now a state House member, in 2019 in a closely contested election.
Three Republicans but no Democrats are running to replace Presley for the Northern District Public Service Commissioner: Mandy Ganasekara, Tanner Newman and Chris Brown.
Incumbent Southern District Public Service Commissioner Dane Maxwell will face Nelson Wayne Carr in the Republican primary.
And Democratic Central District Commissioner Willie Simmons will face Republican Rickey Pennington Jr.
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