2003 Mississippi elections


A general election was held in Mississippi on November 4, 2003, to elect to four-year terms all members of the state legislature, the offices of governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, state treasurer, state auditor, secretary of state, commissioner of agriculture and commerce, and commissioner of insurance, plus all three members of the Transportation Commission and all three members of the Public Service Commission.

Results for the state legislature

All 122 representatives and all 52 senators are elected for four-year terms with no term limits. The state legislature draws up separate district map for the House of Representatives and for the Senate every 10 years following each census.

Background for statewide elections

According to Article 5, Sections 140-41 of the state constitution, the governor and the other seven statewide officers are elected if they receive a majority of electoral votes and a majority of the direct total popular vote. A candidate wins an electoral vote by winning a plurality of the votes in a state house district. With 122 House Districts, a majority of electoral votes is 62. When no candidate receives both majorities, the House of Representatives decides the election between the two persons receiving the highest number of popular votes.

Governor

Incumbent Democrat Ronnie Musgrove faced Republican challenger Haley Barbour as well as the Constitution Party's John Thomas Cripps, the Green Party's Sherman Lee Dillon, and the Reform Party's Shawn O'Hara. In 1999, Lieutenant Governor Musgrove, won the gubernatorial election against Republican Mike Parker, a former U.S. representative, in a close election that necessitated the Mississippi House of Representatives to decide the outcome because of a tie in the electoral votes. Musgrove lost his re-election bid in 2003 to Barbour after a competitive race.

Lieutenant governor

Democratic primary

Candidates

Republican nomination

Candidate

General election

Amy Tuck, elected to the office in 1999 as a Democrat, had switched to the Republican Party in December 2002 after taking positions on several issues, like re-districting, that opposed the state Democratic Party's stances. In her race for reelection, her challenger was Democratic state senator Barbara Blackmon, who was the first black woman to run for a statewide race. Tuck defeated Blackmon in the election.

Attorney general

Democratic nomination

Candidate

Republican nomination

Candidate

  • Scott Newton, former FBI agent

General election

Mike Moore, a Democrat who had served four terms starting in 1988, declined to run for re-election. Moore's protégé Jim Hood faced Republican Scott Newton. Newton ran many ads attacking Hood on being soft on crime and especially criticized Hood's handling of a rape case, while Hood focused on Newton's supposed inexperience. Hood won the election over Newton.

State Treasurer

Democratic primary

Candidates

  • Gary Anderson
  • Cindy Ayers Elliott
  • Robert H. Smith

Republican primary

Candidates

General election

Four-term Democrat Marshall Bennett resigned in early 2003 to join a New York City law firm and was replaced by Peyton Prospere, who was appointed by Governor Musgrove to complete the term. With Prospere not seeking election in his own right, Gary Anderson ran for the Democrats. The Republicans chose 29-year-old banker Tate Reeves. In a close race, Reeves won over Anderson.

State Auditor

Reform nomination

Candidate

  • Billy Blackburn

Republican nomination

Candidate

General election

Republican Phil Bryant, first appointed by Gov. Kirk Fordice in 1996 to fill an unexpired term and then won in 1999, won over Reform Party candidate Billy Blackburn.

Secretary of State

Democratic nomination

Candidate

Reform nomination

Candidate

  • Brenda Blackburn

Republican nomination

Candidate

  • Julio Del Castillo

General election

Three-term incumbent Democrat Eric Clark won over Republican challenger Julio Del Castillo.

Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce

Democratic nomination

Candidate

Republican primary

Candidates

  • Roger D. Crowder
  • Kyle Weston Magee
  • Max Phillips
  • Fred T. Smith

General election

Democrat Lester Spell was re-elected to a third term over Republican Max Phillips.

Commissioner of Insurance

Democratic nomination

Candidate

  • George Dale, incumbent

Reform nomination

Candidate

Republican nomination

Candidate

  • Aaron DuPuy

General election

Democrat George Dale won an eighth term over Republican Aaron DuPuy.

Public Service Commission

Northern district

Democratic primary

Candidates

Reform nomination

Candidate
  • Kerry Hunt

General election

Democrat Bo Robinson won over Reform Kerry Hunt.
Results

Central district

Democratic nomination

Candidate
  • L.D. Horne Sr.

Reform nomination

Candidate
  • Miek R. Ivey

Candidate

  • Nielsen Cochran, incumbent

General election

Republican Nielsen Cochran won over Democrat L.D. Horne Sr. and Reform Miek R. Ivey.

Southern district

Democratic nomination

Candidate
  • Michael Callahan, incumbent

Reform nomination

Candidate
  • Anthony Sahuque

Candidate

  • Larry Albritton

General election

Democrat Michael Callahan won over Republican Larry Albritton and Reform Anthony Sahuque.
Results

Transportation Commission

Northern district

Democratic primary

Candidates
  • A.T. Marlar Jr.
  • William R. (Bill) Minor
  • Thomas Todd
    Results

Republican primary

Candidates

General election

Democrat Bill R. Minor won over Republican John M. Caldwell Sr.
Results

Central district

Democratic nomination

Candidate
  • W.C. Alderman

Reform nomination

Candidate
  • Jimmy Loper

Candidate

General election

Republican Dick Hall won over Democrat W.C. Alderman and Reform Jimmy Loper.
Results

Southern district

Democratic nomination

Candidate
  • Wayne H. Brown

Reform nomination

Candidate
  • Virgil C. Smith

Republican primary

Candidates
  • Alana Abney
  • Arlin Regan
    Results

General election

Democrat Wayne H. Brown won over Republican Arlin Regan and Reform Virgil C. Smith.
Results

Works cited

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