County seat rivals outpace spending
Published 11:43 am Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Incumbent David McDonald and GOP challenger John Arnold have spent more trying to win the District 1 county supervisor seat this time around than when the two faced off four years ago, finance reports show.
McDonald, 61, has spent $6,486.54 and raised $8,600 through Saturday. A report for Arnold, 57, shows $7,012.04 spent, including a $2,100 gift from himself, and $7,159.63 raised. The $13,498.58 outpaces the $10,393 the two spent for the primary battle in 2007, which McDonald won by 17 votes out of 1,979 cast. McDonald came out of the Aug. 2 primary 110 votes ahead of Arnold. The winner in Tuesday’s primary runoff will face independents Jerry Briggs, 34, and Reed Birdsong, 51, in the Nov. 8 general election.
Only candidates in primary runoffs were required to submit a finance report by Tuesday. Primary winners, those unopposed in primaries and independents on the general ballot next report finances Oct. 10.
The county board contest is among four to be decided on Tuesday’s primary runoff ballot. For chancery clerk, Republicans will choose between Donna Farris Hardy and Doug Whittington to carry the party’s nod in November.
Statewide, Democrats will choose a nominee for governor, either Hattiesburg Mayor Johnny Dupree or Bill Luckett, a Clarksdale businessman. The winner faces Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant and three independents in November.
Republicans will choose a nominee for state treasurer between Lynn Fitch, state personnel board director, and state Sen. Lee Yancey, of Brandon. The winner faces Ocean Springs Mayor Connie Moran, a Democrat, and two independents in November.
Hardy, 56, a retired health care industry administrator, reported $11,006 raised and spent $9,761.79 for the period. No contributions are detailed on the report. None was available for Whittington, according to the Circuit Clerk’s Office. Whittington, 38, has been chief accountant for the City of Vicksburg since 2009.
The winner faces Democrat Walter Osborne, 52, city clerk in Vicksburg since 1999, and independents Alecia Ashley 36, and Gene Thompson, 69, in November. Incumbent Dot McGee is retiring this year.
State Treasurer Tate Reeves, 36, won the GOP primary for lieutenant governor; no Democrat filed to run. Same for Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann, 64, who won the GOP primary. State Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Brookhaven, 52, faces Democrat Joel Gill in November for commissioner of agriculture and commerce.
In local legislative races, state Rep. George Flaggs, D-Vicksburg, 58, faces Republican Sam Smith, 47, in Vicksburg-based District 55. State Rep. Philip Gunn, R-Clinton, 48, who represents parts of northeast Warren County, faces Democrat Jim Culberson.
Local races in November include:
• Circuit clerk, where incumbent Shelly Ashley-Palmertree, 41, a Democrat, faces Republican David Sharp, 28, and independents Jan Hyland Daigre, 50, and Robert Terry, 54.
• Sheriff, where incumbent Martin Pace, 52, an independent, faces Democrat Bubba Comans, 56.
• Tax assessor, where Democrat Angela Brown, 42, faces Republican Mike Caruthers, 56, and independents Ben Luckett, 38, and Doug Tanner, 52.
• Tax collector, where incumbent Antonia Flaggs Jones, 39, a Democrat, faces Republican Patty Mekus, 45.
• District 2 supervisor, where incumbent William Banks, 60, a Democrat, faces Republican Trey Smith, 31, and independent De Reul, 60.
• District 3 supervisor, where incumbent Charles Selmon, 51, a Democrat, faces independent James Stirgus Jr., 52.
• District 4 supervisor, where incumbent Bill Lauderdale, 64, an independent, faces Democrat Casey Fisher, 45.
• District 5 supervisor, where incumbent Richard George, 62, an independent, faces J.W. Carroll, 64, Joe Wooley, 68, and Ellis Tillotson, 56, also independents.