Local Citizens Step Up to Run in Various Lafayette, State Races

By Alyssa Schnugg
News Editor
alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com

Lafayette County Courthouse
Photo by Talbert Toole.

Editor’s Note: Hottytoddy.com will run an update each Monday until March 1 on who qualifies for local elections and on local citizens who qualify for state elections.

Two weeks into the election qualification period, two Lafayette County Board of Supervisor seats have five candidates running for each district as of Monday morning.

Districts 2 Supervisor Jeff Busby announced in December he would not be seeking re-election as a supervisor, but instead will be running for Circuit Court Clerk. As of Monday, no one else has qualified to run for Circuit Court Clerk.

Since Jan. 2, five people have qualified to run for District 2 supervisors: Larry Gillespie (R), J.E. Ed Neilson, (D) and Ava Halon Bonds Gossett, (D) registered the first week. Last week, Max Hill, (D), and Leslie Spense, (D) also qualified.

District 1 Supervisor Kevin Frye, a Democrat, also announced he would not be running to retain his supervisor seat and qualified to run for Mississippi Senate District 9. Republican Nicole Boyd announced her intent to run for District 9 senator last week. Incumbent Sen. Gray Tollison announced last week he would not be seeking re-election.

However, only one person, Brent Larson, has qualified to run for Frye’s District 1 seat as of Monday.

In District 3, Cynthia Parham and Dale Timothy Gordon, both Democrats, qualified to run against incumbent David Rikard, a Republican in the first week. Last week, Alonzo Hilliard, (D), and Davii Jo Chinault, (R ) joined the race.

District 4 Supervisor Chad McLarty, (D), gained one opponent so far when Scott Allen, (D) qualified last week. District 5 Supervisor Mike Roberts (D) picked up one opponent as well last week. Johnny Mike Fortner (R ) qualified to run for District 5 supervisor.

The sheriff race remains at three candidates – Oxford Police Chief Joey East, Raymond Westley Sides and Jeffrey Clinton South. East and Sides qualified as Democrats while South qualified as an Independent.

Running unopposed so far in other races are incumbents Chancery Clerk Sherry Wall, Tax Collector/Assessor Sylvia Baker, County Attorney Jay Chain, Coroner Rocky Kennedy; Justice Court Judges, Johnny Wayne McLarty, Southern District, Mickey Avent, Central and Carolyn Pettis Bell, Northern; Constables, Greg “Spankey” Pettis, Northern District, Jackie Theobald, Southern and Jody Mayfield, Central.

In the House of Representatives, Republican incumbents Steve Massengill, District 13, and Charles Beckett, District 23, have qualified to seek re-election with no opponents as of Monday. District 10 Rep. Nolan Mettetal announced he is retiring. Republican Brady Williamson has qualified to run for the District 10 seat.

Oxford’s District 12 Rep. Jay Hughes is running for lieutenant governor. Oxford attorney Tiffany Kilpatrick has qualified to run as a Democrat.

The qualifying deadline in Mississippi is March 1. Party primaries are in August, and the general election is in November.