# 2015 Mississippi elections

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vte :
A general election was held in the U.S. state of Mississippi on November 3, 2015. All of Mississippi's executive officers were up for election. Primary elections were held on August 4, 2015, with primary runoffs to be held on August 25, 2015 if no candidate received a majority in the primary. The filing deadline for primary ballot access was February 27.

## Governor

Incumbent Republican Governor Phil Bryant won re-election to a second and final term in office. He was challenged in the Republican primary by Mitch Young.
Retired firefighter Robert Gray, physician Valerie Short and attorney Vicki Slater ran for the Democratic nomination.

## Lieutenant governor

Incumbent Republican lieutenant governor Tate Reeves ran for re-election to a second term in office. He was challenged in the primary by teacher Alisha Nelson McElhenney. Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann, State Senator and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2014 Chris McDaniel and State Senator Michael Watson all considered running against Reeves in the Republican primary, but none did so.
Former Republican State Senator and former Republican Madison County Supervisor Tim Johnson won the Democratic primary against actor and candidate for Mayor of Greenwood in 2013 Jelani Barr. Mississippi Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley was a potential Democratic candidate but instead ran for re-election.
Reeves won the general election against Johnson.

### Democratic primary
#### Candidates

* Jelani Barr, actor and candidate for Mayor of Greenwood in 2013
* Tim Johnson, former Republican State Senator and former Madison County Supervisor

#### Results

Democratic primary result :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Tim Johnson | 221,334 | 75.83 |
| | Democratic | Jelani Barr | 70,543 | 24.17 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 291,877 | 100 |

### Republican primary
#### Candidates

* Tate Reeves, incumbent
* Alisha Nelson McElhenney, teacher

#### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Tate Reeves (incumbent) | 226,964 | 82.54 |
| | Republican | Alisha Nelson McElhenney | 48,007 | 17.46 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 274,971 | 100 |

### General election
#### Results

Mississippi lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2015 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Tate Reeves (incumbent) | 433,382 | 60.34 |
| | Democratic | Tim Johnson | 259,008 | 36.06 |
| | Libertarian | Ron Williams | 16,317 | 2.27 |
| | Reform | Rosa B. Williams | 9,480 | 1.31 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 718,187 | 100 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

## Secretary of State

Incumbent Republican Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann considered running for Lieutenant Governor against Tate Reeves in the Republican primary. However, he chose to run for re-election to a third term in office instead. Potential Republican candidates for Secretary of State included State Senator Michael Watson and Hosemann's former Chief of Staff Cory Wilson, had he chosen to retire.
Retired firefighter Charles Graham ran for the Democrats. State Senator David Blount and former Secretary of State Dick Molpus were potential Democratic candidates, but neither chose to run.
Hosemann won in the general election against Graham.

### Democratic nomination
#### Candidate

* Charles Graham, retired firefighter

### Reform nomination
#### Candidate

* Randy Walker

### Republican primary
#### Candidate

* Delbert Hosemann, incumbent

#### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Delbert Hosemann (incumbent) | 224,823 | 100 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 224,823 | 100 |

### General election
#### Results

Mississippi Secretary of State election, 2015 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Delbert Hosemann (incumbent) | 440,048 | 61.28 |
| | Democratic | Charles Graham | 256,689 | 35.75 |
| | Reform | Randy Walker | 21,260 | 2.96 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 717,997 | 100 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

## Attorney general

Incumbent Democratic attorney general Jim Hood had been mentioned as a potential candidate for Governor, but he instead ran for re-election to a fourth term in office.
The only candidate to file for the Republican nomination was Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst. Attorney Russ Latino considered running but declined to do so. Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann, State Senator Chris McDaniel, State Senator Michael Watson, Jackson County District Attorney Tony Lawrence, Madison and Rankin Counties' District Attorney Michael Guest were all mentioned as potential Republican candidates. State Representative Mark Baker and attorney, author and former Madison County Supervisor Andy Taggart declined to run.
Hood won in the general election against Hurst.

### Democratic nomination
#### Candidate

* Jim Hood, incumbent

### Republican primary
#### Candidate

* Mike Hurst, Assistant U.S. Attorney

#### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Mike Hurst | 217,201 | 100 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 217,201 | 100 |

### General election
#### Results

Mississippi Attorney General election, 2015 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Jim Hood (incumbent) | 400,110 | 55.35 |
| | Republican | Mike Hurst | 322,648 | 44.64 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 722,758 | 100 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

## State Auditor

Incumbent Republican State Auditor Stacey Pickering ran for re-election to a third term in office. Pickering was challenged in the Republican primary by Mary Hawkins-Butler, the Mayor of Madison. State Senator Michael Watson had considered running but did not do so.
Jocelyn Pritchett, an engineer, ran as a Democrat. Charles Graham, a retired firefighter, had been running for the office, but decided to run for Secretary of State instead.
Pickering won in the general election against Pritchett.

### Democratic nomination
#### Candidate

* Jocelyn Pritchett, engineer

### Reform nomination
#### Candidate

* Lajena Walley

### Republican primary
#### Candidates

* Stacey Pickering, incumbent
* Mary Hawkins-Butler, the Mayor of Madison

#### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Stacey Pickering (incumbent) | 184,853 | 67.79 |
| | Republican | Mary Hawkins-Butler | 87,815 | 32.21 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 272,668 | 100 |

### General election
#### Results

Mississippi State Auditor election, 2015 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Stacey Pickering (incumbent) | 456,909 | 63.92 |
| | Democratic | Jocelyn Pritchett | 248,493 | 34.76 |
| | Reform | Lajena Walley | 9,385 | 1.31 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 714,787 | 100 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

## State Treasurer

Incumbent Republican State Treasurer Lynn Fitch ran for re-election to a second term in office. Attorney David McRae, whose family formerly owned the McRae's department store chain, ran against Fitch in the Republican primary. No Democrat filed to run for the office.
Fitch won in the primary and proceed to win in the general election against Reform party candidate Viola McFarland.

### Reform nomination
#### Candidate

* Viola McFarland

### Republican primary
#### Candidates

* Lynn Fitch, incumbent
* David McRae, attorney

#### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Lynn Fitch (incumbent) | 155,379 | 57.57 |
| | Republican | David McRae | 114,510 | 42.43 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 269,889 | 100 |

### General election
#### Results

Mississippi State Treasurer election, 2015 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Lynn Fitch (incumbent) | 516,666 | 79.17 |
| | Reform | Viola V. McFarland | 135,878 | 20.82 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 652,544 | 100 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

## Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce

Incumbent Republican Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Cindy Hyde-Smith ran for re-election to a second term in office against Addie Lee Green who ran as a Democrat. Hyde-Smith won in the general election against Green.

### Democratic nomination
#### Candidate

* Addie Lee Green

### Reform nomination
#### Candidate

* Cathy L. Toole

### Republican primary
#### Candidate

* Cindy Hyde-Smith, incumbent

#### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Cindy Hyde-Smith (incumbent) | 214,643 | 100 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 214,643 | 100 |

### General election
#### Results

Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce, 2015 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Cindy Hyde-Smith (incumbent) | 436,527 | 61.30 |
| | Democratic | Addie L. Green | 260,584 | 36.59 |
| | Reform | Cathy L. Toole | 14,852 | 2.10 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 712,085 | 100 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

## Commissioner of Insurance

Incumbent Republican Commissioner of Insurance Mike Chaney ran for re-election to a third term in office. Businessman John Mosley ran against Chaney in the Republican primary.
Former State Representative and Director of the Mississippi Democratic Trust Brandon Jones was a possible Democratic candidate, though no Democrat filed to run for the office.
Chaney prevailed in the primary, guaranteeing his win in the general election.

### Republican primary
#### Candidates

* Mike Chaney, incumbent
* John Mosley, businessman

#### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Mike Chaney (incumbent) | 196,361 | 72.61 |
| | Republican | John Mosley | 74,066 | 27.39 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 270,427 | 100 |

### General election
#### Results

Mississippi Commissioner of Insurance election, 2015 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Mike Chaney (incumbent) | 591,566 | 100 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 591,566 | 100 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

## Public Service Commission
### Northern District

Incumbent Democratic Commissioner Brandon Presley had considered running for Governor and Lieutenant Governor, but decided not to and ran for re-election to a third term in office.
Presley won in the general election against Republican Mike Maynard.

#### Democratic nomination
##### Candidate

* Brandon Presley, incumbent

#### Republican nomination
##### Candidate

* Mike Maynard
Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Mike Maynard | 29,775 | 100 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 29,775 | 100 |

#### General election
##### Results

Mississippi Public Service Commissioner, Northern District election, 2015 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Brandon Presley (incumbent) | 146,518 | 60.71 |
| | Republican | Mike Maynard | 94,793 | 39.28 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 241,311 | 100 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### Central District

Incumbent Republican Commissioner Lynn Posey retired rather than run for re-election to a third term in office.
For the Republicans, Brent Bailey and attorney and 2003 candidate for Governor Mitch Tyner ran in the primary. Other potential Republican candidates were former State Senator and candidate for State Treasurer in 2011 Lee Yancey and Jason Cochran, a utility construction company project manager, the son of former Commissioner Nielsen Cochran and nephew of U.S. Senator Thad Cochran
Bruce Burton and State Representative Cecil Brown ran for the Democrats. Robert Amos originally qualified as a Democratic candidate for this seat, but switched to run for the Central District of the Transportation Commission.
Brown faced off in the general election against Bailey and won.

#### Democratic primary
##### Candidates

* Cecil Brown
* Bruce Wilder Burton

##### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Cecil Brown | 70,385 | 73.56 |
| | Democratic | Bruce Wilder Burton | 25,287 | 26.43 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 95,672 | 100 |

#### Reform nomination
##### Candidate

* LaTrice D. Notree

#### Republican primary
##### Candidates

* Brent Bailey
* Tony Greer

##### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Brent Bailey | 48,674 | 63.07 |
| | Republican | Tony Greer | 28,490 | 36.92 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 77,164 | 100 |

#### General election
##### Results

Mississippi Public Service Commissioner, Central District election, 2015 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Cecil Brown | 124,789 | 53.36 |
| | Republican | Brent Bailey | 106,314 | 45.46 |
| | Reform | LaTrice D. Notree | 2,742 | 1.17 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 233,845 | 100 |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican |

### Southern District

Incumbent Republican Commissioner Steve Renfroe, who was appointed to the office in September 2013 after Leonard Bentz resigned to become executive director of the South Mississippi Planning and Development District, decided not to run for election to a full term in office. State Senator Philip Moran and Hancock County Supervisor Steve Seymour ruled out running and 2011 candidate Travis Rose chose not to run again. Sam Britton, Mike Collier, and State Senator Tony Smith both ran for the Republican nomination, in which Britton won following a runoff against Smith.
Thomas Blanton filed to run as the Democratic candidate and received the nomination unopposed.
Britton won in the general election against Blanton.

#### Democratic primary
##### Candidates

* Tom Blanton

#### Reform nomination
##### Candidate

* Lonny Kenneth Spence

#### Republican primary
##### Candidates

* Samuel F. "Sam" Britton, business investor
* Mike Collier
* Tony Smith, State Senator

##### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Sam Britton | 55,966 | 46.30 |
| | Republican | Tony Smith | 34,445 | 28.49 |
| | Republican | Mike Collier | 30,453 | 25.19 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 120,864 | 100 |

##### Runoff

Republican primary runoff results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Sam Britton | 43,116 | 58.67% |
| | Republican | Tony Smith | 30,364 | 41.32% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 73,480 | 100 |

#### General election
##### Results

Mississippi Public Service Commissioner, Southern District election, 2015 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Sam Britton | 144,194 | 60.53 |
| | Democratic | Tom Blanton | 89,146 | 37.42 |
| | Reform | Lonny Spence | 4,867 | 2.04 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 238,207 | 100 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

## Transportation Commission
### Northern District

Incumbent Republican Mike Tagert, who won a special election in 2011 following the death of Democratic Commissioner Bill Minor, ran for re-election to a second full term in office. He also ran in the May 2015 special election for Mississippi's 1st congressional district. Hernando Mayor Chip Johnson announced that he would run for the Republican nomination, but he withdrew from the race following Tagert's loss in the Congressional election. Candidate Jimmy Mills of Tupelo challenged Tagert in the primary.
Democrat Danny Woods of Winona filed for the Democrats and faced Tagert in the general election; Tagert won.

#### Republican primary
##### Candidates

* Jimmie D. Mills
* Mike Tagert, incumbent

##### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Mike Tagert | 50,277 | 80.30 |
| | Republican | Jimmie Mills | 12,329 | 19.69 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 62,606 | 100 |

#### Democratic nomination
##### Candidate

* Danny Woods

#### General election
##### Results

Mississippi Transportation Commissioner, Northern District election, 2015 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Mike Tagert (incumbent) | 154,070 | 64.22 |
| | Democratic | Danny Woods | 85,847 | 35.78 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 239,197 | 100 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### Central District

Incumbent Republican Commissioner Dick Hall, who was appointed to the Commission in 1999, ran for re-election to a fifth full term in office.
Robert Amos ran for the Democrats, as well as Mary Coleman and Natasha Magee-Woods. Former Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson, Jr. was a potential Democratic candidate, but he did not run.
Hall won in the general election against Coleman.

#### Democratic primary
##### Candidates

* Robert Amos
* Mary Coleman, State Representative
* Natasha Magee-Woods

##### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Mary H. Coleman | 46,293 | 48.10 |
| | Democratic | Robert Amos | 31,676 | 32.91 |
| | Democratic | Natasha K. Magee-Woods | 18,281 | 18.99 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 96,250 | 100 |

##### Runoff

Democratic primary runoff results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Mary H. Coleman | 38,191 | 68.04 |
| | Democratic | Robert Amos | 17,937 | 31.95 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 56,128 | 100 |

#### Republican nomination
##### Candidate

* Dick Hall, incumbent

##### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Dick Hall | 69,805 | 100 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 69,805 | 100 |

#### General election
##### Results

Mississippi Transportation Commissioner, Central District election, 2015 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Dick Hall (incumbent) | 128,523 | 54.61 |
| | Democratic | Mary H. Coleman | 106,828 | 45.39 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 235,351 | 100 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### Southern District

Incumbent Republican Commissioner Tom King ran for re-election to a second term in office. Chad Toney ran for the Democrats.
King won in the general election against Toney.

#### Democratic nomination
##### Candidate

* Chad Toney

#### Reform nomination
##### Candidate

* Sheranda Atkinson

#### Republican nomination
##### Candidate

* Tom King, incumbent

##### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Tom King | 117,400 | 100 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 117,400 | 100 |

#### General election
##### Results

Mississippi Transportation Commissioner, Southern District election, 2015 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Tom King | 157,601 | 66.54 |
| | Democratic | Chad Toney | 73,067 | 30.85 |
| | Reform | Sheranda Atkinson | 6,175 | 2.61 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 236,843 | 100 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

## Special Congressional election

A special election for Mississippi's 1st congressional district was held to fill the term left by the vacancy created by the death of Alan Nunnelee. Nunnelee, a member of the Republican Party, died on February 6, 2015. The top-two primary was held on May 12, with Democrat Walter Zinn and Republican Trent Kelly advancing. Kelly defeated Zinn in the June 12 runoff election.