A general election was held in Mississippi on November 4, 2003, to elect to 4 year terms all members of the state legislature (122 representatives, 52 senators), 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 
 Barbara Blackmon, state senator
 Troy D. Brown, Sr., business owner
 James L. Roberts, Jr., judge on the Mississippi Supreme Court

Results

Republican nomination

Candidate 
Amy Tuck, incumbent

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.

Results

Attorney general

Democratic nomination

Candidate 
 Jim Hood, district attorney of Northern Mississippi

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.

Results

State Treasurer

Democratic primary

Candidates 

 Gary Anderson
 Cindy Ayers Elliott
 Robert H. Smith

Results

Runoff

Republican primary

Candidates 

 Wayne Burkes
 Andrew Ketchings
 Tate Reeves, banker

Results

Runoff

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.

Results

State Auditor

Reform nomination

Candidate 
 Billy Blackburn

Republican nomination

Candidate 
 Phil Bryant, incumbent

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.

Results

Secretary of State

Democratic nomination

Candidate 
 Eric Clark, incumbent

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.

Results

Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce

Democratic nomination

Candidate 
 Lester Spell, incumbent

Republican primary

Candidates 

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

Results

Runoff

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

Results

Commissioner of Insurance

Democratic nomination

Candidate 
 George Dale, incumbent

Reform nomination

Candidate 
 Barbara Dale Washer

Republican nomination

Candidate 
 Aaron DuPuy

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

Results

Public Service Commission

Northern district

Democrat primary

Candidates 

 Bo Robinson, incumbent
 Benton White

Results

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

Republican nominiation

Candidate 

 Nielsen Cochran, incumbent

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

Results

Southern district

Democratic nomination

Candidate 

 Michael Callahan, incumbent

Reform nomination

Candidate 

 Anthony Sahuque

Republican nominiation

Candidate 

 Larry Albritton

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

Results

Transportation Commission

Northern district

Democrat primary

Candidates 

 A.T. Marlar, Jr.
 William R. (Bill) Minor
 Thomas (Tod) Todd

Results

Republican primary

Candidates 

 John M. Caldwell, Sr.
 Larry Lee

Results

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

Republican nominiation

Candidate 

 Dick Hall, incumbent

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

Notes

References

Works cited 

 

 
Mississippi Legislature elections
2003 state legislature elections in the United States