2015 Mississippi elections

← 2011 2019 →

Ageneral election was held in the U.S. state ofMississippi 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.

Incumbent RepublicanGovernorPhil Bryant won re-election to a second and final term in office.^[1] He was challenged in the Republican primary by Mitch Young.^[2]

Retired firefighter Robert Gray, physician Valerie Short and attorney Vicki Slater ran for the Democratic nomination.^[3]

Mississippi lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2015

← 2011 November 3, 2015 2019 →

Nominee Tate Reeves Tim Johnson Party Republican Democratic Electoral vote 80 42 Popular vote 433,382 259,008 Percentage 60.34% 36.06%

County results Congressional district results Reeves:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90% Johnson:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%

Lieutenant Governor before election Tate Reeves Republican Elected Lieutenant Governor Tate Reeves Republican

Incumbent Republicanlieutenant governorTate Reeves ran for re-election to a second term in office. He was challenged in the primary by teacher Alisha Nelson McElhenney.^[2]Secretary of StateDelbert Hosemann,^[4][5] State Senator and candidate for the U.S. Senatein 2014Chris McDaniel^[6] and State Senator Michael Watson all considered running against Reeves in the Republican primary, but none did so.^[6]

Former Republican State Senator and former RepublicanMadison CountySupervisorTim Johnson^[7] won the Democratic primary against actor and candidate for Mayor ofGreenwood in 2013 Jelani Barr.^[8][9]Mississippi Public Service CommissionerBrandon Presley was a potential Democratic candidate^[10] but instead ran for re-election.^[11]

Reeves won the general election against Johnson.^[9]

• Jelani Barr, actor and candidate for Mayor ofGreenwood in 2013^[8]
• Tim Johnson, former Republican State Senator and formerMadison CountySupervisor^[7]

• Tate Reeves, incumbent
• Alisha Nelson McElhenney, teacher^[2]

Mississippi Secretary of State election, 2015

← 2011 November 3, 2015 2019 →

Nominee Delbert Hosemann Charles Graham Party Republican Democratic Electoral vote 80 42 Popular vote 440,048 256,689 Percentage 61.28% 35.75%

County results Congressional district results Hosemann:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90% Graham:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%

Secretary of State before election Delbert Hosemann Republican Elected Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann Republican

Incumbent RepublicanSecretary of StateDelbert Hosemann considered running for Lieutenant Governor against Tate Reeves in the Republican primary.^[4][5] 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.^[15]

Retired firefighter Charles Graham ran for the Democrats.^[16] State SenatorDavid Blount and former Secretary of StateDick Molpus were potential Democratic candidates, but neither chose to run.^[15][17]

Hosemann won in the general election against Graham.^[9]

• Charles Graham, retired firefighter^[16]

• Randy Walker

• Delbert Hosemann, incumbent

Incumbent Democraticattorney generalJim Hood had been mentioned as a potential candidate for Governor, but he instead ran for re-election to a fourth term in office.^[18][19][20]

The only candidate to file for the Republican nomination was Assistant U.S. AttorneyMike Hurst.^[21] Attorney Russ Latino considered running^[22] but declined to do so.^[23] Secretary of StateDelbert Hosemann, State SenatorChris McDaniel, State Senator Michael Watson,Jackson County District Attorney Tony Lawrence,Madison andRankin Counties' District Attorney Michael Guest were all mentioned as potential Republican candidates.^[6][15] State Representative Mark Baker and attorney, author and formerMadison CountySupervisor Andy Taggart declined to run.^[24]

Hood won in the general election against Hurst.^[9]

• Jim Hood, incumbent^[20]

• Mike Hurst, Assistant U.S. Attorney^[21]

Mississippi State Auditor election, 2015

← 2011 November 3, 2015 2019 →

Nominee Stacey Pickering Jocelyn Pritchett Party Republican Democratic Electoral vote 80 42 Popular vote 456,909 248,493 Percentage 63.92% 34.76%

County results Pickering:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90% Pritchett:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%

State Auditor before election Stacey Pickering Republican Elected State Auditor Stacey Pickering Republican

Incumbent RepublicanState AuditorStacey Pickering ran for re-election to a third term in office.^[25] Pickering was challenged in the Republican primary byMary Hawkins-Butler, the Mayor ofMadison.^[26][27] State Senator Michael Watson had considered running but did not do so.^[28]

Jocelyn Pritchett, an engineer, ran as a Democrat.^[16] Charles Graham, a retired firefighter, had been running for the office, but decided to run for Secretary of State instead.^[29]

Pickering won in the general election against Pritchett.^[9]

• Jocelyn Pritchett, engineer^[16]

• Lajena Walley

• Stacey Pickering, incumbent
• Mary Hawkins-Butler, the Mayor ofMadison^[26]

Mississippi State Treasurer election, 2015

← 2011 November 3, 2015 2019 →

Nominee Lynn Fitch Viola V. McFarland Party Republican Reform Electoral vote 121 1 Popular vote 516,666 135,878 Percentage 79.17% 20.82%

County results Congressional district results Fitch:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     >90% McFarland:     50–60%

State Treasurer before election Lynn Fitch Republican Elected State Treasurer Lynn Fitch Republican

Incumbent RepublicanState TreasurerLynn Fitch ran for re-election to a second term in office.^[25] Attorney David McRae, whose family formerly owned theMcRae's department store chain, ran against Fitch in the Republican primary.^[30] No Democrat filed to run for the office.^[9]

Fitch won in the primary and proceed to win in the general election againstReform party candidate Viola McFarland.^[31]

• Viola McFarland

• Lynn Fitch, incumbent
• David McRae, attorney^[30]

Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce election, 2015

← 2011 November 3, 2015 2019 →

Nominee Cindy Hyde-Smith Addie Lee Green Party Republican Democratic Electoral vote 81 41 Popular vote 436,527 260,584 Percentage 61.30% 36.59%

County results Hyde-Smith:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90% Green:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%

Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce before election Cindy Hyde-Smith Republican Elected Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Cindy Hyde-Smith Republican

Incumbent RepublicanCommissioner of Agriculture and CommerceCindy Hyde-Smith ran for re-election to a second term in office^[25] against Addie Lee Green who ran as a Democrat.^[16] Hyde-Smith won in the general election against Green.^[9]

• Addie Lee Green^[16]

• Cathy L. Toole

• Cindy Hyde-Smith, incumbent

Mississippi Commissioner of Insurance election, 2015

← 2011 November 3, 2015 2019 →

Nominee Mike Chaney Party Republican Electoral vote 122 Popular vote 591,566 Percentage 100%

County results Chaney:     90–100%

Commissioner of Insurance before election Mike Chaney Republican Elected Commissioner of Insurance Mike Chaney Republican

Incumbent Republican Commissioner of InsuranceMike Chaney ran for re-election to a third term in office.^[25][32] Businessman John Mosley ran against Chaney in the Republican primary.^[6]

Former State Representative and Director of the Mississippi Democratic TrustBrandon Jones was a possible Democratic candidate,^[32] though no Democrat filed to run for the office.^[9]

Chaney prevailed in the primary, guaranteeing his win in the general election.^[9]

• Mike Chaney, incumbent
• John Mosley, businessman^[6]

Mississippi Public Service Commissioner, Northern District election, 2015

← 2011 November 3, 2015 (2015-11-03) 2019 →

Nominee Brandon Presley Mike Maynard Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 146,518 94,793 Percentage 60.71% 39.28%

County results Presley:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80% Maynard:     50–60%     70–80%

Northern District Commissioner before election Brandon Presley Democratic Elected Northern District Commissioner Brandon Presley Democratic

Incumbent DemocraticCommissionerBrandon Presley had considered running for Governor and Lieutenant Governor,^[25] but decided not to and ran for re-election to a third term in office.^[11]

Presley won in the general election against Republican Mike Maynard.^[16][9]

• Brandon Presley, incumbent

• Mike Maynard

Mississippi Public Service Commissioner, Central District election, 2015

← 2011 November 3, 2015 (2015-11-03) 2019 →

Nominee Cecil Brown Brent Bailey Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 124,789 106,314 Percentage 53.36% 45.46%

County results Brown:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90% Bailey:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%

Central District Commissioner before election Lynn Posey Republican Elected Central District Commissioner Cecil Brown Democratic

Incumbent Republican Commissioner Lynn Posey retired rather than run for re-election to a third term in office.^[33]

For the Republicans,Brent Bailey and attorney and 2003 candidate for Governor Mitch Tyner ran in the primary.^[34][35] Other potential Republican candidates were former State Senator and candidate for State Treasurer in 2011Lee Yancey and Jason Cochran, a utility construction company project manager, the son of former Commissioner Nielsen Cochran and nephew of U.S. SenatorThad Cochran^[33]

Bruce Burton and State RepresentativeCecil Brown ran for the Democrats.^[34][36] Robert Amos originally qualified as a Democratic candidate for this seat, but switched to run for the Central District of the Transportation Commission.^[34]

Brown faced off in the general election against Bailey and won.^[9]

• Cecil Brown
• Bruce Wilder Burton

• LaTrice D. Notree

• Brent Bailey
• Tony Greer

Mississippi Public Service Commissioner, Southern District election, 2015

← 2011 November 3, 2015 (2015-11-03) 2019 →

Nominee Sam Britton Tom Blanton Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 144,194 89,146 Percentage 60.53% 37.42%

County results Britton:     40-50%     50-60%     60-70%     70-80% Blanton:     40-50%     50-60%     60-70%

Southern District Commissioner before election Steve Renfroe Republican Elected Southern District Commissioner Sam Britton Republican

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,^[37][38] decided not to run for election to a full term in office.^[32] State SenatorPhilip Moran andHancock CountySupervisor Steve Seymour ruled out running and 2011 candidate Travis Rose chose not to run again.^[32]Sam Britton, Mike Collier, and State Senator Tony Smith both ran for the Republican nomination,^[39] in which Britton won following a runoff against Smith.^[40]

Thomas Blanton filed to run as the Democratic candidate and received the nomination unopposed.^[41]

Britton won in the general election against Blanton.^[9]

• Tom Blanton

• Lonny Kenneth Spence

• Samuel F. "Sam" Britton, business investor^[40]
• Mike Collier
• Tony Smith, State Senator

Mississippi Transportation Commissioner, Northern District election, 2015

← 2011 November 3, 2015 (2015-11-03) 2019 →

Nominee Mike Tagert Danny Woods Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 154,070 85,847 Percentage 64.22% 35.78%

County results Tagert:     50-60%     60-70%     70-80%     80-90% Woods:     50-60%     60-70%

Northern District Commissioner before election Mike Tagert Republican Elected Northern District Commissioner Mike Tagert Republican

Incumbent RepublicanMike 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.^[34] He also ran in theMay 2015 special election forMississippi'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.^[43][44] Candidate Jimmy Mills of Tupelo challenged Tagert in the primary.^[45]

Democrat Danny Woods of Winona filed for the Democrats and faced Tagert in the general election; Tagert won.^[46]

• Jimmie D. Mills
• Mike Tagert, incumbent

• Danny Woods

Mississippi Transportation Commissioner, Central District election, 2015

← 2011 November 3, 2015 (2015-11-03) 2019 →

Nominee Dick Hall Mary H. Coleman Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 128,523 106,828 Percentage 54.61% 45.39%

County results Hall:     50-60%     60-70%     70-80%     80-90% Coleman:     50-60%     60-70%     70-80%     80-90%

Central District Commissioner before election Dick Hall Republican Elected Central District Commissioner Dick Hall Republican

Incumbent Republican CommissionerDick Hall, who was appointed to the Commission in 1999, ran for re-election to a fifth full term in office.^[34]

Robert Amos ran for the Democrats,^[34] as well as Mary Coleman and Natasha Magee-Woods.^[45] FormerJackson Mayor Harvey Johnson, Jr. was a potential Democratic candidate, but he did not run.^[17]

Hall won in the general election against Coleman.^[46]

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

• Dick Hall, incumbent

Mississippi Transportation Commissioner, Southern District election, 2015

← 2011 November 3, 2015 (2015-11-03) 2019 →

Nominee Tom King Chad Toney Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 157,601 73,067 Percentage 66.54% 30.85%

County results King:     40-50%     50-60%     60-70%     70-80%     80-90% Toney:     40-50%     50-60%     60-70%

Southern District Commissioner before election Tom King Republican Elected Southern District Commissioner Tom King Republican

Incumbent Republican CommissionerTom King ran for re-election to a second term in office.^[48] Chad Toney ran for the Democrats.^[34]

King won in the general election against Toney.^[46]

• Chad Toney

• Sheranda Atkinson

• Tom King, incumbent

A special election forMississippi's 1st congressional district was held to fill the term left by the vacancy created by the death ofAlan Nunnelee. Nunnelee, a member of theRepublican Party, died on February 6, 2015.^[49] Thetop-two primary was held on May 12, with Democrat Walter Zinn and RepublicanTrent Kelly advancing. Kelly defeated Zinn in the June 12 runoff election.^[50]

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