A general election was held in Mississippi on November 4, 2003, to elect to four-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.
Results for governor's race Party Candidate Popular votes Pop. vote % Electoral votes Electoral vote % Republican Haley Barbour 470,404 52.59% 76 62.30% Democrat Ronnie Musgrove 409,787 45.81% 46 37.70% Constitution John Thomas Cripps 6,317 0.71% 0 0.00% Reform Shawn O'Hara 4,070 0.46% 0 0.00% Green Sherman Lee Dillon 3,909 0.44% 0 0.00% Total 894,487 100.00% 122 100.0%
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 Results for lieutenant governor's race Party Candidate Popular votes Pop. vote % Electoral votes Electoral vote % Republican Amy Tuck 542,129 60.98% 84 68.85% Democrat Barbara Blackmon 329,454 37.06% 38 31.15% Reform Anna Reives 17,481 1.97% 0 0.00% Total 889,064 100.00% 122 100.00%
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 Results for attorney general's race Party Candidate Popular votes Pop. vote % Electoral votes Electoral vote % Democrat Jim Hood 548,046 62.69% 100 81.97% Republican Scott Newton 326,042 37.30% 22 18.03% Total 874,088 100.00% 122 100.0%
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 Results for state treasurer's race Party Candidate Popular votes Pop. vote % Electoral votes Electoral vote % Republican Tate Reeves 447,860 51.80% 66 54.10% Democrat Gary Anderson 403,307 46.64% 56 45.90% Reform Lee Dilworth 13,507 1.56% 0 0.00% Total 864,674 100.00% 122 100.0%
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 Results for state auditor's race Party Candidate Popular votes Pop. vote % Electoral votes Electoral vote % Republican Phil Bryant 587,212 76.31% 119 97.54% Reform Billy Blackburn 182,292 23.69% 3 2.46% Total 769,504 100.00% 122 100.0%
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 Results for secretary of state's race Party Candidate Popular votes Pop. vote % Electoral votes Electoral vote % Democrat Eric Clark 610,461 71.02% 117 95.90% Republican Julio Del Castillo 201,765 23.47% 5 4.10% Reform Brenda Blackburn 47,296 5.50% 0 0.00% Total 859,522 100.00% 122 100.0%
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 Results for Commissioner of Agriculture and Industry race Party Candidate Popular votes Pop. vote % Electoral votes Electoral vote % Democrat Lester Spell 564,283 66.11% 105 86.07% Republican Max Phillips 274,097 32.11% 17 13.93% Reform Bob Claunch 15,229 1.78% 0 0.00% Total 853,609 100.00% 122 100.0%
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 Results for Commissioner of Insurance race Party Candidate Popular votes Pop. vote % Electoral votes Electoral vote % Democrat George Dale 610,341 71.27% 114 93.44% Republican Aaron DuPuy 211,859 24.77% 8 6.56% Reform Barbara Dale Washer 32,969 3.86% 0 0.00% Total 100.00% 122 100.0%
Public Service Commission
Northern district
Democratic 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
Democratic 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