Early Look At Competitive House Races
HD 10: Warner McBride (D-Courtland). McBride’s plans are still up in the air as he hasn’t qualified yet. If he wants another run at transportation commish, he needs to qualify by March 1. Doug Jones of Batesville is in the race and Republicans believe this district that was very friendly to Haley Barbour four years ago will support a Republican legislator this time around.
HD 25: John Mayo (D-Clarksdale). For Mayo, his biggest challenge may be redistricting. Considering the size of Desoto, it’s a little odd to see someone from Coahoma representing any part of the county. Mayo’s district may be in for a big change whether than means adding or losing black voters (about 35 percent today). Republican Mike Martin is in.
HD 45: Bennett Malone (D-Carthage). Malone’s 2007 challenger Jay Mathis is back for another run although I am told a stronger candidate is likely to enter on the Republican side. Again, this is a Democratic district on the county level, but Republican statewide. Worth pointing out that Malone has not qualified yet.
HD 105: Shaun Walley (D-Leakesville). In a district that Barbour won about 52 percent four years ago, attorney Dennis DeBar is the first Republican to qualify.
HD 111: Brandon Jones (D-Pascagoula). This may very well be the most heated race of the year. Republicans are very excited about Charles Busby, who is the CEO of Orion Engineering, but no one thinks it will be easy. The 111th is the most Republican district (in terms of support for Barbour) held by a Democrat.
Two things that all these races have in common: 1) All of these district were won by Haley Barbour- pretty convincingly in most cases. 2) All of these men voted for Billy Mccoy over Jeff Smith.
Majority in MS
2/16/11
