New speaker will change Miss. House
Rep. Jeff Smith of Columbus is a conservative Democrat who challenged McCoy for the speakership in 2008. Smith, an attorney, is running for the House this year as an independent and says he’s in the speaker’s race.
Republican Rep. Sidney Bondurant, a physician from Grenada, is actively running for speaker. So is Democrat Rep. Bobby Moak of Bogue Chitto, an attorney and current chairman of the House Gaming Committee.
Republican Rep. Philip Gunn of Clinton, who’s an attorney, says some members have approached him about running for speaker. Republican Rep. Herb Frierson of Poplarville, a real estate broker, says he also has been approached. Neither is ruling it out.
Democrat Rep. Tyrone Ellis of Starkville, who’s a pastor and businessman, says he has entertained the thought of running for speaker and he’s also not saying no at this point.
Emily Wagster Pettus
Sun Herald
5/30/11
Magnolia Tribune
