The Delta – Not as solidly Democratic any more?
As we noted last night, independent Chuck Jordan won the open mayor’s election in Greenville on Monday. Jordan is white and was running against Carl McGee, a African-American Democrat who serves on the city council. Greenville, as we have said, is now around 80 percent black.
An election on a Monday in the middle of December might not tell us a whole lot, but Jordan’s election is part of an interesting trend in the Delta.
In 2009, the city of Greenwood, also majority black, elected a white independent candidate- Carolyn McAdams- over the black incumbent in this case. The previous mayor? Sheriel Perkins. That last name probably sounds familiar because she is married to Willie Perkins, the long time state representative. That was an interesting race because Bennie Thompson actually took an active role in campaigning for Perkins.
Majority in Mississippi
12/14/11
Magnolia Tribune
