With the resignation of Republican DeSoto County State Senator Merle Flowers (SD 19) coming July 11, voters in this burgeoning county will face a special election in the coming months.
The question is, however, just when the election will be held?
Mississippi law states in § 23-15-851 that “within thirty (30) days after vacancies occur in either House of the Legislature, the Governor shall issue writs of election to fill the vacancies on a day specified in the writ of election. At least forty (40) days’ notice shall be given of the election in each county or part of a county in which the election shall be held. The qualifying deadline for the election shall be thirty (30) days prior to the election. Notice of the election shall be posted at the courthouse and in each supervisors district in the county or part of county in which such election shall be held for as near forty (40) days as may be practicable.”
In the case of SD 19, this means the special election could be held anywhere from August to the end of September.
DeSoto County Supervisors voted 3-2 last week to ask Governor Phil Bryant to delay the special election until November so as to coincide with the November elections. The move would save the county some $60,000, according to Circuit Clerk Dale Kelly Thompson.
Three candidates have emerged so far to fill Flowers’ void:
• Kevin Blackwell, chairman of the DeSoto County Republican Party, has lived in DeSoto County for 14 years, having also lived in New York and North Carolina. He is 57, a small business owner in the medical industry and former Navy hospital corpsman. He unsuccessfully challenged Flowers in 2007 for the SD 19 seat. Blackwell noted, “”I think like most folks, I am frustrated with the way government works at times,” Blackwell said, “I have a business background and I think I have the experience to help our government become more efficient and effective.”
• Pat Nelson, first term Republican State Representative of House District 40 who helped kill this year’s Charter School legislation, is 63, a 38 year Entergy employee, and formerly served in the Army National Guard. Nelson says he supports Charter Schools, but not in high performing districts. He is quoted as saying, “The bills that came out (charter schools) were very flawed… I was very pleased to help kill a very bad piece of legislation. I would hope that a good charter school bill would be forthcoming next year.”
• Mike Smith, 57, is a former vice chairman of the DeSoto County Democratic Party, has lived in DeSoto County 45 years and is an educator in Memphis. Smith is black and is “bidding to become DeSoto County’s first African American state senator,” according to the DeSoto Times Tribune. He said, “”We need a state Senator who will work with all the people… People have a choice. DeSoto County has grown. With the DeSoto County Census figures, it shows that we have grown to 165,000 people. I think it’s important that it (post) reflects and looks like the people who live within it.” Like Nelson, Smith opposes Charter Schools in high performing districts.
After researching the topic, the only one of the three to throw a fit about the possible election change proposed by the DeSoto County supervisors in an effort to save $60,000 in taxpayer funds, that I can find, is the Democrat Mike Smith.
He issued a statement on June 7 stating:
“This is another example of our Government bending or breaking the rules to meet their agenda… I understand their concern… However, it could be far more costly in the long term to District 19 if they do not have proper representation in the State Senate… If they do not like the current State Laws, let’s work to change them… But we must stop the practice of suspending or changing laws as they see necessary out of convenience or to meet one party’s agenda.”
Truth is, there is little in way of legislative responsibilities a freshman senator elected in a special election will be tasked with accomplishing whether the election is held in August or November.
The bigger issue here, and the elephant in the room for Smith and any other Democrat come November, is having Barack Obama on the same ballot and in the same political party. That “D” behind Obama will weigh down any chance Smith has at confusing otherwise conservative and even independent voters, and he and the state Democrats know it. So for Smith to push to spend the extra $60,000 now is self serving and purely a political ploy on the backs of the taxpayers.
As for the other issue at hand – Charter Schools – the people of DeSoto County must balance the big picture of the state’s educational future with their own interests. This will be the primary concern going into this special election and it will drive campaign donations both locally and from Jackson. It would not surprise me if Nelson struggled to secure support from the likes of Lt. Governor Tate Reeves and others after this year’s debacle.
If Blackwell can sufficiently balance the state’s needs with his district’s while promoting the benefits of Charter Schools and other conservative policy points, he may well lead the establishment money grab and succeed where he failed just 5 years earlier.
Magnolia Tribune
