David Parker and Rep. Pat Nelson head to runoff to win Merle Flowers vacated seat

Local House, Senate seats head to runoffs

Olive Branch optometrist David Parker held a 2,000 vote margin over state Rep. Pat Nelson late Tuesday in an election to fill the vacant 19th District state Senate seat, but the strong showing in a field of three Republicans and one Democrat was not enough to avoid a runoff.

Parker, a Republican, polled 9,697 votes to 7,696 for Nelson, a first-term Republican state representative from Southaven.

Votes from only two precincts had yet to be counted at deadline time, and that likely would not change the outcome of the top two vote-getters.

A runoff will be held on Nov. 23.

Desoto Appeal
11/8/12