Brent Bailey (left) and DeKeither Stamps (right)
The Mississippi Transportation Commission will add one new Commissioner while the Public Service Commission could see a complete change in members if Bailey loses to Stamps.
Three commission races were contested on the ballot in Mississippi’s General Election on Tuesday.
Two of the races were for seats on the Transportation Commission while the other was for the Central District Public Service Commissioner.
Incumbent Democrat Willie Simmons defeated Republican Ricky Pennington Jr. to win a second term as the Central District Transportation Commissioner. With 94% of precincts reporting, Simmons won over 54% of the vote. Simmons previously served in the Mississippi Legislature.
In the Southern District Transportation Commissioner race, three-term State Representative Charles Busby, a Republican, defeated Independent Steven Griffin pulling in over 72% of the vote with 95% of precincts reporting. Busby has served as the House Transportation Committee chairman.
Busby will replace retiring Commissioner Tom King.
Northern District Transportation Commissioner John Caldwell was unopposed.
In the Central District Public Service Commissioner race, incumbent Republican Brent Bailey is currently losing to Democratic State Representative De’Keither Stamps in a rematch from four years ago. With 94% of precincts reporting, Stamps is up by 1,300 votes, or 50.3%. In 2019, Bailey won over Stamps by just over 2,000 votes.
This race has not yet been called. Magnolia Tribune will update this article to reflect the updated tally once all precincts have reported.
The other two seats on the Public Service Commission were determined in the Republican Primary in August, with State Representative Chris Brown winning the Northern District seat and newcomer Wayne Carr defeating incumbent Commissioner Dane Maxwell in the Southern District.
If Stamps defeats Bailey, there will be no incumbents returning to the PSC in January.
Both the Transportation Commission and the Public Service Commission will have Republican majorities.
Frank Corder
