(Photo from the Mississippi Municipal League on Facebook, August 2024)
- No Republican candidate has emerged for the Pine Belt seat as of yet. Qualifying begins June 2.
Former Hattiesburg mayor Johnny DuPree has thrown his hat in the ring for the newly created State Senate District 45.
DuPree, a Democrat, said in a social media post over the weekend that he is running to once again serve Hattiesburg, “a community we love so dearly.”
The new legislative district, which includes parts of Lamar and Forrest counties, was part of the redistricting plan approved by a federal three-judge panel earlier this month that requires special elections be held this year to increase majority minority districts in both the House and Senate.
Senate District 45 now has an “Any Part Black Voting Age Population” (APBVAP) of 51.24 percent, making it a new majority minority district in the area.
READ MORE: Court approves remedial redistricting plan submitted by State Board of Election Commissioners
As of Wednesday morning, the Mississippi Republican Party said no GOP candidate has come forward to seek the Senate District 45 seat but “that could change.”
About DuPree
DuPree, 71, began his public service on the Hattiesburg Public School Board in 1987. He was elected to the Forrest County Board of Supervisors in 1991 and then ran for Hattiesburg mayor in 2001.
He served as Mayor of the Hub City for four terms, losing his bid for a fifth term to current Mayor Toby Barker, a Republican legislator who ran as an Independent for the mayor’s office.
During his time as mayor, DuPree ran unsuccessfully for Governor in 2011, losing to Republican Phil Bryant in the General Election.
After leaving the mayor’s office, DuPree has entered the fray for two other political posts, running unsuccessfully for both Secretary of State in 2019, losing to Republican Michael Watson, and Congress in the 4th District in 2022, losing to Republican Mike Ezell.
DuPree’s wife is a Forrest County Election Commissioner.
Hattiesburg’s Public Safety Complex, which houses the Hattiesburg Police Department and Municipal Court, was named in honor of DuPree in August 2024.
Other Senate Special Elections
Other Senate Districts in the Pine Belt area will also hold special elections after their boundaries were adjusted to accommodate the redistricting.
Those districts – 34, 41, 42 and 44 – all have incumbents seeking re-election.
Current Senate District 45 Senator Chris Johnson (R) was redistricted into Senate District 44 and paired with Senator John Polk (R). However, Polk decided not to seek re-election, leaving Johnson as the odds-on Republican nominee in the district.
Senate District 34 is represented by Senator Juan Barnett (D) while Senators Joey Fillingane (R) and Robin Robinson (R) represent Senate Districts 41 and 42, respectively.
Special Election Dates
Qualifying for the special elections begins June 2 and runs through June 9.
Absentee voting begins for the Special Primary Election on June 2.
The Special Primary Election Day is slated for August 5.
The Special General Election Day will be November 4.
Frank Corder
