Rep. Ellis backs Taylor for House seat
Outgoing State Rep. Tyrone Ellis, a Starkville Democrat, on Thursday officially threw his support behind Cheikh Taylor for the upcoming November special election to fill his seat.
Taylor serves as executive director of the Brickfire Project and qualified to enter the House District 38 race in August.
Ellis told the SDN he was initially planning to wait before giving an official endorsement, but opted to move forward after fielding calls and questions from those in the community wondering who he would support.
"I needed to dispel that and make my choice known," Ellis said.
Taylor told the SDN he figured Ellis would wait until later in the campaign to endorse him, but expressed his gratitude for the support.
"I'm just excited he came out and endorsed me," Taylor said. "It gives us more time to work and this won't be easy, but we are going to outwork everyone."
After giving the matter thought and considering each candidate, Ellis chose to support Taylor to "carry the torch" and "weather the political storm" in Jackson.
"I've known Cheikh and even served as his mentor in his high school years, and this is an awesome responsibility and one I don't take lightly," Ellis said. "Being in Jackson fighting for Starkville and the Golden Triangle, I couldn't help but to make the decision out of the three wonderful candidates who all possess unique thoughts of their own."
Taylor said Ellis has been a guiding force in his life from a young age and said he hopes to continue the legacy forged by his mentor over nearly four decades in the statehouse.
"People say ‘can we trust you?', and I say yes because you will get someone to continue his policy and he will continue to be a mentor of mine," Taylor said.
Because of the special election, all candidates on the ballot will run as independents.
Other candidates running against Taylor include former Ward 2 Alderman Lisa Wynn and entrepreneur, activist and former fashion model Narissa Bradford.
Ellis announced his retirement from the Mississippi House of Representatives in June after 38 years in the state legislature.