Mayors unanimous in seeking re-election
Leaders of five DeSoto County cities will start bids for new terms in May 2 primaries
The mayors of all five DeSoto County municipalities are seeking re-election in the May 2 primaries.
The filing period closes at 5 p.m. Friday, and last-minute changes could alter the lineup if candidates enter or drop out. But as of Thursday afternoon, the ballots were largely set with the incumbent leaders of Hernando, Horn Lake, Olive Branch, Southaven and Walls all having submitted their paperwork. Two mayors, Scott Phillips in Olive Branch and Patti Denison in Walls, are unopposed barring late challengers.
Alderman posts also will be on the ballot as voters in cities and towns across Mississippi go to the polls for primary balloting in May. Runoffs, if needed, will be May 16, and the general election will be June 6.
The Southaven mayoral race has garnered the most pre-election attention because of a lawsuit filed by candidate Tommy A. Henley challenging the city’s sign ordinance as it relates to election signs. Henley charged requirements regarding the size, placement and other aspects of campaign signs unfairly burden challengers facing incumbents with greater name recognition. The lawsuit prompted Southaven aldermen to suspend temporarily the regulations on campaign signs.
Henley is facing Mayor Darren Musselwhite and James Weifenbach in the Republican primary. Most candidates will be running in the GOP primary in heavily Republican DeSoto County.
Candidates who have filed for aldermen in Southaven as of Thursday afternoon include: Republican incumbent William Brooks, who is unopposed for his atlarge position; Republican incumbent Kristian Kelly, unopposed in Ward 1; Republican incumbent Ronnie Hale and Republican challenger Colton Nelson in Ward 2; Republican incumbent George Payne,unopposed in Ward 3; Republican incumbent Joel Gallagher, unopposed in the GOP primary for Ward 4, and Catherine Griggs-Watson, unopposed in the Democratic primary for Ward 4; Republican incumbent Scott Ferguson and Republican challenger John David Wheeler in Ward 5; and Republican incumbent Raymond Flores, unopposed in the GOP primary for Ward 6, and Janet Catchings, unopposed in the Democratic primary for Ward 6.
In DeSoto County’s other cities, Mayor Chip Johnson is seeking re-election in Hernando. He faces a challenge in the Republican primary from N.C. Tom Ferguson Jr. In Hernando aldermen races, James Liston and W.I. “Doc” Harris Jr. are seeking the open at-large seat; Republican incumbent Sonny Bryant is unopposed in Ward 1; incumbent Andrew Miller is running as an Independent against Democrat Elsie Sandidge in Ward 2; Republican incumbent Gary Higdon faces Republican challenger Ben Piperin Ward 3; Republican incumbent Michael McLendon faces Republican challenger Wesley Callahan in Ward 4; Republican incumbent Cathy Brooks faces Republican challenger Beth Rone Ross in Ward 5; and Republican incumbent Jeff Hobbs is unopposed in Ward 6.
In Horn Lake, Mayor Allen Latimer faces challenger Michael Guice in the Republican primary. In alderman races, Republican incumbent Donnie White faces Regina Morris in the Republican primary for the at-large seat, while Che Smith is unopposed in the Democratic primary; Republican incumbent Amy Lay faces Republican challenger Paul Alford in Ward 1; Republican incumbent Tommy Bledsoe faces Republican challenger Da-
vid Eubanks in Ward 2; Republican incumbent Tim Smith faces Republican challenger Kerry Rakestraw in Ward 3; Republican incumbent Charlie Roberts faces Republican challenger Randy Holt in the GOP primary for Ward 4, while Hester Jackson-McCray is unopposed in the Democratic primary; Francis J. Miller is unopposed in the Republican primary for the open Ward 5 seat, and LaShonda Johnson is unopposed in the Democratic primary; and Republican incumbent John Jones faces Republican challenger Rita Klein in Ward 6.
While Phillips is unopposed in his bid for re-election as Olive Branch mayor, the city does have multiple challenged races for alderman. For the at-large seat, Republican incumbent George Collins is unopposed for the Republican nomination while Martha A. Saulsberry is unopposed in the Democratic primary; Ward 1 incumbent Gil Earhart is unopposed for the Republican nomination but in the general election will face Calvin E. James, running as an Independent; Ward 2 incumbent Pat Hamilton is unopposed in the Republican primary while Stacy Jones is on the Democratic ballot; Republican incumbent Joy L Henderson is unopposed for the Republican nomination in Ward 3 while Patricia Ann Brady is running in the Democratic primary; Republican incumbent David Wallace faces two challengers in the Republican primary, Tanner Kuntz and Shawn Braddock, while Otis Simmons is unopposed for the Democratic nomination. The Republican incumbents in Ward 5 and Ward 6 are each unopposed, Mark Aldridge in Ward 5 and Dale Dickerson in Ward 6.
In Walls, DeSoto County’s smallest incorporated municipality, Denison is running unopposed as an independent for re-election as mayor. Seeking at-large alderman seats are Democrat Leslie-Burl McLemore and Independents Vicky Stafford, Beverly Thomas Work, Tammy B. Patrick, Jennifer Henson and James E. Doyle.