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2003 Mississippi elections
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| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| election_name | 2003 Mississippi elections |
| country | Mississippi |
| flag_image | Flag of Mississippi (1996–2020).svg |
| type | presidential |
| ongoing | yes |
| previous_election | 1999 Mississippi elections |
| previous_year | 1999 |
| next_election | 2007 Mississippi elections |
| next_year | 2007 |
A general election was held in Mississippi on November 4, 2003, to elect to four-year terms all members of the state legislature (122 representatives, 52 senators), the offices of governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, state treasurer, state auditor, secretary of state, commissioner of agriculture and commerce, and commissioner of insurance, plus all three members of the Transportation Commission and all three members of the Public Service Commission.
Results for the state legislature
All 122 representatives and all 52 senators are elected for four-year terms with no term limits. The state legislature draws up separate district map for the House of Representatives and for the Senate every 10 years following each census.
Background for statewide elections
According to Article 5, Sections 140-41 of the state constitution, the governor and the other seven statewide officers are elected if they receive a majority of electoral votes and a majority of the direct total popular vote. A candidate wins an electoral vote by winning a plurality of the votes in a state house district. With 122 House Districts, a majority of electoral votes is 62. When no candidate receives both majorities, the House of Representatives decides the election between the two persons receiving the highest number of popular votes.
Governor
Main article: 2003 Mississippi gubernatorial election
Incumbent Democrat Ronnie Musgrove faced Republican challenger Haley Barbour as well as the Constitution Party's John Thomas Cripps, the Green Party's Sherman Lee Dillon, and the Reform Party's Shawn O'Hara. In 1999, Lieutenant Governor Musgrove, won the gubernatorial election against Republican Mike Parker, a former U.S. representative, in a close election that necessitated the Mississippi House of Representatives to decide the outcome because of a tie in the electoral votes. Musgrove lost his re-election bid in 2003 to Barbour after a competitive race.
| Results for governor's race | Party | Candidate | Popular votes | Pop. vote % | Electoral votes | Electoral vote % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Haley Barbour | 470,404 | 52.59% | 76 | 62.30% | |
| Democrat | Ronnie Musgrove | 409,787 | 45.81% | 46 | 37.70% | |
| Constitution | John Thomas Cripps | 6,317 | 0.71% | 0 | 0.00% | |
| Reform | Shawn O'Hara | 4,070 | 0.46% | 0 | 0.00% | |
| Green | Sherman Lee Dillon | 3,909 | 0.44% | 0 | 0.00% | |
| Total | 894,487 | 100.00% | 122 | 100.0% |
Lieutenant governor
Tuck:
Blackmon:
Democratic primary
Candidates
- Barbara Blackmon, state senator
- Troy D. Brown Sr., business owner
- James L. Roberts Jr., judge on the Mississippi Supreme Court
Results
Republican nomination
Candidate
- Amy Tuck, incumbent
General election
Amy Tuck, elected to the office in 1999 as a Democrat, had switched to the Republican Party in December 2002 after taking positions on several issues, like re-districting, that opposed the state Democratic Party's stances. In her race for reelection, her challenger was Democratic state senator Barbara Blackmon, who was the first black woman to run for a statewide race. Tuck defeated Blackmon in the election.
Results
| Results for lieutenant governor's race | Party | Candidate | Popular votes | Pop. vote % | Electoral votes | Electoral vote % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Amy Tuck | 542,129 | 60.98% | 84 | 68.85% | |||
| Democrat | Barbara Blackmon | 329,454 | 37.06% | 38 | 31.15% | |||
| Reform | Anna Reives | 17,481 | 1.97% | 0 | 0.00% | |||
| Total | 889,064 | 100.00% | 122 | 100.00% |
Attorney general
Hood:
Newton:
Democratic nomination
Candidate
- Jim Hood, district attorney of Northern Mississippi
Republican nomination
Candidate
- Scott Newton, former FBI agent
General election
Mike Moore, a Democrat who had served four terms starting in 1988, declined to run for re-election. Moore's protégé Jim Hood faced Republican Scott Newton. Newton ran many ads attacking Hood on being soft on crime and especially criticized Hood's handling of a rape case, while Hood focused on Newton's supposed inexperience. Hood won the election over Newton.
Results
| Results for attorney general's race | Party | Candidate | Popular votes | Pop. vote % | Electoral votes | Electoral vote % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democrat | Jim Hood | 548,046 | 62.69% | 100 | 81.97% | |
| Republican | Scott Newton | 326,042 | 37.30% | 22 | 18.03% | |
| Total | 874,088 | 100.00% | 122 | 100.0% |
State Treasurer
Reeves:
Anderson:
Democratic primary
Candidates
- Gary Anderson
- Cindy Ayers Elliott
- Robert H. Smith
Results
Runoff
Republican primary
Candidates
- Wayne Burkes
- Andrew Ketchings
- Tate Reeves, banker
Results
Runoff
General election
Four-term Democrat Marshall Bennett resigned in early 2003 to join a New York City law firm and was replaced by Peyton Prospere, who was appointed by Governor Musgrove to complete the term. With Prospere not seeking election in his own right, Gary Anderson ran for the Democrats. The Republicans chose 29-year-old banker Tate Reeves. In a close race, Reeves won over Anderson.
Results
| Results for state treasurer's race | Party | Candidate | Popular votes | Pop. vote % | Electoral votes | Electoral vote % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Tate Reeves | 447,860 | 51.80% | 66 | 54.10% | |
| Democrat | Gary Anderson | 403,307 | 46.64% | 56 | 45.90% | |
| Reform | Lee Dilworth | 13,507 | 1.56% | 0 | 0.00% | |
| Total | 864,674 | 100.00% | 122 | 100.0% |
State Auditor
Tuck:
Blackburn:
Reform nomination
Candidate
- Billy Blackburn
Republican nomination
Candidate
- Phil Bryant, incumbent
General election
Republican Phil Bryant, first appointed by Gov. Kirk Fordice in 1996 to fill an unexpired term and then won in 1999, won over Reform Party candidate Billy Blackburn.
Results
| Results for state auditor's race | Party | Candidate | Popular votes | Pop. vote % | Electoral votes | Electoral vote % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Phil Bryant | 587,212 | 76.31% | 119 | 97.54% | |
| Reform | Billy Blackburn | 182,292 | 23.69% | 3 | 2.46% | |
| Total | 769,504 | 100.00% | 122 | 100.0% |
Secretary of State
Clark:
Castillo:
Democratic nomination
Candidate
- Eric Clark, incumbent
Reform nomination
Candidate
- Brenda Blackburn
Republican nomination
Candidate
- Julio Del Castillo
General election
Three-term incumbent Democrat Eric Clark won over Republican challenger Julio Del Castillo.
Results
| Results for secretary of state's race | Party | Candidate | Popular votes | Pop. vote % | Electoral votes | Electoral vote % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democrat | Eric Clark | 610,461 | 71.02% | 117 | 95.90% | |
| Republican | Julio Del Castillo | 201,765 | 23.47% | 5 | 4.10% | |
| Reform | Brenda Blackburn | 47,296 | 5.50% | 0 | 0.00% | |
| Total | 859,522 | 100.00% | 122 | 100.0% |
Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce
Spell:
Phillips:
Democratic nomination
Candidate
- Lester Spell, incumbent
Republican primary
Candidates
- Roger D. Crowder
- Kyle Weston Magee
- Max Phillips
- Fred T. Smith
Results
Runoff
General election
Democrat Lester Spell was re-elected to a third term over Republican Max Phillips.
Results
| Results for Commissioner of Agriculture and Industry race | Party | Candidate | Popular votes | Pop. vote % | Electoral votes | Electoral vote % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democrat | Lester Spell | 564,283 | 66.11% | 105 | 86.07% | |
| Republican | Max Phillips | 274,097 | 32.11% | 17 | 13.93% | |
| Reform | Bob Claunch | 15,229 | 1.78% | 0 | 0.00% | |
| Total | 853,609 | 100.00% | 122 | 100.0% |
Commissioner of Insurance
Dale:
DuPuy:
Democratic nomination
Candidate
- George Dale, incumbent
Reform nomination
Candidate
- Barbara Dale Washer
Republican nomination
Candidate
- Aaron DuPuy
General election
Democrat George Dale won an eighth term over Republican Aaron DuPuy.
Results
| Results for Commissioner of Insurance race | Party | Candidate | Popular votes | Pop. vote % | Electoral votes | Electoral vote % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democrat | George Dale | 610,341 | 71.27% | 114 | 93.44% | |
| Republican | Aaron DuPuy | 211,859 | 24.77% | 8 | 6.56% | |
| Reform | Barbara Dale Washer | 32,969 | 3.86% | 0 | 0.00% | |
| Total | 100.00% | 122 | 100.0% |
Public Service Commission
Northern district
Democratic primary
Candidates
- Bo Robinson, incumbent
- Benton White
Results
Reform nomination
Candidate
- Kerry Hunt
General election
Democrat Bo Robinson won over Reform Kerry Hunt.
Results
Central district
Democratic nomination
Candidate
- L.D. Horne Sr.
Reform nomination
Candidate
- Miek R. Ivey
Republican nominiation
Candidate
- Nielsen Cochran, incumbent
General election
Republican Nielsen Cochran won over Democrat L.D. Horne Sr. and Reform Miek R. Ivey.
Results
Southern district
Democratic nomination
Candidate
- Michael Callahan, incumbent
Reform nomination
Candidate
- Anthony Sahuque
Republican nominiation
Candidate
- Larry Albritton
General election
Democrat Michael Callahan won over Republican Larry Albritton and Reform Anthony Sahuque.
Results
Transportation Commission
Northern district
Democratic primary
Candidates
- A.T. Marlar Jr.
- William R. (Bill) Minor
- Thomas (Tod) Todd
Results
Republican primary
Candidates
- John M. Caldwell Sr.
- Larry Lee
Results
General election
Democrat Bill R. Minor won over Republican John M. Caldwell Sr.
Results
Central district
Democratic nomination
Candidate
- W.C. Alderman
Reform nomination
Candidate
- Jimmy Loper
Republican nominiation
Candidate
- Dick Hall, incumbent
General election
Republican Dick Hall won over Democrat W.C. Alderman and Reform Jimmy Loper.
Results
Southern district
Democratic nomination
Candidate
- Wayne H. Brown
Reform nomination
Candidate
- Virgil C. Smith
Republican primary
Candidates
- Alana Abney
- Arlin Regan
Results
General election
Democrat Wayne H. Brown won over Republican Arlin Regan and Reform Virgil C. Smith.
Results
Notes
References
Works cited
References
- "Candidate aims to break race barrier".
- (January 21, 2019). "Judge James L. Roberts Jr. lauded for public service - State of Mississippi Judiciary News".
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