Video: MS Legislative Qualifying Heats Up Across State

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JACKSON, Miss. – (WCBI) Almost every lawmaker in north Mississippi is running for re-election and many are facing an opponent. The qualifying deadline is a couple of weeks away, February 27th.

The only open seat in the area is for State House District 17. Brian Aldridge is not seeking re-election. Republican Mark Prince and Democrat Jim Newman have qualified to run for the Lee County seat.

District 21 covers a good portion of Itawamba County. Incumbent Republican Donnie Bell will be challenged in the general election by Democrat Aaron Loden.

A district that has seen several challengers appear in the past week or two is District 35. Incumbent Republican Joey Hood will face Brian Sims in the primary. The winner will take on Democrat Patrick Warner in the general election.

In the Senate, longtime incumbent Hob Bryan will have an opponent in the general election. Republican Barry Strevel has qualified to run against him in the District 7 race. Most of that district is in Monroe County. In District 6, Incumbent Republican Nancy Collins will have primary opponent in Chad McMahan.

Democrats really don’t have a strong state-wide candidate, other than Attorney General Jim Hood. They hope to make up ground in the state House where Republicans currently hold a ten seat advantage but redistricting could hurt them. It will be much tougher to make up ground in the senate where there is an eight seat advantage. Redistricting will also play a role there where Democrats could lose ground.

Republicans feel good about their chances to maintain control of the House and Senate.