Mississippi governor announces July special House election

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – Gov. Phil Bryant is setting a special election to fill a vacant seat in the Mississippi House of Representatives.

The July 10 election will be in District 77 in parts of Rankin and Simpson counties. If a runoff is needed, it will be held July 31.

The seat became empty when Bryant appointed fellow Republican Rep. Andy Gipson of Braxton to serve as the state’s commissioner of agriculture and commerce. Gipson had represented District 77 since 2008.

The state’s previous agriculture commissioner, Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith, was appointed to fill a vacancy in the U.S. Senate after Republican Sen. Thad Cochran retired.

Candidates run without party labels in Mississippi special elections, although many tell voters their party affiliation. Qualifying deadline is May 21.

The winner will serve until January 2020.

(Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Categories: State News

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