Mississippi House
Filing Deadline: Jan. 11, 2008 • Primary Date: March 11, 2008 • General Election: Nov. 4, 2008District Profile: The 1st voted solidly for Democratic Governor Ronnie Musgrove in 1999 but in 2003 favored his Republican successor Haley Barbour; in national politics it is solidly Republican. Full Profile
2006 results: Roger Wicker (R) defeated James Hurt (D) by 66-34%.
Special election: Wicker was appointed to fill Trent Lott's Senate seat on Dec. 31, 2007, and Childers won the May 13, 2008, special election with 56% of the vote. See the special election tip sheet.
Incumbent
Travis Childers (D)Elected in May 2008; Seeking first full term; Childers was nominated with 51% of the vote after a runoff.
Challengers
Greg Davis (R)Davis, the mayor of Southaven, was nominated with 51% after a runoff.
District Profile: The 2d includes a few counties in the east that are majority-white and vote Republican, but the political tone of the district is set by the black neighborhoods in Jackson and the black counties of the Delta. Full Profile
2006 results: Bennie Thompson (D) defeated Yvonne Brown (R) by 64-36%.
Incumbent
Bennie Thompson (D)Elected in April 1993; Seeking eighth full term; Thompson was nominated with 86% in a two-way primary.
District Profile: The tradition here was Southern Democratic, but the area's recent preference has been strongly Republican. Full Profile
2006 results: Chip Pickering (R) defeated Jim Giles (I) by 78-16%.
Republicans
Greg HarperHarper, a business consultant, was nominated with 57% after a runoff.
Democrats
Joel GillGill, a Pickens town alderman, was nominated with 53% in a two-way primary.
District Profile: Prior to Katrina, half of the 4th district's residents lived on the Gulf Coast; the rest are inland, in farm counties or around Hattiesburg and Laurel. Full Profile
2006 results: Gene Taylor (D) defeated Randy McDonnell (R) by 80-20%.
Incumbent
Gene Taylor (D)Elected in Oct. 1989; Seeking 10th full term; Taylor was unopposed in the primary.
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Race Rankings
Based on likelihood of seat switching party control
1.
N.Y.-13
(Open-R)2.
N.Y.-25
(Open-R)3.
Ariz.-01
(Open-R)4.
Va.-11
(Open-R)5.
N.J.-03
(Open-R)6.
Texas-22
(Lampson-D)7.
Ill.-11
(Open-R)8.
La.-06
(Cazayoux-D)9.
Ohio-16
(Open-R)10.
N.J.-07
(Open-R)11.
N.M.-01
(Open-R)12.
Minn.-03
(Open-R)13.
Colo.-04
(Musgrave-R)14.
Ohio-15
(Open-R)15.
Alaska-AL
(Young-R)Previous Coverage
Check out National Journal's coverage of previous Mississippi house races.
