“Never bet on politics or sports,” was a quote my older brother James once told me. I have no idea where he heard it, but it is good advice yet I am going against it.
I am writing this column the day before the election and I am going to call out some winners and losers based on my own guessing and talking with some absentee ballot voters.
I will either look like a darn fool or brilliant person since persons will know the results of the election when this column is printed.
The big winner in Winston County will be Kim Ming, Circuit Clerk. She is unopposed in the primary and November election so she is reelected. Her office has the primary election balloting completed with the primary runoff (Aug 27) and general election (Nov. 5) to be held.
Tate Reeves will be the big loser not because he lost but because he will be in runoff with Justice Bill Waller. Of course, if he is in a runoff it will just help deflate some of his overconfidence and better prepare him for November where he will have a tougher race with Jim Hood. I say that because there are persons in this state that would haul their grandmother on their back in three foot of snow in Mississippi just to vote against Reeves.
In the Lt. Governor’s race, I will say with 100 percent confidence that Democrat Jay Hughes will face Delbert Hosemann in November 5.
In the Secretary of State race, Democrat Johnny Dupree will face the Republican winner. In the Attorney General race, Republican Lynn Fitch will be in a runoff with Andy Taggart on August 27 and the winner will face Democrat Jennifer Riley Collins.
In the State Auditor's race, appointed incumbent Shad White will keep the reigns of the office.
In the State Treasurer's race, Democrat Addie Lee Green will face Republican Eugene S. ‘Buck’ Clarke on November 5.
In the Commissioner of Agriculture And Commerce's race, Democrat Rickey L. Cole will face Republican Andy Gipson in November.
In the Commissioner of Insurance race Democrat Robert E. Amos will face Republican Mike Chaney.
Brandon Presley will continue as Public Service Commissioner Northern District since he had no opposition.
In the Transportation Commissioner Northern District's race, Democrat Joe T. ‘Joey’ Grist will face one of the Republicans who wins the August 27 runoff.
In State Senate District 18, Jennifer B. Branning, with no opposition will remain state senator.
Democrat Doug Evans will remain District Attorney with no opposition. Democrat Sampson Jackson II will remain State Senator District 32 with no opposition. Democrat Carl Mickens is projected to win the August 6 race for State House of Representative District 42 and has no November opposition.
Democrat Michael Ted Evans with no opposition will remain as State House of Representatives District 45.
In the county races, Democrat Rusty Foster will face Republican Justin Keller on Nov. 5 for Chancery Clerk.
Tax Assessor Collector Darlene Fryery Bane will be reelected with no opposition. Supervisor District 1 James ‘Burr’ Warner, Jr is projected to defeat 2 candidates on August 6 for reelection. Supervisor District 2 Luke Lamar Parkes is reelected with no oppostion. Supervisor District 3 Marion E. ‘Kenny’ Jordan is projected to win August 6 and will face Republican Rhonda Cooper Prisock on Nov. 5. Supervisor District 4 Ralph A. Goss is projected to win on August 6.
Other races set for November 5 are Coroner Scott Gregory who is projected to face Bryon Foster. Prosecuting Attorney Zachary A. Madison who will face Republican Taylor Tucker on November 5. East Post Justice Court Judge Mike Fuller will face Will McNeel on Nov. 5.
Those are all the races I am guessing the outcome on and I know I have several correct because they have no opposition.
Editor’s note: Joseph McCain is the publisher of The Choctaw Plaindealer, The Webster Progress Times and Winston County Journal. He maybe reached at newsroom@winston countyjournal.com or 662-803-5236.
