Saturday, June 17, countywide candidates spoke to those at the Weir Fire Department Political Rally and BBQ Fundraiser. For many in the Choctaw County races, the clock is ticking and the weeks are flying by as it gets closer and closer to the August 8 primary where many elections will be decided in the primary.
Supervisor District 2, District 3, and District 5; Sheriff, Chancery Clerk, Justice Court Judge Post 1, and Constable Post 1 will each have their race come down to the Republican primary and for some races, it may result in a run-off.
Supervisor District 1, District 4, Tax Assessor, Coroner, Justice Court Judge Post 2 and Constable Post 2 will be decided in the general election.
But, before either Supervisor District 1 incumbent Joey Stephenson and Thomas Raybourn face Larry Jobe, District 4 incumbent John Shumaker or R.B. Ashford faces Dennis Weeks and before Constable Post 2 incumbent Roy Dunn Carter and Barry Joe Miller meet Stacy Stricklin, they each have to face each other in the primary election.
The event was held at the Town of Weir Walking Track and the BBQ sale was held inside the fire department.
Candidates for Supervisor Districts 1, 3, 4, and 5; Sheriff, Tax Assessor, Chancery Clerk, Justice Court Judge Posts 1 and 2, Constable Post 1 and 2, and Coroner took the stage to tell those in attendance why they should vote for them.
In the Supervisor race, Incumbents Joey Stephenson, Chris McIntire and John Shumaker and candidate hopefuls Ricky Vowell, R.B. Ashford, and Justin Blake spoke on how they each wanted to improve Choctaw County.
The biggest topic of the group was working to bring in more jobs, a plan to keep TVA and Mississippi Lignite Company in the county, road conditions, bridges that were out in the county and the state of the county audits.
Vowell said the current Supervisors say they have plans to bring industry to Choctaw County, but they can’t tell their plans to residents who want to know.
“We need a plan to keep TVA here in Choctaw County,” Vowell said.
Incumbents ensured those in attendance, they’re in the county, they’re working and if they ever need them, they’re available.
“If you need my number, just find me out here and get with one of my guys and they’ll give it to you,” Supervisor Chris McIntire said.
Ashford took a different approach, he told those in attendance that he was willing to learn, and he wanted to run to help be able to improve the place that he calls home.
“I remember riding the bus to Ackerman High where we went to school and I would pass Cooper Farm and Turnipseed Farm and I got an interest in farming,” he said.
He said when he was growing up, there weren’t as many good paying jobs as there is now, and he wants to help bring more industry to Choctaw County.
Shumaker talked about how after he retired from 4County, he wanted to find a way to continue to make a difference and he felt led to run for Supervisor.
He said compared to other areas, Choctaw County roads aren’t in as bad of shape as many think.
“If you think our roads bad, just go one county over,” he said. Shumaker said it’s not about him or any other Supervisor, it’s about the residents of Choctaw County and how they can be of service to them.
Blake talked about how this was home for his and his wife Jamie, and he wanted to run, as others did, to improve it.
In the sheriff race, each talked about the drug problem, guns in the hands of criminals and how to combat each. Kevin Connell and Tim Cook both said they wanted to work to more present, to have more men visible and combat the drug issue.
Incumbent Brandon Busby said in the past three years, he’s set out to do just about everything he said. He said the one thing he wants to work with the Supervisors on, if elected, is an animal shelter and an animal control officer.
In the Tax Assessor race, Dannie Reed talked about how he worked for residents of Choctaw County when he was in the House of Representatives and how he wanted to continue to do so again as tax assessor.
Chancery Clerk hopeful Wade McCulloch said he wanted to work to bring county audits current.
“I heard John Avery say they’re current until 2020 that’s good,” he said. McCulloch said according to the state auditor’s office, the county hasn’t had a completed one since 2015.
Incumbent Steve Montgomery said when elected, it’s not just you, you have to work together. “If you ever need to get in touch with me, the ladies in my office have my cellphone number they’ll give it to you,” he said. “But, don’t call me about speeding tickets, we don’t do those.”
Coroner hopefuls Falisa Fullilove Miller and Chris Coleman said they know the position they seek isn’t one many people would want. Because when they show up, it’s the end of someone’s life.
Miller said she wants to be more visible and it’s something that she’s always wanted to do since watching the show “Quincy.”
“I used to love to watch that man and I’ve always wanted to do this,” she said. “And the coroner’s the only person that the arrest a Sheriff.”
Coleman said he wants to run because he has the experience working as deputy coroner under his dad Keith, and it’s something he has a passion about.
Justice Court Judge hopefuls Lacee Black Jones and Ben Turnipseed said they want to help bring in more fines for the county.
Constable hopefuls Issac Newman and Stacy Stricklin told those in attendance that they believe they can do a good job in the position and they’re the man for the job.
Barry Joe Miller talked about protecting children from cowards who come into schools and kill them, like the incident that happened in Uvalde, Texas.
Incumbent Roy Dunn Carter said that if voters in Post 2 are looking for a man with experience, then he’s the guy for the job.
Polls open on August 8 from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
