2011 Qualifying Candidates for District and Statewide Elections

Before we get to the list of candidates for statewide election, there are a few things that we must say about our election coverage. We feel that people in our profession should be in the business of telling the story with all the facts included and let the people who read the story formulate their own opinions about the story, if there is one to be formed. The same should apply to election coverage. Here is our guideline for our team of journalists (and we use that word loosely) when headed into an interview with a candidate. Give the facts about candidates and don’t attempt to ask candidates “loaded” questions when interviewing them; always be straight forward with your questions.  Let the candidate speak directly to the people.  Don’t shy away from tough questions of any candidate.  Don’t put out “fluff” interview… ask the tough questions, but ask them of each candidate.  Prepare for the interviews you conduct and gather as much information as you can before you go in.  Do all of this without being contentious and remember to always be courteous. It should be stated that Vicksburg Daily News will not ever endorse a candidate.  In our view, any news organization who endorses a candidate sacrifices their journalistic integrity and ability to be seen as an unbiased news source. All candidates are listed alphabetically.

Democratic Candidates

Governor – William Bond Camton Governor – Johnny L. DuPree Governor – Bill Luckett Governor – Guy Dale Shaw Attorney General – Jim     Hood State Treasurer – Connie Moran State Treasurer – Shawn O’Hara Commissioner of Insurance – Louis Fondren Commissioner of Agriculture & Commerce – Joel Gill Public Service Commissioner (Central District) – Bruce Burton Public Service Commissioner (Central District) – Addie Green Public Service Commissioner (Southern District) – Thomas “Tom” Blanton Public Service Commissioner (Southern District) – James M. Buckhaults Public Service Commissioner (Southern District) – Mike Collier Public Service Commissioner (Northern District) – Brandon Presley Transportation Commissioner (Southern District) – Larry L. Albritton Transportation Commissioner (Central District) – Dorothy Banford Transportation Commissioner (Central District) – Marshand Crisler Transportation Commissioner (Northern District) – Ray Minor District Attorney (1) – John R Young District Attorney (3) – Ben Creekmore District Attorney (4) – W. Dewayne Richardson District Attorney (5) – Doug Evans District Attorney (6) – Ronnie L. Harper District Attorney (7) – Robert Schuler Smith District Attorney (8) – Mark Duncan District Attorney (9) – Richard “Ricky” Smith, Jr. District Attorney (10) – Ellis J. “Bilbo”Mitchell III District Attorney (11) – Brenda F. Mitchell District Attorney (14) – Dewittt “Dee”Bates Jr. District Attorney (16) – Forrest Allgood District Attorney (16) – Bill Bambach District Attorney (17) – John William Champion District Attorney (21) – Akillie Malone Oliver District Attorney (22) – Alexander C. Martin

Independent Candidates

Governor – William D. Oatis Public Service Commissioner (Central District) – Danny Ayers District Attorney (21) – Marc L. Boutwell

Reform Party Candidates*

Governor – Shawn O’Hara Lieutenant Governor – Tracella Lou O’Hara Hill Secretary of State – John Luke Pannell Auditor – Ashley Norwood State Treasurer – Shawn O’Hara Commissioner of Insurance – Barbara Dale Washer Commissioner of Agriculture & Commerce – Cathy L. Toole *Currently two groups claim to represent the official Reform Party of Mississippi. A determination has not been made by the State Board of Election Commissioners as to which group should be recognized as the official Reform Party of Mississippi

Reform Party Candidates*

Governor – Bobby A. Kearan Lieutenant Governor – Lisa Barfield-McCarty Commissioner of Insurance – Willice Law-Jackson Treasurer – Jon D. McCarty *Currently two groups claim to represent the official Reform Party of Mississippi. A determination has not been made by the State Board of Election Commissioners as to which group should be recognized as the official Reform Party of Mississippi

Republican Candidates

Governor – James Broadwater Governor – Phil Bryant Governor – Dave Dennis Governor – Hudson Holliday Governor – Ron     Williams Lieutenant Governor – Billy Hewes Lieutenant Governor – Tate Reeves Secretary of State – Ricky Dombrowski Secretary of State – Delbert Hosemann Attorney General – Steve Simpson Auditor – Stacey E. Pickering Treasurer – Lynn Fitch Treasurer – Lucien Smith Treasurer – Lee Yancey Commissioner of Insurance – Mike Chaney Commissioner of Agriculture & Commerce – Cindy Hyde-Smith Commissioner of Agriculture & Commerce – Max Phillips Commissioner of Agriculture & Commerce – Dannie Reed Public Service Commissioner (Central District) – Charles Barbour Public Service Commissioner (Central District) – Lynn Posey Public Service Commissioner (Southern District) – Leonard Bentz Public Service Commissioner (Southern District) – Travis Rose Public Service Commissioner (Northern District) – Boyce Adams Public Service Commissioner (Northern District) – Marvin Cox District Attorney (01) – Trent Kelly District Attorney (02) – Joel Smith District Attorney (12) – Patricia W. Burchell District Attorney (13) – Daniel C Jones District Attorney (15) – Hal Kittrell District Attorney (16) – Steve Wallace District Attorney (18) – Anthony “Tony” J. Buckley District Attorney (19) – Anthony Tony Lawrence District Attorney (20) – Michael Guest]]]]> ]]>

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