United States Senate special election in Mississippi, 2008
Encyclopedia
The 2008 United States Senate special election in Mississippi was held on November 4, 2008. This election is held on the same day of Thad Cochran
's re-election bid in the United States Senate election in Mississippi, 2008. The rules of this special election is that the winner will serve rest of Senate term, which ends in January 2013
. Unlike most senate elections, this will be a non-partisan election in which the candidate who gets a majority of the vote wins, and if the first place candidate does not get 50%, a runoff election with the top two candidates will be held. In the election, no run off was necessary as Republican nominee and incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Roger Wicker
won re-election to finish the term.
resigned in his fourth-term to pursue "something else" in the private sector. He ended up starting his own lobbying firm.
On December 31, 2007 , Mississippi
governor Haley Barbour
appointed Roger Wicker
to the seat vacated 13 days earlier by Sen. Trent Lott
. Wicker then began his senate campaign.
Early speculation suggested that Ronnie Musgrove
, Mike Espy
, Harvey Johnson, Jr.
, Ray Mabus
, and Mike Moore may run for the Democrats, however only former governor Musgrove of the five decided to run. Another Democrat, former congressman Ronnie Shows
also decided to run, but withdrew on February 19, 2008 after determining that he could not raise enough funds to effectively campaign against Wicker and Musgrove. Shows gave his endorsement to Musgrove.
There was a dispute about the date on which the special election should occur and whether the governor appointed the interim senator in keeping with state law.
Mississippi law states that Gov. Barbour had 10 days after receiving official notification of the vacancy to appoint an interim senator pending a special election. Barbour appointed Wicker on December 31, 2007 , 13 days after Lott's resignation.
The state Democratic party objected to the timing of the special election. Barbour set the special election for November 4, 2008 . Democrats claimed that he had 10 days to set a special election within 90 days (no later than March 29, 2008 ), and the issue went to court for resolution.
Mississippi Attorney General, Democrat Jim Hood
, issued a non-binding opinion that the election must be held within 100 days of Lott's resignation. Hood said that Barbour would be breaking the law if he holds the special election in November 2008. Hood sued Barbour in court over the issue. Hood wanted the date of the special election to be March 11, the same day as Mississippi's presidential primary.
The state’s chief elections officer, the then-Mississippi Secretary of State, Democrat Eric Clark
, backed the governor's position.
Governor Barbour claimed that the definition of "year" in the law in question is 365 days. Hinds County
Circuit Court Judge Bobby DeLaughter
ruled that the election must take place no later than March 19. On February 6, 2008, after Barbour appealed,
the Mississippi Supreme Court reversed Judge Delaughter and ruled that the non-partisan special election may be held on November 4.
Thad Cochran
William Thad Cochran is the senior United States Senator from Mississippi and a member of the Republican Party. First elected to the Senate in 1978, he is the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations and was its chairman and 2005 to 2007.-Early life:He was born in Pontotoc,...
's re-election bid in the United States Senate election in Mississippi, 2008. The rules of this special election is that the winner will serve rest of Senate term, which ends in January 2013
United States Senate elections, 2012
Elections to the United States Senate are to be held on November 6, 2012, with 33 of the 100 seats in the Senate being contested in regular elections whose winners will serve six-year terms from January 3, 2013 until January 3, 2019. Additionally, special elections may be held to fill vacancies...
. Unlike most senate elections, this will be a non-partisan election in which the candidate who gets a majority of the vote wins, and if the first place candidate does not get 50%, a runoff election with the top two candidates will be held. In the election, no run off was necessary as Republican nominee and incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Roger Wicker
Roger Wicker
Roger Frederick Wicker is the junior U.S. Senator from Mississippi and a member of the Republican Party. In December 2007 he was appointed by Governor Haley Barbour to fill the seat vacated by Trent Lott. He subsequently won the 2008 special election for the remainder of the term. Wicker served...
won re-election to finish the term.
Background
On December 18, 2007 , U.S. Senator Trent LottTrent Lott
Chester Trent Lott, Sr. , is a former United States Senator from Mississippi and has served in numerous leadership positions in the House of Representatives and the Senate....
resigned in his fourth-term to pursue "something else" in the private sector. He ended up starting his own lobbying firm.
On December 31, 2007 , Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
governor Haley Barbour
Haley Barbour
Haley Reeves Barbour is an American Republican politician currently serving as the 63rd Governor of Mississippi. He gained a national spotlight in August 2005 after Mississippi was hit by Hurricane Katrina. Barbour won re-election as Governor in 2007...
appointed Roger Wicker
Roger Wicker
Roger Frederick Wicker is the junior U.S. Senator from Mississippi and a member of the Republican Party. In December 2007 he was appointed by Governor Haley Barbour to fill the seat vacated by Trent Lott. He subsequently won the 2008 special election for the remainder of the term. Wicker served...
to the seat vacated 13 days earlier by Sen. Trent Lott
Trent Lott
Chester Trent Lott, Sr. , is a former United States Senator from Mississippi and has served in numerous leadership positions in the House of Representatives and the Senate....
. Wicker then began his senate campaign.
Early speculation suggested that Ronnie Musgrove
Ronnie Musgrove
David Ronald "Ronnie" Musgrove is an American politician who was the 29th Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi from January 16, 1996 to January 11, 2000 and the 62nd Governor of Mississippi from January 11, 2000 to January 13, 2004 of the U.S. state of Mississippi. He was recently defeated by...
, Mike Espy
Mike Espy
Alphonso Michael "Mike" Espy is a former United States political figure. From 1987 to 1993, he served in the U.S. House of Representatives from Mississippi. He served as the Secretary of Agriculture from 1993 to 1994. He was the first African American Secretary of Agriculture...
, Harvey Johnson, Jr.
Harvey Johnson, Jr.
Harvey Johnson, Jr. , is the current mayor and first African American mayor of Jackson, Mississippi.-Biography:Harvey Johnson, Jr. was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi, and attended the Vicksburg Public Schools, graduating from Rosa A. Temple High School...
, Ray Mabus
Ray Mabus
Raymond Edwin "Ray" Mabus, Jr. is the 75th United States Secretary of the Navy. Mabus served as the 60th Governor of the U.S...
, and Mike Moore may run for the Democrats, however only former governor Musgrove of the five decided to run. Another Democrat, former congressman Ronnie Shows
Ronnie Shows
Clifford Ronald "Ronnie" Shows is a former Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from Mississippi....
also decided to run, but withdrew on February 19, 2008 after determining that he could not raise enough funds to effectively campaign against Wicker and Musgrove. Shows gave his endorsement to Musgrove.
There was a dispute about the date on which the special election should occur and whether the governor appointed the interim senator in keeping with state law.
Mississippi law states that Gov. Barbour had 10 days after receiving official notification of the vacancy to appoint an interim senator pending a special election. Barbour appointed Wicker on December 31, 2007 , 13 days after Lott's resignation.
The state Democratic party objected to the timing of the special election. Barbour set the special election for November 4, 2008 . Democrats claimed that he had 10 days to set a special election within 90 days (no later than March 29, 2008 ), and the issue went to court for resolution.
Mississippi Attorney General, Democrat Jim Hood
Jim Hood
James Matthew "Jim" Hood is the Attorney General of the U.S. state of Mississippi. A Democrat, he was elected in 2003, having defeated the Republican nominee Scott Newton. A former District Attorney, Hood succeeded Mike Moore....
, issued a non-binding opinion that the election must be held within 100 days of Lott's resignation. Hood said that Barbour would be breaking the law if he holds the special election in November 2008. Hood sued Barbour in court over the issue. Hood wanted the date of the special election to be March 11, the same day as Mississippi's presidential primary.
The state’s chief elections officer, the then-Mississippi Secretary of State, Democrat Eric Clark
Eric Clark
Eric Clark is a former Secretary of State of Mississippi. A Democrat, he was elected in 1995 and re-elected in 1999 and 2003. He did not seek reelection in 2007 and was succeeded in office by Republican Delbert Hosemann....
, backed the governor's position.
Governor Barbour claimed that the definition of "year" in the law in question is 365 days. Hinds County
Hinds County, Mississippi
As of the census of 2000, there were 250,800 people, 91,030 households, and 62,355 families residing in the county. The population density was 288 people per square mile . There were 100,287 housing units at an average density of 115 per square mile...
Circuit Court Judge Bobby DeLaughter
Bobby DeLaughter
Robert "Bobby" DeLaughter is an American Mississippi state prosecutor, judge, and author. He is notable for prosecuting and securing the conviction in 1994 of Byron De La Beckwith, charged with the murder of the civil rights leader Medgar Evers on June 12, 1963...
ruled that the election must take place no later than March 19. On February 6, 2008, after Barbour appealed,
the Mississippi Supreme Court reversed Judge Delaughter and ruled that the non-partisan special election may be held on November 4.
Polling
| Poll Source | Dates administered | Musgrove | Wicker |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rasmussen Reports | October 27, 2008 | 43% | 54% |
| Research2000 for Daily Kos | October 14–15, 2008 | 46% | 47% |
| Rasmussen Reports | September 30, 2008 | 47% | 49% |
| Rasmussen Reports | August 23, 2008 | 42% | 47% |
| Rasmussen Reports | July 28, 2008 | 42% | 48% |
| Research2000 for Daily Kos | July 23, 2008 | 44% | 45% |
| Rasmussen Reports | June 26, 2008 | 47% | 48% |
| Rasmussen Reports | May 27, 2008 | 47% | 46% |
| Research 2000/Daily Kos | May 19–21, 2008 | 42% | 46% |
| Research 2000/Daily Kos | December 10–12, 2007 | 39% | 47% |
Results
See also
- Mississippi's 1st congressional district special election, 2008Mississippi's 1st congressional district special election, 2008The 2008 Mississippi 1st congressional district special election was a special election in the state of Mississippi to determine who would serve the remainder of former Representative Roger Wicker's term...
, an election to fill Roger WickerRoger WickerRoger Frederick Wicker is the junior U.S. Senator from Mississippi and a member of the Republican Party. In December 2007 he was appointed by Governor Haley Barbour to fill the seat vacated by Trent Lott. He subsequently won the 2008 special election for the remainder of the term. Wicker served...
's former U.S. House of Representatives seat.
External links
- Roger Wicker official campaign website
- Ronnie Musgrove official campaign website
- The Real Roger Wicker site critical of Wicker by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign CommitteeDemocratic Senatorial Campaign CommitteeThe Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is the Democratic Hill committee for the United States Senate. It is the only organization solely dedicated to electing Democrats to the United States Senate. The DSCC's current chair is Sen. Patty Murray, who succeeded Sen. Robert Menendez following...
- Musgrove Facts site critical of Musgrove by the National Republican Senatorial CommitteeNational Republican Senatorial CommitteeThe National Republican Senatorial Committee is the Republican Hill committee for the United States Senate, working to elect Republicans to that body. The NRSC was founded in 1916 as the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee...