JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) -The qualifying deadline for 2023 candidates to submit their paperwork in order to appear on your ballot has now passed. That deadline was at 5 p.m. Wednesday, February 1.
Before the square-off between the GOP and Dems, comes party primaries.
To prepare you, the party primaries will happen on August 8 with the general election taking place on November 7. Here’s what we know so far, all eight Republican officeholders are seeking re-election and just three of them have other Republicans trying to oust them.
Dr. Glenn Antizzo at Mississippi College thinks the slate could impact turnout.
“In the primary, I think what’s going to happen is if people perceive that everything’s a done deal, that there probably really will not be any massive amount of turnout, it’s in the middle of the summer, people are typically on vacation,” explained Dr. Glenn J. Antizzo, Mississippi College political science professor. “So it may well be that you’ll have low turnout and that ironically, there may be more turnout for a possible runoff if one happens.”
But turnout is exactly what Democrats want to focus on according to the party’s new executive director.
“If we can increase voter turnout, you will and we will all soon see that Mississippi isn’t a red state. It’s just a non-voting state and when people choose to vote, and honestly, it’s happened over and over again,” said Andre Jarreau Wagner, Executive Director of the Mississippi Democratic Party.
He’s referring to voters choosing more progressive ideas, pointing to the medical marijuana vote as the most recent example.
But, Republican strategist Austin Barbour says the fact that they only have candidates for five of the eight statewide positions is telling.
“When you look at the Republican Party in 2023, the party is in as strong a position as it possibly could be,“ said Austin Barbour. “There is either record number or near record number of minorities and females who were qualified to run for the legislature, local offices. As our state becomes more diverse, our party must continue to become more diverse.”
*Note: This story has been updated since the video first aired at 6 pm to reflect the late-filers from the Democratic Party.
Here is the list as of our last data received from the parties and the Secretary of State’s office.
Governor
Tate Reeves (Republican)
Dr. John Witcher (Republican)
David Grady Hardigree (Republican)
Bob Hickingbottom (Democrat)
Brandon Presley (Democrat)
Gregory Wash (Democrat)
Gwendolyn Gray (Independent)
Lieutenant Governor
Delbert Hosemann (Republican)
Shane Quick (Republican)
Tiffany Longino (Republican)
Chris McDaniel (Republican)
Ryan Grover (Democrat)
Secretary of State
Michael Watson (Republican)
Shuwaski Young (Democrat)
Attorney General
Lynn Fitch (Republican)
Greta Martin (Democrat)
Treasurer
David McRae (Republican)
Addie Green (Democrat)
Agriculture Commissioner
Andy Gipson (Republican)
Robert Bradford (Democrat)
Robert Briggs (Democrat)
Bethany Hill (Democrat)
Auditor
Shad White (Republican)
Larry Bradford (Democrat)
Insurance Commissioner
Mike Chaney (Republican)
Mitch Young (Republican)
Bruce Burton (Democrat)
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