| Election Name: | 2015 Mississippi elections |
| Country: | Mississippi |
| Flag Image: | Flag of Mississippi (2001–2020).svg |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | yes |
| Previous Election: | 2011 Mississippi elections |
| Previous Year: | 2011 |
| Next Election: | 2019 Mississippi elections |
| Next Year: | 2019 |
A general election was held in the U.S. state of Mississippi on November 3, 2015. All of Mississippi's executive officers were up for election. Primary elections were held on August 4, 2015, with primary runoffs to be held on August 25, 2015 if no candidate received a majority in the primary. The filing deadline for primary ballot access was February 27.
See main article: Mississippi gubernatorial election, 2015. Incumbent Republican Governor Phil Bryant won re-election to a second and final term in office.[1] He was challenged in the Republican primary by Mitch Young.[2]
Retired firefighter Robert Gray, physician Valerie Short and attorney Vicki Slater ran for the Democratic nomination.[3]
| Election Name: | Mississippi lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2015 |
| Country: | Mississippi |
| Flag Image: | Flag of Mississippi (2001–2020).svg |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2011 Mississippi elections#Lieutenant Governor |
| Previous Year: | 2011 |
| Next Election: | 2019 Mississippi elections#Lieutenant Governor |
| Next Year: | 2019 |
| Election Date: | November 3, 2015 |
| Nominee1: | Tate Reeves |
| Party1: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 433,382 |
| Percentage1: | 60.34% |
| Nominee2: | Tim Johnson |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 259,008 |
| Percentage2: | 36.06% |
| Map Size: | 250px |
| Lieutenant Governor | |
| Before Election: | Tate Reeves |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Tate Reeves |
| After Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Electoral Vote1: | 80 |
| Electoral Vote2: | 42 |
Incumbent Republican lieutenant governor Tate Reeves ran for re-election to a second term in office. He was challenged in the primary by teacher Alisha Nelson McElhenney.[2] Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann,[4] [5] State Senator and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2014 Chris McDaniel[6] and State Senator Michael Watson all considered running against Reeves in the Republican primary, but none did so.
Former Republican State Senator and former Republican Madison County Supervisor Tim Johnson[7] won the Democratic primary against actor and candidate for Mayor of Greenwood in 2013 Jelani Barr.[8] [9] Mississippi Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley was a potential Democratic candidate[10] but instead ran for re-election.[11]
Reeves won the general election against Johnson.
| Election Name: | Mississippi Secretary of State election, 2015 |
| Country: | Mississippi |
| Flag Image: | Flag of Mississippi (2001–2020).svg |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2011 Mississippi elections#Secretary of State |
| Previous Year: | 2011 |
| Next Election: | 2019 Mississippi elections#Secretary of State |
| Next Year: | 2019 |
| Election Date: | November 3, 2015 |
| Image1: | Delbert Hosemann.jpg |
| Nominee1: | Delbert Hosemann |
| Party1: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 440,048 |
| Percentage1: | 61.28% |
| Nominee2: | Charles Graham |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 256,689 |
| Percentage2: | 35.75% |
| Map Size: | 250px |
| Secretary of State | |
| Before Election: | Delbert Hosemann |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Delbert Hosemann |
| After Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Electoral Vote1: | 80 |
| Electoral Vote2: | 42 |
Incumbent Republican Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann considered running for Lieutenant Governor against Tate Reeves in the Republican primary.[4] [5] However, he chose to run for re-election to a third term in office instead. Potential Republican candidates for Secretary of State included State Senator Michael Watson and Hosemann's former Chief of Staff Cory Wilson, had he chosen to retire.
Retired firefighter Charles Graham ran for the Democrats.[12] State Senator David Blount and former Secretary of State Dick Molpus were potential Democratic candidates, but neither chose to run.[13]
Hosemann won in the general election against Graham.
See main article: 2015 Mississippi Attorney General election.
| Election Name: | 2015 Mississippi Attorney General election |
| Country: | Mississippi |
| Flag Image: | Flag of Mississippi (2001–2020).svg |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2011 Mississippi elections#Attorney General |
| Previous Year: | 2011 |
| Next Election: | 2019 Mississippi elections#Attorney General |
| Next Year: | 2019 |
| Election Date: | November 3, 2015 |
| Nominee1: | Jim Hood |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 400,110 |
| Percentage1: | 55.35% |
| Nominee2: | Mike Hurst |
| Party2: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 322,648 |
| Percentage2: | 44.64% |
| Attorney General | |
| Before Election: | Jim Hood |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Jim Hood |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Map Size: | 250px |
| Electoral Vote1: | 66 |
| Electoral Vote2: | 56 |
Incumbent Democratic attorney general Jim Hood had been mentioned as a potential candidate for Governor, but he instead ran for re-election to a fourth term in office.[14] [15] [16]
The only candidate to file for the Republican nomination was Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst.[17] Attorney Russ Latino considered running[18] but declined to do so.[19] Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann, State Senator Chris McDaniel, State Senator Michael Watson, Jackson County District Attorney Tony Lawrence, Madison and Rankin Counties' District Attorney Michael Guest were all mentioned as potential Republican candidates.[6] [20] State Representative Mark Baker and attorney, author and former Madison County Supervisor Andy Taggart declined to run.[21]
Hood won in the general election against Hurst.
| Election Name: | Mississippi State Auditor election, 2015 |
| Country: | Mississippi |
| Flag Image: | Flag of Mississippi (2001–2020).svg |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2011 Mississippi elections#State Auditor |
| Previous Year: | 2011 |
| Next Election: | 2019 Mississippi elections#State Auditor |
| Next Year: | 2019 |
| Election Date: | November 3, 2015 |
| Nominee1: | Stacey Pickering |
| Party1: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 456,909 |
| Percentage1: | 63.92% |
| Nominee2: | Jocelyn Pritchett |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 248,493 |
| Percentage2: | 34.76% |
| Map Size: | 250px |
| State Auditor | |
| Before Election: | Stacey Pickering |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Stacey Pickering |
| After Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Electoral Vote1: | 80 |
| Electoral Vote2: | 42 |
Incumbent Republican State Auditor Stacey Pickering ran for re-election to a third term in office. Pickering was challenged in the Republican primary by Mary Hawkins-Butler, the Mayor of Madison.[22] [23] State Senator Michael Watson had considered running but did not do so.[24]
Jocelyn Pritchett, an engineer, ran as a Democrat.[12] Charles Graham, a retired firefighter, had been running for the office, but decided to run for Secretary of State instead.[25]
Pickering won in the general election against Pritchett.
| Election Name: | Mississippi State Treasurer election, 2015 |
| Country: | Mississippi |
| Flag Image: | Flag of Mississippi (2001–2020).svg |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2011 Mississippi elections#State Treasurer |
| Previous Year: | 2011 |
| Next Election: | 2019 Mississippi elections#State Treasurer |
| Next Year: | 2019 |
| Election Date: | November 3, 2015 |
| Nominee1: | Lynn Fitch |
| Party1: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 516,666 |
| Percentage1: | 79.17% |
| Nominee2: | Viola V. McFarland |
| Party2: | Reform Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 135,878 |
| Percentage2: | 20.82% |
| Map Size: | 250px |
| State Treasurer | |
| Before Election: | Lynn Fitch |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Lynn Fitch |
| After Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Electoral Vote1: | 121 |
| Electoral Vote2: | 1 |
Incumbent Republican State Treasurer Lynn Fitch ran for re-election to a second term in office.[26] Attorney David McRae, whose family formerly owned the McRae's department store chain, ran against Fitch in the Republican primary.[27] No Democrat filed to run for the office.
Fitch won in the primary and proceed to win in the general election against Reform party candidate Viola McFarland.[28]
| Election Name: | Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce election, 2015 |
| Country: | Mississippi |
| Flag Image: | Flag of Mississippi (2001–2020).svg |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2011 Mississippi elections#Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce |
| Previous Year: | 2011 |
| Next Election: | 2019 Mississippi elections#Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce |
| Next Year: | 2019 |
| Election Date: | November 3, 2015 |
| Nominee1: | Cindy Hyde-Smith |
| Party1: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 436,527 |
| Percentage1: | 61.30% |
| Nominee2: | Addie Lee Green |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote2: | 260,584 |
| Percentage2: | 36.59% |
| Map Size: | 150px |
| Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce | |
| Before Election: | Cindy Hyde-Smith |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Cindy Hyde-Smith |
| After Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Electoral Vote1: | 81 |
| Electoral Vote2: | 41 |
Incumbent Republican Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Cindy Hyde-Smith ran for re-election to a second term in office against Addie Lee Green who ran as a Democrat. Hyde-Smith won in the general election against Green.
| Election Name: | Mississippi Commissioner of Insurance election, 2015 |
| Country: | Mississippi |
| Flag Image: | Flag of Mississippi (2001–2020).svg |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2011 Mississippi elections#Commissioner of Insurance |
| Previous Year: | 2011 |
| Next Election: | 2019 Mississippi elections#Commissioner of Insurance |
| Next Year: | 2019 |
| Election Date: | November 3, 2015 |
| Nominee1: | Mike Chaney |
| Party1: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 591,566 |
| Percentage1: | 100% |
| Commissioner of Insurance | |
| Before Election: | Mike Chaney |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Mike Chaney |
| After Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Electoral Vote1: | 122 |
Incumbent Republican Commissioner of Insurance Mike Chaney ran for re-election to a third term in office.[26] [29] Businessman John Mosley ran against Chaney in the Republican primary.[6]
Former State Representative and Director of the Mississippi Democratic Trust Brandon Jones was a possible Democratic candidate,[29] though no Democrat filed to run for the office.
Chaney prevailed in the primary, guaranteeing his win in the general election.
| Country: | Mississippi |
| Flag Image: | Flag of Mississippi (2001–2020).svg |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2011_Mississippi_elections#Northern_district |
| Previous Year: | 2011 |
| Next Year: | 2019 |
| Next Election: | 2019 Mississippi elections#Northern_District |
| Nominee1: | Brandon Presley |
| Nominee2: | Mike Maynard |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Party2: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 146,518 |
| Popular Vote2: | 94,793 |
| Percentage1: | 60.71% |
| Percentage2: | 39.28% |
| Before Election: | Brandon Presley |
| Before Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Brandon Presley |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Northern District Commissioner | |
| Election Name: | Mississippi Public Service Commissioner, Northern District election, 2015 |
| Image1: | Brandon Presley, MS Public Service Commissioner.jpg |
| Map Size: | 200px |
Incumbent Democratic Commissioner Brandon Presley had considered running for Governor and Lieutenant Governor,[26] but decided not to and ran for re-election to a third term in office.[11]
Presley won in the general election against Republican Mike Maynard.
| Country: | Mississippi |
| Flag Image: | Flag of Mississippi (2001–2020).svg |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2011 Mississippi elections#Central_district |
| Previous Year: | 2011 |
| Next Year: | 2019 |
| Next Election: | 2019 Mississippi elections#Central_District |
| Nominee1: | Cecil Brown |
| Nominee2: | Brent Bailey |
| Party1: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Party2: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 124,789 |
| Popular Vote2: | 106,314 |
| Percentage1: | 53.36% |
| Percentage2: | 45.46% |
| Before Election: | Lynn Posey |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Cecil Brown |
| After Party: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Central District Commissioner | |
| Election Name: | Mississippi Public Service Commissioner, Central District election, 2015 |
| Map Size: | 200px |
Incumbent Republican Commissioner Lynn Posey retired rather than run for re-election to a third term in office.[30]
For the Republicans, Brent Bailey and attorney and 2003 candidate for Governor Mitch Tyner ran in the primary.[31] Other potential Republican candidates were former State Senator and candidate for State Treasurer in 2011 Lee Yancey and Jason Cochran, a utility construction company project manager, the son of former Commissioner Nielsen Cochran and nephew of U.S. Senator Thad Cochran[30]
Bruce Burton and State Representative Cecil Brown ran for the Democrats.[32] Robert Amos originally qualified as a Democratic candidate for this seat, but switched to run for the Central District of the Transportation Commission.
Brown faced off in the general election against Bailey and won.
| Country: | Mississippi |
| Flag Image: | Flag of Mississippi (2001–2020).svg |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2011 Mississippi elections#Southern_district |
| Previous Year: | 2011 |
| Next Year: | 2019 |
| Next Election: | 2019 Mississippi elections#Southern_District |
| Nominee1: | Sam Britton |
| Nominee2: | Tom Blanton |
| Party1: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 144,194 |
| Popular Vote2: | 89,146 |
| Percentage1: | 60.53% |
| Percentage2: | 37.42% |
| Before Election: | Steve Renfroe |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Sam Britton |
| After Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Southern District Commissioner | |
| Election Name: | Mississippi Public Service Commissioner, Southern District election, 2015 |
| Image1: | SamBritton.jpg |
| Map Size: | 200px |
Incumbent Republican Commissioner Steve Renfroe, who was appointed to the office in September 2013 after Leonard Bentz resigned to become executive director of the South Mississippi Planning and Development District,[33] [34] decided not to run for election to a full term in office. State Senator Philip Moran and Hancock County Supervisor Steve Seymour ruled out running and 2011 candidate Travis Rose chose not to run again. Sam Britton, Mike Collier, and State Senator Tony Smith both ran for the Republican nomination,[35] in which Britton won following a runoff against Smith.[36]
Thomas Blanton filed to run as the Democratic candidate and received the nomination unopposed.[37]
Britton won in the general election against Blanton.
| Country: | Mississippi |
| Flag Image: | Flag of Mississippi (2001–2020).svg |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2011_Mississippi_elections#Northern_district_2 |
| Previous Year: | 2011 |
| Next Year: | 2019 |
| Next Election: | 2019_Mississippi_elections#Northern_District_2 |
| Nominee1: | Mike Tagert |
| Nominee2: | Danny Woods |
| Party1: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 154,070 |
| Popular Vote2: | 85,847 |
| Percentage1: | 64.22% |
| Percentage2: | 35.78% |
| Before Election: | Mike Tagert |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Mike Tagert |
| After Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Northern District Commissioner | |
| Election Name: | Mississippi Transportation Commissioner, Northern District election, 2015 |
| Image1: | Mike Tagert (cropped).jpg |
| Map Size: | 200px |
Incumbent Republican Mike Tagert, who won a special election in 2011 following the death of Democratic Commissioner Bill Minor, ran for re-election to a second full term in office.[38] He also ran in the May 2015 special election for Mississippi's 1st congressional district. Hernando Mayor Chip Johnson announced that he would run for the Republican nomination, but he withdrew from the race following Tagert's loss in the Congressional election.[39] [40] Candidate Jimmy Mills of Tupelo challenged Tagert in the primary.[41]
Democrat Danny Woods of Winona filed for the Democrats and faced Tagert in the general election; Tagert won.[42]
| Country: | Mississippi |
| Flag Image: | Flag of Mississippi (2001–2020).svg |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2011 Mississippi elections#Central_district_2 |
| Previous Year: | 2011 |
| Next Year: | 2019 |
| Next Election: | 2019 Mississippi elections#Central_District_2 |
| Nominee1: | Dick Hall |
| Nominee2: | Mary H. Coleman |
| Party1: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 128,523 |
| Popular Vote2: | 106,828 |
| Percentage1: | 54.61% |
| Percentage2: | 45.39% |
| Before Election: | Dick Hall |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Dick Hall |
| After Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Central District Commissioner | |
| Election Name: | Mississippi Transportation Commissioner, Central District election, 2015 |
| Image1: | Dick Hall_MS.jpg |
| Map Size: | 200px |
Incumbent Republican Commissioner Dick Hall, who was appointed to the Commission in 1999, ran for re-election to a fifth full term in office.[38]
Robert Amos ran for the Democrats,[38] as well as Mary Coleman and Natasha Magee-Woods. Former Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson, Jr. was a potential Democratic candidate, but he did not run.[13]
Hall won in the general election against Coleman.
| Country: | Mississippi |
| Flag Image: | Flag of Mississippi (2001–2020).svg |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 2011 Mississippi elections#Southern_district_2 |
| Previous Year: | 2011 |
| Next Year: | 2019 |
| Next Election: | 2019 Mississippi elections#Southern_District_2 |
| Nominee1: | Tom King |
| Nominee2: | Chad Toney |
| Party1: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 157,601 |
| Popular Vote2: | 73,067 |
| Percentage1: | 66.54% |
| Percentage2: | 30.85% |
| Before Election: | Tom King |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Tom King |
| After Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Southern District Commissioner | |
| Election Name: | Mississippi Transportation Commissioner, Southern District election, 2015 |
| Image1: | Tom King.jpg |
| Map Size: | 200px |
Incumbent Republican Commissioner Tom King ran for re-election to a second term in office.[43] Chad Toney ran for the Democrats.
King won in the general election against Toney.
See main article: Mississippi's 1st congressional district special election, 2015. A special election for Mississippi's 1st congressional district was held to fill the term left by the vacancy created by the death of Alan Nunnelee. Nunnelee, a member of the Republican Party, died on February 6, 2015.[44] The top-two primary was held on May 12, with Democrat Walter Zinn and Republican Trent Kelly advancing. Kelly defeated Zinn in the June 12 runoff election.[45]