2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Mississippi explained

Election Name:2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Mississippi
Flag Image:Flag of Mississippi (2001–2020).svg
Type:legislative
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2004 United States House of Representatives elections in Mississippi
Previous Year:2004
Next Election:2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Mississippi
Next Year:2008
Seats For Election:All 4 Mississippi seats to the United States House of Representatives
Party1:Republican Party (United States)
Last Election1:2
Seats1:2
Popular Vote1:304,308
Percentage1:50.66%
Swing1: 8.34%
Party2:Democratic Party (United States)
Last Election2:2
Seats2:2
Popular Vote2:260,330
Percentage2:43.34%
Swing2: 13.22%
Map Size:300px

The Mississippi U.S. House elections took place on November 7, 2006. All 4 House seats for Mississippi were up for election with all incumbents (2 Republicans and 2 Democrats) running for re-election. All incumbents succeeded in being re-elected.

Overview

United States House of Representatives elections in Mississippi, 2006[1]
PartyVotesPercentageSeats+/–
Republican304,30850.66%2
Democratic260,330 43.34%2
Independents25,9994.33%0
Reform10,0601.67%0
Totals600,697100.00%4

District 1

See also: Mississippi's 1st congressional district.

Incumbent Roger Wicker (R) faced political consultant Ken Hurt (D). Wicker has represented the conservative northern Mississippi district since 1995 and has been easily re-elected since. Hurt won a plurality in the Democratic Primary on June 7, but since he did not win over 50% of the vote, he was forced into a run-off with Bill Bambach, the second highest vote winner.CQ Politics rating: Safe Republican.

District 2

See also: Mississippi's 2nd congressional district.

Congressman Bennie Thompson (D) competed against Tchula mayor Yvonne Brown (R). The Democratic-leaning majority-black district comprises the Mississippi Delta and Jackson, the capital and largest city in Mississippi. Thompson first won in a special election in 1993 caused by then-Representative Mike Espy resigning to become Secretary of Agriculture under President Clinton. The congressman had generally easy elections except in 2002 when Republican and political newcomer Clinton LeSueur won 44% of the vote. And in that race state representative Chuck Espy (nephew of Mike Espy) competed against Thompson for the Democratic nomination, though Thompson won with 65% to Espy's 35%.

Yvonne Brown was nominated by the Republicans without any primary opposition. She was elected mayor of the small Delta town of Tchula in 2001 and re-elected in 2005, which is notable in that she is a black Republican in a very Democratic area. CQ Politics rating: Safe Democrat.

District 3

See also: Mississippi's 3rd congressional district.

In a repeat of the 2004 race, Republican incumbent Charles "Chip" Pickering, Jr. had no Democratic challenger, but faced independent Jim Giles and Reform Party candidate Lamonica Magee. This Republican-leaning district starts in the lower western part of the state and goes through the Jackson suburbs and up to east central Mississippi. Pickering was first elected in 1996 after the retirement of long-time incumbent Sonny Montgomery (D). The only strong challenge he has faced so far was in 2002 when re-apportionment caused Mississippi to lose a House seat. Pickering was pitted against Democrat Ronnie Shows, the two-term incumbent in the old 4th District; Pickering won with over 60% of the vote. The only candidates running against him this year are independent candidate Jim Giles, an organic farmer and ex-systems engineer known for his white supremacist views, and Reform Party candidate Lamonica Magee.CQ Politics rating: Safe Republican.

District 4

Election Name:2006 Mississippi's 4th congressional district election
Country:Mississippi
Flag Image:Flag of Mississippi (2001–2020).svg
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2004 United States House of Representatives elections in Mississippi#District 4
Previous Year:2002
Next Election:2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Mississippi#District 4
Next Year:2008
Image1:Gene Taylor, official portrait, 111th Congress.jpg
Nominee1:Gene Taylor
Party1:Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:110,996
Percentage1:79.79%
Nominee2:Randy McDonnell
Party2:Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:28,117
Percentage2:20.21%
Map Size:200px
U.S. Representative
Before Election:Gene Taylor
Before Party:Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:Gene Taylor
After Party:Democratic Party (United States)

See also: Mississippi's 4th congressional district.

Democrat Gene Taylor, the incumbent, faced Republican Randall McDonnell. This district, heavily devastated by Hurricane Katrina, covers the Mississippi Gulf Coast and inland areas directly north of it. While the district leans Republican, conservative Democrat Taylor has comfortably won since winning in a 1989 special election caused by the death of freshman congressman Larkin Smith (R). McDonnell is an accountant and ran against Taylor in 1998 and 2000.CQ Politics rating: Safe Democrat.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives.