United States Senate special election in Mississippi, 2008

United States Senate special election in Mississippi, 2008

November 4, 2008
Nominee Roger Wicker Ronnie Musgrove Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 683,409 560,064 Percentage 55.0% 45.0%
County results
U.S. Senator before election Roger Wicker Republican Elected U.S. Senator Roger Wicker Republican

Elections in Mississippi
Federal government Presidential Elections 1820 1824 1828 1832 1836 1840 1844 1848 1852 1856 1860 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 Presidential Primaries Democratic 2008 Republican 2008 2012 U.S. Senate elections 1976 1978 1982 1984 1988 1990 1994 1996 2002 2006 2008 2008 Special 2012 2014 2018 U.S. House elections 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 Special Elections 1st district, 2008 1st district, 2015
State government State elections 2003 2007 2011 2015 Gubernatorial elections 1873 1877 1881 1885 1889 1895 1899 1903 1907 1911 1915 1919 1923 1927 1931 1935 1939 1943 1947 1951 1955 1959 1963 1967 1971 1975 1979 1983 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 2019
Ballot measures 2004 Amendment 1
City of Jackson Mayoral elections 2005 2009 2013 2014 2017

The 2008 United States Senate special election in Mississippi was held on November 4, 2008. This election was held on the same day of Thad Cochran's re-election bid in the United States Senate election in Mississippi, 2008. The winner of this special election served the rest of the Senate term, which ended in January 2013. Unlike most senate elections, this was a non-partisan election in which the candidate who got a majority of the vote wins, and if the first place candidate did not get 50%, a runoff election with the top two candidates would have been 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.

Background

Musgrove campaigning for Senate with Jim Webb in Jackson, Mississippi

Supporters of Musgrove's senate campaign

On December 18, 2007, U.S. Senator Trent Lott resigned in his fourth-term to pursue "something else" in the private sector.^[1][2] 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.^[3]

Early speculation suggested that Ronnie Musgrove, Mike Espy, Harvey Johnson, Jr., Ray Mabus, and Mike Moore may run for the Democrats,^[4][5] however only former governor Musgrove of the five decided to run. Another Democrat, former congressman Ronnie Shows also decided to run,^[6] 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.^[7] 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.^[8][9][10]

The state Democratic party objected to the timing of the special election. Barbour set the special election for November 4, 2008 .^[9] 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.^[11] 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.^[12] Hood wanted the date of the special election to be March 11, the same day as Mississippi's presidential primary.^[13]

The state’s chief elections officer, the then-Mississippi Secretary of State, Democrat Eric Clark, backed the governor's position.^[14]

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.^[15] On February 6, 2008, after Barbour appealed,^[16] the Mississippi Supreme Court reversed Judge Delaughter and ruled that the non-partisan special election may be held on November 4.^[17]

Candidates

Democratic

• Ronnie Musgrove, former Governor^[4][18]

Republican

• Roger Wicker, incumbent U.S. Senator

Polling

Results

See also

• Mississippi's 1st congressional district special election, 2008, an election to fill Roger Wicker'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 Committee
• Musgrove Facts site critical of Musgrove by the National Republican Senatorial Committee

References