Incumbents Aguirre and Boyd draw election challengers

Feb. 19--TUPELO -- Several Northeast Mississippi lawmakers have drawn opponents hoping to block their re-election bids.

Local education policy guru and researcher Cathy Grace will run as a Democrat against Shane Aguirre, a Republican completing his first term in the state House of Representatives.

Aguirre, an accountant, represents District 17, which includes central and northwest Tupelo and some of surrounding Lee County, including the Bissell, Palmetto and Pleasant Grove areas.

Grace is co-director of the Graduate Center for the Study of Early Learning at the University of Mississippi. Her time in the classroom includes experience as a first-grade teacher in the Mississippi Delta to positions as a professor at multiple public universities in Mississippi.

She held a campaign kick-off Monday night at the Link Centre in Tupelo, speaking to a crowd of local supporters and friends.

She underscored the local region's historic role in advocating for vibrant public education.

"Tupelo and Lee County always had a reputation of being different, and different in a good way," Grace said. "We have a long history of setting the bar high for other communities."

She emphasized several policy goals, including additional state investment to increase the vitality of public school districts, including early childhood education, and increased spending on public health.

She specifically criticized Aguirre's vote in favor of a bill to replace the funding formula used to allocate money for public education.

"It's evident that education and educators are not respected as the force that holds our communities together," she said speaking of views at the state capitol among the majority party.

Rep. Randy Boyd, R-Mantachie, will also face opposition. Peggy Schumpert Hussey has qualified as a Republican in District 19, which includes swathes of Lee and Itawamba counties.

Hussey ran against Boyd in 2015 on a pro-education platform. She looks to be returning to that area of emphasis.

"Education is one of my priorities," she told a recent gathering of Lee County Republicans.

Elsewhere in the Region, the retirements of incumbent lawmakers, including Democrats Russell Jolly and J.P. Wilemon, are drawing large fields of candidates hoping to fill the open seat.

Incumbent Republican Rita Potts Parks has also drawn several primary challengers.

The following list names candidates reported to have qualified by the state Republican Party, as well as some Democrats who have declared their intentions to the Daily Journal.

The state Democrat Party has chosen not to officially report qualifying candidates until the filing deadline, so some candidates are likely not named yet below.

Senate

District 2, David Parker, (R) (i)

District 3, Kathy L. Chism, (R)

District 3, Jeffrey Mitchell, (R)

District 3, Jeff Olson, (R)

District 3, Kevin Walls, (R)

District 4, Rita Potts Parks, (R) (i)

District 4, Lamar Walker, (R)

District 4, Greg Ward, (R)

District 5, Patrick Eaton, (R)District 5, Steve Eaton, (D)

District 5, Mario P. Barnes, (R)

District 5, Daniel H. Sparks, (R)

District 6, Chad McMahan, (R) (i)

District 7, Hob Bryan, (D) (i)

District 8, Stephen Scott Griffin, (R)

District 8, Beth Luther Waldo, (R)

District 9, Nicole Boyd, (R)

District 10, Neil Whaley, (R) (i)

District 15, Gary Jackson, (R) (i)

House

District 1, Lester "Bubba" Carpenter, (R) (i)

District 2, Nick Bain, (D) (i)

District 2, DuJuana Frazier Thompson, (R)

District 3, William Tracy Arnold, (R) (i)

District 4, Jody Steverson, (R) (i)

District 12, Clay Deweese, (R)

District 13, Steve Massengill, (R) (i)

District 15, Mac Huddleston, (R) (i)

District 16, Steve Holland, (D) (i)

District 16, Rickey Thompson, (D)

District 18, Jerry R. Turner, (R) (i)

District 21, Donnie Bell, (R) (i)

District 20, Chris Brown, (R) (i)

caleb.bedillion@journalinc.com Twitter: @CalebBedillion

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