Article By: Talmadge Braddock, Esquire :
September 3, 2012 Hattiesburg Patriot.
Who will the Democrats Nominate? Fmr. State Rep. Brandon Jones District 111 (left), State Rep David Barria District 122 (center) Fmr. State Rep. Dirk Dedeaux District 93 (right)
Democratic candidate Michael Herrington is dropping out of the race for the Fourth Congressional District against Republican Representative Steven Palazzo, Reform Party candidate Robert Claunch, and Libertarian candidate Ron Williams. Herrington won the Democratic primary with 83.7% of the vote against Jason Vitosky of Gulfport, Mississippi; but is expected to step down as early as Tuesday morning. Unnamed sources within the Democratic party told the Hattiesburg Patriot that Herrington is likely to be replaced with one of the following potential candidates:
1. State Representative David Baria (House District 122)
2. Former State Representative Dirk Dedeaux (House District 93)
3. Former State Representative Brandon C. Jones (House District 111)
Mississippi state law does not recognize the second place finisher in the party primary as the back-up candidate in the general election should the winner
Democratic nominee Michael Herrington
withdraw. State law allows the Democratic party to submit a replacement candidate should the primary winner drop out of the general election, as long as the party nominee is in place by Thursday September 6, 2012. Executive Director and Chairman of the Mississippi Democratic Party, Ricky Cole is presently in Charlotte, North Carolina at the Democratic National Convention and was not available for comment.
Mississippi Statute for Withdrawal 23-15-317
***UPDATE Michael Herrington's letter to withdraw can be found here. 9:57pm The Hattiesburg Patriot has confirmed that Rep. Brandon Jones has expressed that he has no interest in pursuing the nomination
More information will be available as the story continues to develop. Stay tuned to the Hattiesburg Patriot for up to the minute updates. We are on the verge of breaking several investigative reports. We are bringing back the true grit, old school investigative journalism. Follow us on Twitter @HPatriot, find us on Facebook, and enter your email address to the right in the blue bar for instant updates, premium content, and FREEdom Friday giveaways.
Please donate to the Hattiesburg Patriot and support our efforts. [paypal-donation]
*Story sponsored by www.ecallcontrol.com, Mississippi's HD Hosted VOIP solution for business and political candidates. Call 800-224-9851 for instant updates.
Dale: what a great idea. Mississippi should continue down the road of one party politics since it has gotten us this far.
Matthew Moore is replacing Michael Herrington. Here is his bio.Read more..
Mike is a good guy and his brother is on my page, but with President Obama’s low popularity in South Mississippi,.they should just hang it up.
Mike is a good guy and his brother is on my page, but with President Obama’s low popularity in South Mississippi,.they should just hang it up.
Mr. Herrington is a very good guy.
I hate this because Mike is a great guy. He might be too good for politics. Im not shocked at all that it’s for family purposes.
Wow, if that is the case, sounds like a good, honorable person.
Yes, he is. As I understand it his mother is a quadriplegic, and he is the only child with the means to take care of her, as there was some change to her care giving. He puts his family first.
Deadline for the party to reappoint a candidate is Sept 6th. He is cutting it close by waiting so late to drop out.
We are the first to report this story.