Congressional Candidate Michael Herrington To Withdraw From the 4th Congressional Race / Democrats Primed to Appoint New Candidate

Article By:  Talmadge Braddock, Esquire :

September 3, 2012  Hattiesburg Patriot.

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

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

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