Do You Know Your State Legislators?

What's a state legislator? Mississippi is divided into 52 equally populated Senate Districts and 121 equal House Districts. Each Senate District elects one State Senator, and each House District elects one State Representative. The term State Legislator refers to both Senators and Representative. The House and the Senate together form the Mississippi State Legislature, and they make all the state laws that we have to obey. All legislators are up for election this year, so this is our chance to tell them if we like what they're doing.

Districts tend to be drawn across county borders, so Adams County has part of two Senators and part of four Representatives. This picture will give you and idea which district you live in - or you can check your voter registration card.

Let's start with the State Senate. Democrat Bob Dearing represents District 37 (orange on the map), which covers most of Adams County. Most of you know Bob, because he's been serving us in the Senate forever - well since 1980 anyway. Most of you probably also know about something positive he's done, since he does a good job of representing our county. Most notably, he was instrumental in the Four Laning of most of our major highways and the Bluff Stabilization Act, but he's done a lot more. I can't imagine anyone in Adams County voting against him, especially since his opponent in the Primary, William Guy, is a trial attorney from McComb.

Democrat Kelvin Butler represents District 38 (green on the map) which includes a portion of Adams County, along with parts of Amite, Pike, Walthall, and Wilkinson. He lives in Magnolia. This is his first term, but he seems to have done a good job and will likely be reelected. He's Chair of the State Library Committee, so I have a special fondness for him. His opponent in the Primary, Spencer Nash, is a former Judge, also from Pike County.

Now for the House of Representatives. Two of our Representatives, Democrat Robert Johnson from District 94 (brown on the map) and Republican Sam Mims from District 97 (blue on the map), have no opposition and are already considered reelected.

Democrat Angela Cockerham of Amite County represents District 96 (orange on the map) and was elected in a special election in 2005. Even though I'm not in her district, I followed her election and was very impressed with her. She's an attorney and obviously quite smart and well spoken, but she's also very friendly and has one of the prettiest smiles I've seen in a long time. I've had a few dealings with her, and I think she is a future star of the Democratic Party. Her opponent in the Primary is Larry Lee from Wilkinson County, and so far I haven't been able to find any information about him.

Democrat America Chuck Middleton of Claiborne County represents District 85 (yellow on the map). He's a businessman and a veteran and has been in the Legislature since 1996. I don't know much about him or his opponent in the Primary, Arnold Clark of Jefferson.

So those are your choices for the Legislature in the August 7 Primary. Please note that ALL of these races are only on the Democratic Ballot. So if you choose to vote in the Republican Primary, you'll have no choices to make.

To find out more about the incumbents, you can go to the Mississippi Legislature website.