Tuesday’s runoff election could be close for mayor of Ocean Springs and Moss Point
CORRECTION: Timothy DuBose and Jimmy Wilson Jr. will be in the Moss Point Ward 3 alderman runoff Tuesday. An incorrect candidate was listed earlier and on page 4A Sunday.
Runoff elections traditionally bring out few voters, so it’s anybody’s race in Tuesday’s primary runoff in five cities on the Coast.
The two highest profile races on April 27 are for mayor in Ocean Springs and Moss Point.
Civic leader Melanie Allen and real estate broker Kenny Holloway are in the runoff in Ocean Springs and the winner will become the next mayor, since there is no opposition in the general election on June 8.
In a field of four Republicans in the primary election, Allen got 1,150 votes to Holloway’s 901.
Holloway, who born and raised in Ocean Springs, said on his website he intends to focus on leadership, economic development, infrastructure, amenities and beautification. Holloway says that while progress is crucial, “it must be done in a manner to preserve all of the charm and history that is Ocean Springs.”
Allen has spent 30 years as a civic leader in Ocean Springs, as a president of Historic Ocean Springs Association and chairwoman of Public Art Project of Ocean Springs and Ocean Springs Tree Protection Committee. Allen says on her website she wants to “create innovative solutions for Ocean Springs such as harnessing public-private partnerships, cultivating citizen volunteerism and nurturing economic development.“
Moss Point runoff
In Moss Point the winner of the Democratic runoff between businessman and education leader Billy Knight and state Rep. Jeramey Anderson (D-Moss Point) will face Independent Howard Bailey and Republican Richard McBride in the general election on June 8.
Anderson is a native of Moss Point and represents Moss Point and Pascagoula. He proposes the “Forward Moss Point Plan to addresses four key areas for the city — economic development, housing, public safety and recreation.
The former director of the Jackson County Civic Action Committee, Knight said on his website his first action as mayor likely will be addressing the coronavirus and how it is affecting Moss Point. Other key issues for the city are crime and safe community, streets and drainage, replacing bad water lines and quality education for the city’s children.
Council and alderman runoffs
In addition to the two races for mayor, here are the candidates for councilman and alderman in Tuesday’s primary election in each city:
▪ D’Iberville — In Ward 4, just two votes separated the top two candidates out of four in the primary race. Gerald Burdine got 40.76% of the vote and Travis Burke 39.92%, and the two are in the runoff.
▪ Gulfport — Runoffs will be held in the Republican races in Ward 4 and Ward 7, and the winners of the runoffs have no general election challengers.
In Ward 4, incumbent F.B. “Rusty” Walker, who got 49.83% of the vote, faces Derek Bullock, who had 39.55% of the vote.
In Ward 7, incumbent Cara Pucheu (44.44% of the votes) faces challenger Richard Kosloski (34.64%).
▪ Long Beach — In the Ward 6 runoff, Republican candidates were just 7 votes apart. Peter McGoey, who took 38% of the vote and Owen McNally, with 36%, go into the runoff.
▪ Moss Point — A runoff will be held for Ward 3 between Timothy DuBose (39.55%) and Jimmy Wilson Jr. (34.22%)
▪ Ocean Springs — Ward 3 runoff between Republicans Doug Walker Wineki who had 203 votes in the three-way primary race and Kevin Wade, who had 201 votes.
No runoffs needed
These cities have no runoff on Tuesday:
- Bay St. Louis
- Biloxi
- Diamondhead
- Gautier
- Pascagoula
- Pass Christian
- Waveland — municipal election is in 2022
This story was originally published April 26, 2021 at 5:50 AM.
