An Ocean Springs shockwave, Favre re-elected in Bay St. Louis & more from MS Coast primaries
Election night results are rolling in and there has been a shocking turn of events in Ocean Springs. The election of Bobby Cox as mayor, and the size of his victory, was the biggest surprise of the night across the Mississippi Coast.
Voters determined the mayor of six Coast communities Tuesday in election primaries across the Coast. Bay St. Louis, Diamondhead, Long Beach, Ocean Springs, Pascagoula and Pass Christian all had contested races for mayor. Additionally, Rusty Quave secured re-election in D’Iberville when no candidates filed to run against him.
If runoffs are necessary to decide any of Tuesday’s races, they will be contested on April 22. The general election will be held June 3 and winners will take office at the beginning of the new municipal term on July 1.
Refresh this story for the latest results from across the Coast once polls close at 7 p.m.
Bay St. Louis
Republican incumbent Mike Favre defeated Gary Knoblock to serve another term as mayor of Bay St. Louis. Favre, who was first elected mayor eight years ago, won with 1,454 votes. Knoblock, the city’s current councilman-at large, received 704 votes. Favre has promised to keep striving for balanced growth, more recreational opportunities and low tax rates, among other priorities.
Council At Large: The council-at-large race is heading to a runoff April 22 between Republicans Lonnie J. Falgout and Larry Smith. Falgout and Smith won the most votes in a field including Tad Black and Greg Loftin. But no candidates won the majority of votes.
Ward 1: Jordan Bradford III is unopposed in both the primary and general elections.
Ward 2: Incumbent Eugene “Gene” Hoffman IV (R) and Nancy Moynan (D) were unopposed in the primary and will meet in the general election.
Ward 3: Phalba C. Holmes is unopposed in both the primary and general elections.
Ward 4: Republican incumbent Kyle Lewis edged Jimmy Osbourn by a slim margin of 261 to 250 votes, unofficially. Lewis faces no challengers in the general election.
Ward 5: Republican incumbent Linda Kay Davis defeated Kathleen Hughes. Davis faces no challengers in the general election.
Ward 6: Republican incumbent Josh DeSalvo defeated Tammy Curtis Guy. DeSalvo faces no challengers in the general election.
Biloxi
Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich took a step closer to another term in office by defeating Republican challenger Jordan N. Gollub. Gilich had 2,422 votes (88%) to 294 for Gollub.
Gilich moves to the general election, where he will face Andy Linville, an Independent candidate who has worked in the healthcare and real estate businesses, and Farren Santibanez, a Libertarian, who is a sixth generation Biloxi resident.
Ward 1: Wayne Gray won with 305 votes (56%), defeating Edward “Ed” Gemmill and Godfrey M. Meyer. Gray faces Democrat Corey Christy and Stephan Santibanez (L) in the general election.
Ward 2: Anthony L. Marshall won the Democratic primary with 90% of the vote over Tracey D. Smith. Marshall faces Republican incumbent Felix O. Gines and Sonya C. White (I) in the general election.
Ward 3: Incumbent Dixie Newman got 154 votes (38%) and will compete in a runoff with Robert “Mike” Nail, who got 121 votes (30%).
Ward 4: Jamie Creel, who lost to Rodney McGilvary in the last special election, came back in Tuesday’s primary to win the seat. Creel had 575 votes (55%) to McGilvary’s 456 (44%).
Ward 5: Incumbent Paul Tisdale is unopposed in both the primary and general elections.
Ward 6: Incumbent Kenny J. Glavan Sr. is unopposed in both the primary and general elections.
Ward 7: Incumbent David Shoemaker is unopposed in both the primary and general elections.
D’Iberville
Rusty Quave, the longest-serving mayor in Mississippi, is unopposed in the general and primary elections. First elected in 1993, the Republican incumbent is gearing up to serve his ninth term in office. Under Quave’s leadership, the city became a major hub for growth in retail and restaurants and landed its first casino.
Ward 1: Randall Pelous is unopposed in both the primary and general elections.
Ward 2: Carrie Taranto-Chipley is unopposed in both the primary and general elections.
Ward 3: Incumbent Craig “Boots” Diaz won the race with 207 votes. Republican challenger Chad Hebert had 137 votes.
Ward 4: Incumbent Gerald Burdine is unopposed in both the primary and general elections.
At-Large: Incumbent Joey Bosarge (R) and Crystal Wingo (I) are each unopposed in the primary and will meet in the general election.
Diamondhead
Anna DeMarco Liese was elected mayor of Diamondhead, defeating Heidi Boyanton.
Liese, who has served as the city’s Ward 2 councilmember since 2022, won with 1,235 votes, according to unofficial results. Boyanton, a business and nonprofit founder, captured 711 votes.
Liese campaigned on smart growth, consistent code enforcement, historic and cultural preservation, and cooperation across the city, among other priorities. The city’s current mayor, Nancy Depreo, did not seek reelection.
At-Large: Republican incumbent Gerard Maher defeated Joel Salsbury. Maher faces no challengers in the general election.
Ward 1: Incumbent Shane Finley will face either Michael J. Fandal or Cle Collins in an April 22 runoff. Finley won 42 percent of the vote. Fandal edged out Collins by just 3 votes in the unofficial totals. But the city is still processing three outstanding affidavit ballots that could impact who enters the runoff.
Ward 2: Richard “Ricky” Sheppard defeated Michael Meister. Sheppard faces no challengers in the general election.
Ward 3: Jessie Harwood defeated Leo Marino and will face no challengers in the general election.
Ward 4: Incumbent Austin Clark defeated Kim Buckman. Clark faces no challengers in the general election.
Gautier
Incumbent Mayor Casey Vaughan, an Independent candidate will face Republican challenger Phil Torjusen in the June 3 general election.
A real estate professional, Torjusen served one term as mayor before Vaughan, a two-term Ward 3 alderman, defeated him in the race. Both candidates are pushing for economic development in the city.
Council at Large: Political newcomer James “Eric” Minor unseated Republican Incumbent At-Large Councilman Adam Colledge.
Ward 1: Cameron B. George is unopposed in the primary and general elections.
Ward 2: Incumbent Richard “DJ” Jackson is unopposed in the primary and general elections.
Ward 3: Kay C. Jamison won with 324 votes to 99 for Curtis J. Cleek. She is unopposed in the general election.
Ward 4: Independent candidates Lorenzo L. Fuller and Joshua “Josh” N. Ward will meet in the general election.
Ward 5: Incumbent Dante L. Elbin (R) and Anthony K. Snow (I) are unopposed in the primary and will meet in the general election.
Gulfport
Former state Rep. Sonya Williams Barnes soundly defeated businessman Ronald “Ronnie” Henderson in Gulfport’s Democratic primary for mayor, securing almost 84% of the vote.
During her campaign, Barnes stressed equal treatment — and funding — for each of Gulfport’s seven wards and said she wants to hold quarterly town hall meetings with the respective council member from each ward.
Barnes will face attorney Hugh Keating, a Republican, in the general election. Three-term Republican Mayor Billy Hewes decided against running for re-election.
Ward 1: Democratic incumbent Kenneth “Truck” Casey Sr. is headed to a runoff with Kendal Lamar Buckner. Casey received 42.54% of the vote while Buckner got 25.32%. They were trailed by Teresa Youngblood and Leonard C. Bennett, respectively. With no Republican, independent or third-party candidates running, the winner of the primary runoff will take the seat.
Ward 2: Valerie Ewing won the Democratic primary, securing 55% of the vote over Howard Page, who received 44.09%. In the Republican primary, incumbent Ron Roland defeated two opponents, securing 78.4% of the vote, with John Jones Jr. finishing a distant second and Kevin L. Alford trailing.
Ward 3: Incumbent Democrat Ella Holmes-Hines won re-election with almost 55% of the vote, defeating second-place finisher Ronnie Matthew Harris and Patrick White. They were the only three candidates in the race, so Holmes-Hines regained her seat.
Ward 4: With no primary contest, Republican incumbent F.B. “Rusty” Walker faces independent Dalaney Lee Mecham in the general election.
Ward 5: B.J. Sellers, currently serving as interim council member after a special election, won the Republican primary with 51.85% of the vote, while Holly Gibbs placed second, Derek Bullock was third and Don Harden was fourth. Sellers will face Democrat Craig Elliott Raybon in the general election.
Ward 6: In the Democratic primary, Carrissa Corbett received a commanding 89.15% of the vote to defeat Bajon Williams. In the Republican primary, incumbent Robert “R.Lee” Flowers defeated challenger Eddie Walley, receiving 56.64% of the vote to Walley’s 43.01%. Corbett and Flowers will face off in the general election.
Ward 7: In the Republican primary, Johnny Hoggatt resoundingly defeated incumbent Richard B. Kosloski with 71.06% of the vote to Kosloski’s 28.47%, With no general election opposition, Hoggatt won the seat
Long Beach
Republican candidate Tim Pierce won the race for mayor in Long Beach after incumbent Mayor George Bass did not seek re-election.
Pierce is lifelong resident of Long Beach who has previously served as an alderman and school board president and is currently chief of planning at Stennis Space Center.
He and his wife have four children.
Alderman at Large: Incumbent Donald Frazer is unopposed in the primary and general elections.
Ward 1: Incumbent Patrick Bennett is unopposed in the primary and general elections.
Ward 2: Republican candidates Jesse Allen won the race, narrowly defeating Bernie Parker.
Ward 3: Joseph Giuffria won the race,defeating incumbent Angela “Angie” Johnson and candidate Erika Long.
Ward 4: Incumbent Timothy McCaffrey Jr. narrowly won reelection after defeating Republican challenger Thomas Elsworth.
Ward 5: Incumbent Ward 5 Alderman Mike Brown did not run for election. Republican candidate Greg Bonds won the election, with 547 votes, followed by Barbara D. Kimball with 90 votes, Mike Bohlke with 41 votes and Cifford Yeoman with six votes, according to unofficial results.
Ward 6: Incumbent Peter L. McGoey III is unopposed in the primary and general elections.
Moss Point
Mayor Billy Knight Sr. won Tuesday’s primary, beating challenger Gerald McGee, 1,353 to 336.
While Knight has focused on economic development and improving public safety, McGee ran on curbing utility prices and providing more programs for Moss Point youth and a health program for seniors.
Knight, a longtime businessman and former school board president, still faces one more challenger in the general election. Richard McBride is the lone Republican on the ballot in Moss Point this year and also ran for mayor in 2017 and 2021.
Alderman at Large: Incumbent David E. Chapman Sr. (D) retanis his seat, defeating Howard Bailey, 1,226-399.
Ward 1: Sherwood Bradford Sr. (D) captures the seat, defeating incumbent Houston Cunningham and Rodger L. Mann
Ward 2: Incumbent Darius Wilson is unopposed in the primary and general elections.
Ward 3: Incumbent Timothy M. DuBose retains his seat, defeating Jaylon M. Johnson and Blair Means
Ward 4: Victor J. Bovastro captures the seat, defeating Albert Long Jr. 170-120
Ward 5: Incumbent Willie “Coach” Chestang is unopposed in the primary and general elections.
Ward 6: Incumbent Gary Wayne Lennep is unopposed in the primary and general elections
Ocean Springs
In a stunning rebuke of the rapid development occurring in Ocean Springs, voters have turned out all the incumbents in contested races for mayor and the Board of Aldermen, unofficial returns show.
With no Democratic or independent opponents, barbershop owner and Alderman At-Large Robert “Bobby” Cox will be the city’s new mayor. He captured 73.39% of the vote in a four-way race.
Incumbent Kenny Holloway came in second with 16.04% of the vote, while retirees Jon E. Hitchcock and Dennis G. McGrevey each received less than 10% of the vote.
Cox said he would work to preserve historic buildings, develop areas other than downtown, especially in east Ocean Springs, and expand recreational offerings.
All results for Board of Aldermen races are for Republican primaries because no Democrats ran for office.
Alderman At-Large: Matthew Hinton prevailed with 54.58% of the vote, while Ron Chambers was second, Adam Wilkerson placed third and Dan Mobley finished fourth. Hinton moves on to the general election where he will face independent candidate Oren Zweig.
Ward 1: Steve B. Tillis defeated incumbent Jennifer L. Burgess, receiving 63.07% of the vote to 36.25 for Burgess. He faces independent Gregory A. “Greg” Gipson in the general election.
Ward 2: Challenger Karen Stennis defeated incumbent Ricky Authement, with 58% of the vote to 42%, respectively.
Ward 3: Incumbent Kevin M. Wade has regained his seat on the board. He faced no opposition in the primary and does not have a general election opponent.
Ward 4: Shannon Grace Pfeiffer defeated Jerry Munro, 58.54% to 41.22%.
Ward 5: The ward will not have a competitive race until the general election, when Republican incumbent Robert B. “Rob” Blackman faces independent James E. Lewis.
Ward 6: Julie Messenger defeated incumbent Michael L. “Mike” Impey, with 69% of the vote to 31%. With no general election opponent, Messenger wins the seat.
Pascagoula
Mayor Jay Willis won a second term in office to continue his focus on the revitalization of the downtown and expanding business on Denny Avenue and in other parts of the city.
A retired local dentist and small business owner. Willis had 1,145 votes, or 58% of the vote, to 826 for challenger David Bates, who also is a small business owner and a former teacher and coach at Colmer Middle School.
Council at Large: Amy Brandenstein is unopposed in the primary and general elections.
Ward 1: Carlos R. Stallworth Sr. (I) and Michael Rodgers (D) are unopposed in the primary and will meet in the general election.
Ward 2: Incumbent Felix “FeFe” Fornett is unopposed in the primary and general elections.
Ward 3: Rick Merrill recently was appointed to the council after the death of incumbent Johnny Walker. Merrill will run in the primary election as a “write-in” vote. Darcie Crew got the most write-in votes with 207, Jamie Foster 144 votes and Elizabeth Devine had 54 write-ins.
Ward 4: Incumbent Matt Parker is unopposed in the primary and general elections.
Ward 5: Incumbent Chris Blythe is unopposed in the primary and general elections
Pass Christian
Kenny Torgeson defeated incumbent mayor Jimmy Rafferty, according to preliminary results, capturing 847 votes to Rafferty’s 710.
Torgeson has served as alderman-at-large since 2013. He has said some residents urged him to challenge Rafferty, who was elected mayor four years ago, in part because of wariness over too much growth. He told the Sun Herald last year he wanted to take the city “back to basics” by focusing on parks and recreation, repairing street lights and drainage and improving the harbor.
Torgeson faces no challengers in the general election.
Ward 1: Barry Dreyfus (R) and Incumbent Betty Sparkman are unopposed in the primary and will meet in the general election.
Ward 2: Incumbent Regina Charlot (D) and Joseph Piernas (I) are unopposed in the primary and will meet in the general election.
Ward 3: Incumbent Kirk Kimball is unopposed in the primary and general elections.
Ward 4: Greg Frederico is unopposed in the primary and general elections.
Alderman at Large: Victor Pickich defeated Scott Naugle in the race for alderman-at-large, unofficial totals show. Pickich currently serves as Ward 4 Alderman. He faces no challengers in the general election.
Waveland
The city follows a different election calendar and isn’t holding a municipal election this year.
This story was originally published April 1, 2025 at 4:03 PM.
