Biloxi, Gulfport incumbents fall, and one South MS race has 2-vote difference
Voters in six Mississippi Coast cities elected new leaders on Tuesday after tight primary races this month prompted runoffs for several city council and board of aldermen seats.
Winners of Tuesday’s primary runoffs will effectively be elected because they face no opponents in the general election. The general election is June 3 and includes third-party and independent candidates in other races across the Coast.
New four-year terms start July 1.
Tuesday’s polls closed at 7 p.m. Republicans held runoffs in Bay St. Louis, Biloxi, Diamondhead and Pascagoula. Democrats held runoffs in Gulfport and Moss Point.
D’Iberville, Gautier, Long Beach, Ocean Springs and Pass Christian did not need to hold primary runoffs. Waveland is not holding municipal elections this year because the city was created under a special charter and is on a different election cycle.
Bay St. Louis
Biloxi
Ward 3 has a new councilman after incumbent Dixie Newman lost to Robert “Mike” Nail in Tuesday’s Republican primary runoff. The unofficial results show 195 votes for Nail and 121 for Newman.
Diamondhead
Incumbent Ward 1 councilmember Shane Finley defeated Michael J. Fandal in Tuesday’s Republican runoff. Unofficial results show 118 votes for Finley and 116 for Fandal. Just one affidavit ballot still has to be counted. Finley has no opponent in the general election.
Gulfport
Ward 1 has a new councilmember after incumbent Kenneth “Truck” Casey Sr. lost to Kendal Lamar Buckner in the Democratic primary runoff. Unofficial results show 366 votes for Buckner and 241 for Kasey. Buckner will now run unopposed in the general election.
Moss Point
Timothy M. DuBose won another term as alderman in Ward 3, defeating Jaylon M. Johnson in the Democratic primary runoff by 159 votes to 68, according to unofficial totals. DuBose will now run unopposed in the general election.
Pascagoula
Darcie Crew will become the next councilmember for Ward 3 after defeating Jamey Foster in the Republican primary runoff. Unofficial results showed 295 votes for Crew and 134 for Foster. Crew will now run unopposed in the general election.
This story will be updated as results are announced.
This story was originally published April 22, 2025 at 6:57 PM.
