Calvert, Smith unseat Snowden, Shirley in Mississippi House races; McCaughn, Tate win Senate primaries

Published 11:45 pm Tuesday, August 6, 2019

Billy Adam Calvert and Troy Smith unseated incumbents Greg Snowden and Williams Shirley in Republican primaries Tuesday night.

Calvert edged Snowden in District 83 with 2,598 votes or 52 percent of the vote. Snowden received 2,352 votes.

Smith defeated Shirley, 3,573 to 1,375, gaining 73 percent of the vote in District 84. Shirley has held the office since 2011.

Republicans Tyler McCaughn and Jeff Tate advanced in Senate District 31 and 33.

McCaughn had 6,657 votes, 73 percent, to Hampton Gardener’s 2,421 votes.

Tate had 8,460 votes, 84 percent, to Erle E. “Bubby” Johnston’s 1,623.

In a July interview, McCaughn, an attorney and farmer, said he planned to build on existing industry in his district, combat a “spread” of gang violence from Meridian and Jackson, and support agriculture.

He will face Democrat Mike Marlow in November.

“Any success is a journey” McCaughn said Tuesday night. “It’s about the people that accompany you there.”

“My race will be focused on what I can do for my people,” he said when asked how he will spar with Marlow. “We’ll be ready for the race in November.”

Smith declined to comment Tuesday night as he waited for all precincts to report.

Smith will face Independent Roy May in November.

District 33’s race is between former Lauderdale County Election Commissioner Jeff Tate and Erle “Bubby” Johnston, a former newspaper editor and public relations official at a local community college. The district encompasses Lauderdale County and the northern part of Clarke County.