Terry Brown’s predecessor in the Mississippi State Senate has qualified to run for the rest of his term, while at least two others have confirmed they also plan to do so.
Bill “Doc” Canon, whom Brown replaced in 2003, was certified for the race Thursday afternoon. Ward 6 councilman Bill Gavin and retired insurance agent Bobby Patrick also confirmed to The Dispatch on Thursday that they plan to turn in qualifying papers next week.
Brown died Sept. 4 after a battle with cancer. He was 64.
Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant announced Monday that a special election to fill the vacant seat will be held Nov. 4. If no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast in the special election, a runoff election will be held Nov. 25.
The person who replaces Brown in the District 17 Senate seat will serve through the end of 2015.
When contacted by The Dispatch on Thursday, former Lowndes County supervisor Mike Smith, who has been linked by various media outlets to the race for Brown’s vacated seat, said he was undecided on whether he would qualify.
Brown represented District 17, which currently comprises all of Lowndes County but will consist of eastern Lowndes County and a portion of Monroe County when the next full term begins in 2016 due to redistricting. The redrawn district will not include the city of Columbus.
Canon, Gavin and Patrick each acknowledged and admired Brown’s work as senator and wished to continue building on it.
Canon, a veterinarian, said he wanted to serve the rest of Brown’s term but had no plans to run for the next full term.
“I thought I did a lot of good for our county (while in the Senate),” Canon said. “I served 25 years in the Senate and three years in the House of Representatives, so I’m pretty familiar with it.”
Gavin, a recently retired instructor at East Mississippi Community College, said he and Brown were lifelong friends and that he respected what he did for Lowndes County while he served.
“He helped bring a lot of innovation and industry and helped the city and county in ways that most people don’t really even know,” Gavin said. “Five and a half years at city level government I think has helped prepare me for those things that would be coming at the state level. My goal would be to carry on the very positive things that Terry Brown did.”
Patrick, who was an agent with State Farm for 38 years before retiring in 2011, said he felt Brown set a precedent no one could exceed.
“Economic development was booming in part because of Terry,” Patrick said. “I think that the life blood of any community is jobs, and I just want to continue what Terry got started.”
Smith, who was a Lowndes County supervisor from 2004-08, said Brown will be irreplaceable regardless of who succeeds him.
“I think it’s a great consideration and great honor to even be mentioned of thinking about running to replace a very fine man that taught me a lot when I was a supervisor,” Smith said.
The deadline for qualifying for the race is Oct. 6.
Nathan Gregory covers city and county government for The Dispatch.
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