Two Columbus residents have announced their intent to run for Mississippi’s vacant seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Business owner Boyce Adams announced during a press conference in Columbus on Friday his intent to run in a May 12 nonpartisan special election to fill the late Rep. Alan Nunnelee’s (R-Tupelo) vacant 1st district House seat. Another local candidate, Danny Bedwell, began his campaign last month.
Gov. Phil Bryant announced the special election after Nunnelee, who won a second term in Congress in November 2014, died of complications from a brain tumor Feb. 6. Candidates must qualify by submitting a petition signed by at least 1,000 registered voters of the 1st Congressional District to the secretary of state’s office by March 27.
A spokesperson with the secretary of state’s office in Jackson said no candidates had qualified as of Friday evening. Once candidates do qualify, the spokesperson said the office would post and update a list of those candidates on the secretary of state’s website.
Both Adams and Bedwell said they had collected nearly all the signatures they need and would formally qualify “soon.”
Adams, 29, owns Bank Tel Systems on Bluecutt Road, a company that develops and supports financial services software. Before that, he worked in Washington D.C., serving stints in former President George W. Bush’s office of personnel policy (2007-08) and with the Federal Aviation Commission (2008-09).
Though the special election is nonpartisan, Adams said he identifies as a Republican and was a friend of Nunnelee’s. He said, if elected to Congress, he would focus on job creation, continued economic growth and stunting government over-regulation.
“This is an important job for this district,” Adams said. “I have experience as a small business owner to understand how the economy works. Most importantly, we need to get the government out of the business of over burdensome regulations, and we need to get business people once again investing in America.”
Adams added he would strive to be an accessible congressman, if elected, and he would work well together with other members of Mississippi’s Congressional delegation in Washington.
Bedwell, 56, owns North American Pine and Timber, which he said operates in 30 states and has a shipping facility in West Point. He identifies as a Libertarian and mounted unsuccessful bids against Nunnelee in 2012 and 2014.
A retired Navy diver of 20 years, Bedwell has lived in Columbus since 1995. Though he said he disagreed with Nunnelee’s politics at times, he’s saddened at the need for this special election.
“It’s very unfortunate this special election has to take place,” Bedwell said. “Alan Nunnelee was a good and decent man.”
Bedwell said he intends to focus his campaign on restoring constitutional fundamentals in the U.S. government, cutting government waste and lowering the national debt.
He said, at first glance, a voter may not see the difference between a conventional conservative and a Libertarian. But he was happy to share one key difference the two had.
“Take the Department of Education,” he said. “Conservatives want to get rid of Common Core. We want to get rid of the federal Department of Education.”
He said he also felt confident that ideas would win the day in a nonpartisan election.
“Blind party allegiance has nearly destroyed this country,” Bedwell said. “We are going to have to stand up and debate the issues in this election, and I think I win that debate every time.”
Zack Plair is the managing editor for The Dispatch.
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