Six Republican candidates vying for Mississippi Third Congressional District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives are set to take part in a forum at the Oktibbeha County Courthouse next week.
The forum, hosted by the Oktibbeha County Republican Party, is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. on April 16 in the chancery courtroom. Keith Herd, president of the Key Impact Strategies lobbying firm and former chief of staff to U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Mississippi) will moderate the forum.
Each of the candidates are running to succeed Rep. Gregg Harper (R-Mississippi), who announced in January that he will not seek another term in office. Harper, 61, was elected to the House in 2008.
The Third Congressional District stretches from east Mississippi along the Alabama border, with a section that includes Starkville and most of Oktibbeha County, to south Mississippi along the Mississippi River and Louisiana border.
Mississippi District 39 Sen. Sally Doty (R-Brookhaven); Morgan Dunn, of Magee, managing director of rural health service provider Vestra, LLC; Michael Guest, of Brandon, who is district attorney for Madison and Rankin counties; Whit Hughes, of Madison, president of the Baptist Health Foundation and chief development officer of Baptist Health Systems; Perry Parker, a businessman from Seminary; and Katherine Tate, a Jackson education consultant are running for Harper’s seat. The race has a June 5 primary election.
Oktibbeha County Republican Party Chair Marnita Henderson said each of the six candidates have confirmed their intention to attend Monday’s forum. She said the forum will follow a question-and-answer format, rather than a debate. Each candidate will be allowed two minutes for opening statements, and a short time at the end for closing statements.
“We are excited about having our candidates here,” Henderson said. “With everybody being new, there’s no incumbent, and people to have the name recognition that comes with an incumbent. We would like people to come out and see who the candidates are and meet them, and make informed decisions about voting.”
Henderson said the forum should last about an hour and a half, which should provide enough time for four or five questions.
The Oktibbeha County GOP is also accepting submitted questions, which can be sent to Henderson at [email protected] or 662-418-4997.
Henderson said the party is “honored” to host the candidates for next week’s forum, and encouraged anyone interested to attend.
“There’s a whole lot of difference in seeing someone on TV and them making a statement, and coming out and meeting someone and getting to know them personally,” she said.
Alex Holloway was formerly a reporter with The Dispatch.
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