2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Mississippi

The Mississippi U.S. House elections took place on November 7, 2006. All 4 House seats for Mississippi were up for election with all incumbents (2 Republicans and 2 Democrats) running for re-election. All incumbents succeeded in being re-elected.

2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Mississippi

← 2004 November 7, 2006 (2006-11-07) 2008 →

All 4 Mississippi seats to the United States House of Representatives
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Republican Democratic
Last election 2 2
Seats won 2 2
Seat change Steady Steady
Popular vote 304,308 260,330
Percentage 50.66% 43.34%
Swing Decrease 8.34% Increase 13.22%

Overview

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United States House of Representatives elections in Mississippi, 2006[1]
Party Votes Percentage Seats +/–
Republican 304,308 50.66% 2  
Democratic 260,330 43.34% 2  
Independents 25,999 4.33% 0  
Reform 10,060 1.67% 0  
Totals 600,697 100.00% 4  

District 1

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Incumbent Roger Wicker (R) faced political consultant Ken Hurt (D). Wicker has represented the conservative northern Mississippi district since 1995 and has been easily re-elected since. Hurt won a plurality in the Democratic Primary on June 7, but since he did not win over 50% of the vote, he was forced into a run-off with Bill Bambach, the second highest vote winner. CQ Politics rating: Safe Republican.

Mississippi's 1st congressional district election, 2006
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Roger Wicker (incumbent) 95,098 65.92
Democratic Ken Hurt 49,174 34.08
Total votes 144,272 100.00
Republican hold

District 2

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Congressman Bennie Thompson (D) competed against Tchula mayor Yvonne Brown (R). The Democratic-leaning majority-black district comprises the Mississippi Delta and Jackson, the capital and largest city in Mississippi. Thompson first won in a special election in 1993 caused by then-Representative Mike Espy resigning to become Secretary of Agriculture under President Clinton. The congressman had generally easy elections except in 2002 when Republican and political newcomer Clinton LeSueur won 44% of the vote. And in that race state representative Chuck Espy (nephew of Mike Espy) competed against Thompson for the Democratic nomination, though Thompson won with 65% to Espy's 35%.

Yvonne Brown was nominated by the Republicans without any primary opposition. She was elected mayor of the small Delta town of Tchula in 2001 and re-elected in 2005, which is notable in that she is a black Republican in a very Democratic area. [citation needed] CQ Politics rating: Safe Democrat.

Mississippi's 2nd congressional district election, 2006
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bennie Thompson (incumbent) 100,160 64.27
Republican Yvonne Brown 55,672 35.73
Total votes 155,832 100.00
Democratic hold

District 3

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In a repeat of the 2004 race, Republican incumbent Charles "Chip" Pickering, Jr. had no Democratic challenger, but faced independent Jim Giles and Reform Party candidate Lamonica Magee. This Republican-leaning district starts in the lower western part of the state and goes through the Jackson suburbs and up to east central Mississippi. Pickering was first elected in 1996 after the retirement of long-time incumbent Sonny Montgomery (D). The only strong challenge he has faced so far was in 2002 when re-apportionment caused Mississippi to lose a House seat. Pickering was pitted against Democrat Ronnie Shows, the two-term incumbent in the old 4th District; Pickering won with over 60% of the vote. The only candidates running against him this year are independent candidate Jim Giles, an organic farmer and ex-systems engineer known for his white supremacist views, and Reform Party candidate Lamonica Magee. CQ Politics rating: Safe Republican.

Mississippi's 3rd congressional district election, 2006
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Chip Pickering (incumbent) 125,421 77.61
Independent Jim Giles 25,999 16.10
Reform Lamonica L. Magee 10,060 6.23
Total votes 161,480 100.00
Republican hold

District 4

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2006 Mississippi's 4th congressional district election
 
← 2002
2008 →
     
Nominee Gene Taylor Randy McDonnell
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 110,996 28,117
Percentage 79.79% 20.21%

 
County results
Taylor:      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%

U.S. Representative before election

Gene Taylor
Democratic

Elected U.S. Representative

Gene Taylor
Democratic

 

Democrat Gene Taylor, the incumbent, faced Republican Randall McDonnell. This district, heavily devastated by Hurricane Katrina, covers the Mississippi Gulf Coast and inland areas directly north of it. While the district leans Republican, conservative Democrat Taylor has comfortably won since winning in a 1989 special election caused by the death of freshman congressman Larkin Smith (R). McDonnell is an accountant and ran against Taylor in 1998 and 2000. CQ Politics rating: Safe Democrat.

Mississippi's 4th congressional district election, 2006
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Gene Taylor (incumbent) 110,996 79.79
Republican Randy McDonnell 28,117 20.21
Total votes 139,113 100.00
Democratic hold

References

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  1. ^ "Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives".