2006 United States Senate election in Mississippi

The 2006 United States Senate election in Mississippi was held November 7, 2006. Incumbent Republican Trent Lott won re-election to a fourth term.

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Bill Bowlin, business consultant and Republican nominee for MS-01 in 1990
• Erik R. Fleming, State Representative
• James O'Keefe, businessman
• Catherine Starr, activist

Results

General election

Candidates

• Erik R. Fleming (D), State Representative
• Trent Lott (R), incumbent U.S. Senator
• Harold Taylor (L)

Campaign

Lott ran for re-election without facing any opposition in his party's primary. While it had been speculated that Lott might retire after his home was destroyed in Hurricane Katrina, he instead chose to run for re-election. Fleming is an African American, which represents 37% of the state's population. However, no African American has ever been elected to statewide office. The last black U.S. Senator was Hiram Revels, who was appointed and took office in 1870. Fleming got little help from the DSCC, which only donated $15,000 to his campaign.

Predictions

Results

By county

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

• Leflore (Largest city: Greenwood)

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

• Coahoma (Largest city: Clarksdale)
• Hinds (largest municipality: Jackson)
• Jefferson Davis (Largest city: Prentiss)
• Washington (Largest city: Greenville)

See also

• 2006 United States Senate elections

References

• Election Results

Further reading

• Orey, Byron D'Andra. "Racial Threat, Republicanism, and the Rebel Flag: Trent Lott and the 2006 Mississippi Senate Race," National Political Science Review July 2009, Vol. 12, pp. 83-96

External links

Official campaign websites (archived)

• Erik Fleming (D) for Senate