The Mississippi Public Education PAC endorses 20 incumbents in primary election

TUPELO, Miss. – The Mississippi Public Education PAC (MSPEPAC), a nonpartisan political action committee that champions public education, has endorsed 20 candidates for the upcoming 2019 primary elections.

MSPEPAC was founded in 2016 by a group of passionate public school parents from around the state who advocate for high-quality public schools. The PAC’s mission is to help elect pro-public-education candidates to the Mississippi Legislature in order to strengthen, support and protect existing public schools in the state.

“The Mississippi Public Education PAC has been successful in seven special elections since we launched,” said Leslie Fye, a founding MSPEPAC board member. “We are looking forward to having an impact in the 2019 election cycle. We need to elect public education champions in the Mississippi Legislature, leaders who are willing to make informed decisions to ensure our children have the resources and support they need for success in school.”

With less than six months until the Mississippi general election, the MSPEPAC has chosen to endorse the following incumbents because of their strong commitment to support public education and their belief that Mississippi’s public schools should be adequately and equitably funded.

Mississippi House of Representatives

Otis Anthony – HD31 – portions of Bolivar, Humphreys, Sunflower and Washington counties

Earle Banks – HD67 – Hinds County

Cedric Burnett – HD9 – Tunica, Quitman, Tate and Coahoma counties

John Faulkner – HD5 – Marshall, Benton, Lafayette and Tate counties

Debra Gibbs – HD72 – Hinds and Madison counties

Karl Gibbs – HD36 – Clay and Monroe counties

John Hines – HD50 – Bolivar, Issaquena and Washington counties

Steve Holland – HD16 – Lee County and a portion of Monroe County

Abe Hudson – HD29 – Bolivar and Sunflower counties

Kent McCarty – HD101 – Lamar County

Carl Mickens – HD42 – Lowndes, Noxubee and Winston counties

Tom Miles – HD75 – Rankin and Scott counties

Tracey Rosebud – HD30 – Tallahatchie, Sunflower, Bolivar and Quitman counties

Cheikh Taylor – HD38 – Oktibbeha, Clay and Lowndes counties

Percy Watson – HD103 – Forrest County

Sonya Williams-Barnes – HD119 – Harrison County

Mississippi Senate

Deborah Dawkins – SD48 – West Harrison County

Hillman Frazier – SD27 – Hinds County

Robert Jackson – SD11 – Quitman, Coahoma, Panola and Tunica counties

Derrick Simmons – SD12 – Bolivar, Washington and Coahoma counties

“We are excited to endorse these 20 incumbents who share our interest and dedication to public education,” said Fye. “These candidates are passionate advocates for the nearly half a million children who attend public schools across the state.”

The primary will take place Tuesday, August 6.

The Mississippi Public Education Political Action Committee was created as a grassroots effort to give parents a voice in the political process by promoting candidates, measures and policies that strengthen, support and protect public education in Mississippi. Made up of a group of public school parents from around the state, the nonpartisan PAC recommends and supports candidates who are passionate about and friendly toward public education. The organization supports quality public education for all children in existing public schools, including our most gifted and most vulnerable, and seeks to promote adequate and equitable funding for Mississippi’s public schools. For more information or to donate online, visit www.MSPublicEducationPAC.org.