6 days ago
Davis, Thompson qualify for District 16 special election
TUPELO — Incumbent Rep. Rickey Thompson, Democrat, has qualified for re-election to his seat in District 16 for the Mississippi House of Representatives, and he's picked up a challenger in Chickasaw Inkana Foundation CEO Brady Davis of Tupelo.
Both Davis and Thompson qualified to run for the seat Monday morning, the first day to qualify for the Nov. 4 special election, with primaries set for Aug. 5.
District 16 encompasses Chickasaw, Lee, Monroe and Pontotoc counties and includes portions of Tupelo, Verona and Shannon.
Following recent redistricting, District 16 took in much of southwest Pontotoc County, northwest Chickasaw County and expanded further south of Monroe County.
Thompson, 60, defeated independent candidate Steve Holland in 2019 and ran unopposed in 2023. Thompson said, if reelected, he will continue to focus on workforce development, economic growth and education.
'I am running on a record that I have represented the people of Northeast Mississippi. Communities want to see change,' he said. 'We have to get the people out to the polls to vote.'
From Shannon, Thompson serves as the vice chair of the Enrolled Bills committee and also serves on the Agriculture, Judiciary B and Public Health and Human Services committees. He sponsored House Bill 565, which amended state code to require law enforcement agencies to provide the board on law enforcement officer standards notifications on when an officer is fired or resigns from disciplinary action within 72 hours of termination. The bill passed and was signed into law on March 18.
This is Davis' first attempt at political office. However, he said he has worked closely with state and local officials in his work at the foundation and in his professional relationship with the Chickasaw Nation. He said, if elected, he wants to be present for the community and bring goodwill and do the right thing.
'What it boils down to is my campaign really is encapsulated by my slogan, 'Progress through unity, and unity through service,'' he said. 'That aims to achieve several critical objectives, which are all centered on the fundamental principle of bringing people together for the betterment of our community … True progress begins with understanding, and that means listening to everyone regardless of their background, beliefs or affiliations.'
