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From Media General News Service and wire reports
The Mississippi Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that a special election for Trent Lott's former U.S. Senate seat will take place in November.
In doing so, the court sided with Republican Gov. Haley Barbour, who had set the special election to coincide with the Nov. 4 federal general election.
Attorney General Jim Hood, a Democrat, filed a lawsuit to challenge the date. Hood said that state law requires the special election to be held within 90 days from Dec. 20, when the governor issued a proclamation announcing the vacancy.
In an earlier decision, Circuit Court Judge Bobby DeLaughter agreed with Hood in a decision that the election should be held in March.
But the Supreme Court's ruling overturned the decision. Justice Chuck Easley wrote that "economically, a special election is unjustifiable in this election year. Reason and economy must prevail."
After Lott resigned in December, Barbour appointed U.S. Rep. Roger Wicker to the seat. Wicker is a Republican who had served in the House of Representatives since 1994.
Wicker is running for the seat and has been campaigning to be elected to the seat in the special election.
Former Mississippi Governor Ronnie Musgrove and former U.S. Rep. Ronnie Shows, both Democrats, also announced plans to run for the open seat.
The winner of the special election will serve out the remainder of Lott's term, which runs through 2012.
Shows said he was pleased with the court’s decision and that it gives all the candidates a fair shot at the seat.
“It gives me enough time to campaign,” he said.
Shows said he has been raising money for what will be a challenging fight.
“It’s going to be a hard-fought campaign,” he said.
In a statement, Wicker said the decision was a practical one because it will save taxpayers the expense of having two elections.
Wicker was unavailable for further comment.
The Mississippi Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that a special election for Trent Lott's former U.S. Senate seat will take place in November.
In doing so, the court sided with Republican Gov. Haley Barbour, who had set the special election to coincide with the Nov. 4 federal general election.
Attorney General Jim Hood, a Democrat, filed a lawsuit to challenge the date. Hood said that state law requires the special election to be held within 90 days from Dec. 20, when the governor issued a proclamation announcing the vacancy.
In an earlier decision, Circuit Court Judge Bobby DeLaughter agreed with Hood in a decision that the election should be held in March.
But the Supreme Court's ruling overturned the decision. Justice Chuck Easley wrote that "economically, a special election is unjustifiable in this election year. Reason and economy must prevail."
After Lott resigned in December, Barbour appointed U.S. Rep. Roger Wicker to the seat. Wicker is a Republican who had served in the House of Representatives since 1994.
Wicker is running for the seat and has been campaigning to be elected to the seat in the special election.
Former Mississippi Governor Ronnie Musgrove and former U.S. Rep. Ronnie Shows, both Democrats, also announced plans to run for the open seat.
The winner of the special election will serve out the remainder of Lott's term, which runs through 2012.
Shows said he was pleased with the court’s decision and that it gives all the candidates a fair shot at the seat.
“It gives me enough time to campaign,” he said.
Shows said he has been raising money for what will be a challenging fight.
“It’s going to be a hard-fought campaign,” he said.
In a statement, Wicker said the decision was a practical one because it will save taxpayers the expense of having two elections.
Wicker was unavailable for further comment.