Runoffs have officially been announced between the top two candidates in Mississippi House Districts 70 and 77.
Marcus Cheatham and James Lott III will face off on Dec. 1 in the runoff election for District 70 (part of Hinds County), left vacant by the late Bo Brown. Cheatham was leading Lott by roughly 13 percentage points when the race was called. Of the three candidates running for the seat, none exceeded the required 50% threshold.
Cheatham, a U.S. Army veteran and Jackson businessman, said on the campaign trail that District 70 “deserves experienced leadership that puts people first.” He described his mission as “service before self.” His platform includes supporting small businesses and increasing public safety efforts.
Cheatham previously ran as a Democrat for the Jackson City Council’s Ward 2 seat but lost to Tina Clay in both 2024 and 2025.
Lott serves as Ward 6 alderman in Clinton. His campaign focuses on improving public schools, repairing roads, and expanding opportunities for small businesses.
In District 77 (parts of Rankin and Simpson counties), Melissa Sullivan and Christopher Dunn led the group of four candidates seeking to succeed the late Price Wallace, but neither exceeded the required 50% threshold. Sullivan was leading by roughly 8 points when the race was called.
Dunn worked as a community banker for more than two decades before becoming the chief financial officer of Vestra Revenue Cycle Management, a company that aims to strengthen rural healthcare.
Sullivan is a registered respiratory therapist at Simpson General Hospital, where she has worked for nearly 25 years, and the founder and executive director of The Center for Pregnancy Choices of Simpson County.
