2 go to runoff in Rankin, Simpson for Mississippi House seat

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – Two candidates are heading to a special election runoff to fill a seat in the Mississippi House.

Hayes Patrick and Price Wallace advanced from a field of five candidates Tuesday in District 77 in parts of Rankin and Simpson counties.

Patrick runs a country store in Puckett, and Wallace is a farmer from Mendenhall.

The runoff is July 31.

The winner will serve until January 2020, finishing a term started by Republican Andy Gipson of Braxton. He had been in the House since 2008 and left in April when Republican Gov. Phil Bryant appointed him state agriculture commissioner.

Candidates run without party labels in Mississippi special elections, although both Patrick and Wallace have said they are Republican.

The GOP holds a three-fifths majority in the state House.

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