5 candidates now in special US Senate race in Mississippi

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – Two more people have filed for a special U.S. Senate election in Mississippi, bringing the field of candidates to five.

UPDATE: Tupelo Mayor Jason Shelton pulls out of U.S. senate race

The qualifying deadline is Tuesday.

One filing Monday is state lawmaker Chris McDaniel, who lost a 2014 Republican primary to longtime Sen. Thad Cochran. The other is Tobey Bartee of Gautier, who had not previously announced and was not immediately available by phone.

Cochran retired April 1, citing health concerns.

Gov. Phil Bryant appointed Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith, who was Mississippi agriculture commissioner, to temporarily fill the Senate seat.

She qualified last week for the special election, as did two Democrats – former U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy and Tupelo Mayor Jason Shelton.

Candidates run without party labels in the Nov. 6 special election. A runoff is Nov. 27.

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