James Nunnally (politician)
James Nunnally | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Mississippi House of Representatives for the 1st district, post 2 (1972–1976); 4th district (1976–1988) | |
| In office 1972–1988 | |
| Preceded by | Leland J. Grisham |
| Succeeded by | Joe Mitch McElwain |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 15, 1945 Dumas, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | January 6, 2025 (aged 79) Ripley, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Betty Jo Michael (m. 1968) |
| Children | 1 |
| Parents |
|
James David Nunnally (January 15, 1945 – January 6, 2025) was an American politician from the state of Mississippi. He served as a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives from 1972 to 1988.[1]
Life and career
[edit]Nunnally was born in Dumas, Mississippi, on January 15, 1945, the son of James Bartlett and Virginia Joyce (née Anderson) Nunnally. He attended Northeast Mississippi Junior College and then the University of Mississippi, where he earned bachelor's and master's degrees in education, and he became a public school teacher.[1]
He narrowly defeated incumbent representative Leland J. Grisham in the 1971 Democratic primary runoff.[2] He went on to represent Northeast Mississippi in the Mississippi House of Representatives for sixteen years. In March 1987, the Supreme Court of Mississippi ruled that Nunnally, along with several other state legislators and public officials, had committed conflict of interest ethics violations by working as public school teachers while holding public office. Though he said he would end his public teaching career to continue as a state legislator, Nunnally lost the primary runoff that fall to Joe Mitch McElwain.[3][4][5]
In 2011, he fell short in an attempt at returning to the state house seat he previously held. He took 49.6% in the first round of the Democratic primary, then lost 48%-52% to Jody Steverson, who would become a Republican after being re-elected in 2015.[6][7][8] Nunnally died in Ripley, Mississippi on January 6, 2025, at the age of 79.[1]
Electoral history
[edit] | This article is missing information about the 1971 primary election; the 1975 primary, runoff, and general elections; the 1983 primary and general elections; and the 1987 primary election. (February 2025) |
1971
[edit]Primary election
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | James Nunnally | |||
| Democratic | Leland J. Grisham * | |||
| Democratic | Charles Don Wilson | |||
| Total votes | ||||
| Runoff election | ||||
| Democratic | James Nunnally | 5,706 | 51.9 | |
| Democratic | Leland J. Grisham * | 5,290 | 48.1 | |
| Total votes | 10,996 | 100 | ||
General election
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | James Nunnally | 4,642 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 4,642 | 100 | ||
1975
[edit]Primary election
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | James Nunnally * | |||
| Democratic | Dwight Ward | |||
| Democratic | ? | |||
| Total votes | ||||
| Runoff election | ||||
| Democratic | James Nunnally * | |||
| Democratic | Dwight Ward | |||
| Total votes | ||||
General election
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | James Nunnally * | 100 | ||
| Total votes | 100 | |||
1979
[edit]Primary election
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | James Nunnally * | 6,353 | 61.0 | |
| Democratic | F. L. Rowell | 4,061 | 39.0 | |
| Total votes | 10,414 | 100 | ||
General election
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | James Nunnally * | 2,992 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 2,992 | 100 | ||
1983
[edit]Primary election
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | James Nunnally * | |||
| Total votes | ||||
General election
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | James Nunnally * | |||
| Total votes | ||||
1987
[edit]Primary election
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | James Nunnally * | |||
| Democratic | Joe Mitch McElwain | |||
| Democratic | Huddleston | |||
| Total votes | ||||
| Runoff election | ||||
| Democratic | Joe Mitch McElwain | 6,452 | 60.0 | |
| Democratic | James Nunnally * | 4,303 | 40.0 | |
| Total votes | 10,755 | 100 | ||
2011
[edit]Primary election
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | James Nunnally | 3,667 | 49.6 | |
| Democratic | Jody Steverson | 3,183 | 43.1 | |
| Democratic | Steve Fisher | 543 | 7.3 | |
| Total votes | 7,393 | 100 | ||
| Runoff election | ||||
| Democratic | Jody Steverson | 3,491 | 52.0 | |
| Democratic | James Nunnally | 3,218 | 48.0 | |
| Total votes | 6,709 | 100 | ||
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "James David Nunnally". Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal. January 7, 2025.
- ^ a b "In Runoff Election: 718,000 Votes Cast In State". Clarion Ledger. September 2, 1971.
- ^ "Ethics ruling may prompt job changes". Hattiesburg American. March 5, 1987.
- ^ "Ethics revision sought". Hattiesburg American. March 16, 1987.
- ^ a b "Dem panel delays ruling on residency complaint". Clarion-Ledger. August 27, 1987.
- ^ a b "Mississippi - County Vote Results". Associated Press. Archived from the original on July 24, 2013.
- ^ a b "Mississippi - County Vote Results". Associated Press. Archived from the original on May 12, 2013.
- ^ "Quick flip: Steverson switch to GOP gives supermajority". Clarion-Ledger. November 5, 2015.
- ^ "Candidate". Clarion-Ledger. June 11, 1971.
- ^ Mississipi Secretary of State. Mississippi Official and Statistical Register (1972–1976 ed.).
- ^ "Over 20 incumbents lose runoff". The Delta Democrat-Times. August 27, 1975.
- ^ "Familiar Faces Will Be Seen". Enterprise-Journal. October 14, 1975.
- ^ a b Mississippi Secretary of State. Mississippi Official and Statistical Register (1980–1984 ed.).
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