Although no candidates have officially qualified as of last week for the Nov. 3 special election to fill the vacant District 87 seat in the Mississippi House of Representatives, at least two of the three people that ran in that initial race have announced their candidacy via Facebook.
The spot became available when former representative Billy Andrews resigned after disagreements with House Speaker Philip Gunn.
In an April 8 post, Joseph Tubb of Cook Commercial Properties announced his candidacy. The son of Joe and Jane Tubb, he has two sons, Seth and Peyton.
He graduated from Mississippi College with a degree in business and a minor in marketing. Tubb is a member of Venture Church, where he serves and leads small groups.
He is a volunteer with the Give and Take Kitchen, a member of the Hub City Business Network and member of the Mississippi Association of Realtors.
Ricardo Mussiett, a naturalized citizen who immigrated from Chile in 1963 and obtained his citizenship in 1983, announced his candidacy in late April. He retired from Saladmaster and was the previous franchise owner of Howard Johnson Hotel and previous owner of Cuco's Mexican Restaurant in Hattiesburg.
He attended three years of college and four courses on advanced sales and sales management.
He is a member of the Area Development Partnership, former member of the Rotary Club and Civitan Club and current member of the Hattiesburg Country Club and Dixie Baptist Church.
A qualifying deadline is set for Sept. 14. Polls will be open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on election day, and anyone in line by 7 p.m. can vote.
If none of the candidates receive a majority of the vote, or 50 percent of the vote plus one vote, a runoff election will be held Nov. 24.
Andrews retired in late March, saying Gunn was going against state law by blocking him and other members of the Legislature from receiving their state government pensions while serving in the House.
Rep. Ramona Blackledge of Laurel resigned from her position for the same reason in February.
