Second Jackson 2014 Mayoral Debate Set for MC School of Law

Mississippi College School of Law

Chokwe Antar Lumumba and Tony Yarber are headed to a runoff in Jackson’s mayoral race with voters to evaluate the two candidates in an April 16 debate hosted by the Mississippi College School of Law.

A 31-year-old attorney, Lumumba and Yarber, a Jackson City Council member, were the survivors among 13 candidates seeking the post on Tuesday.

About 31 percent of the capital city’s 114,000 registered voters cast ballots on April 8.

The one-hour debate at MC Law School in downtown Jackson will begin around 7 p.m. on Wednesday April 16. It will air live on WAPT-16 and “Clarion-Ledger” websites. The Jackson television station and Mississippi’s largest daily newspaper are teaming up again to sponsor the debate in cooperation with the law school.

Lumumba is the son of the late Mayor Chokwe Lumumba, who died February 25 at a Jackson hospital, just eight months into his term. His death forced a special election.

“I think my father would be proud of me. I think both my parents would be proud,” Lumumba said in a front page “Clarion-Ledger” story on Wednesday.

“Over the next two weeks, we will continue to articulate our vision to move this city forward,” Yarber said as he addressed supporters in Jackson.

Both men each received about 31 percent of the vote, according to unofficial returns. Third-place finisher Melvin Priester, the Jackson City Council President, received 15 percent, among others.

The first Jackson mayoral debate took place at the law school with seven candidates on April 6. The second debate in the MC School of Law Auditorium occurs six days before voters go to the polls in the April 22 runoff election.

MC School of Law Dean Jim Rosenblatt welcomes the two mayoral debates. He believes voters will become better informed as a result. “We look forward to hosting the debate between these two evenly matched mayoral candidates,” Rosenblatt said Wednesday. “I predict this will be a lively exchange of ideas and approaches to leading city government.”

Seating at the 200-seat MC Law School Auditorium is limited, so visitors should arrive early, the dean advises. For the first debate, members of the debate audience began lining up outside the law school prior to 6 p.m.

For more information, contact Dana Terry, the MC Law School director of communications, at 601.925.7148 or dterry@mc.edu.