After a week of counting votes, a runoff has been set in this cycle’s lone contested race for the Mississippi Court of Appeals.
Though the Associated Press called the runoff for District 5, Position 2 on Friday, confirming Amy St. Pe’ in the frontrunner spot, the AP was unable to say who her opponent would be until Tuesday afternoon. With 97% of votes counted, St. Pe’ was reported to have 35.2% of the votes (84,769) with Jennifer Schloegel securing her spot in the runoff with 33.1% (79,512). A candidate must have at least 50% of the vote to advance outright.
“I cannot overstate how appreciative I am for everyone who voted for me on Tuesday and worked hard on my campaign to serve you as Judge on the Court of Appeals,” Schloegel wrote in a Facebook post. “As we head into the run-off, I will work just as hard to keep your support.”
St. Pe’ and Schloegel were able to slowly separate from a third candidate, Ian Baker, throughout the count. For much of Election Night and into the following days, incoming votes shuffled the leaderboard before St. Pe’ took a small but substantial three-point lead toward the end of the week. While the writing was on the wall as Baker all but conceded on social media, the AP waited a full week before reporting which two candidates would be in the runoff.
St. Pe’ and Schloegel will go head-to-head on Tuesday, Nov. 26 – two days before Thanksgiving. In-person absentee voting for the race begins Saturday, Nov. 16.
Baker, a Harrison County assistant. district attorney who was also the only candidate without previous judicial experience, has already clarified that he will not be endorsing either St. Pe’ or Schloegel before the runoff but does wish them the best.
“There have been a lot of questions asked about if I will be endorsing one of my opponents,” he wrote on Facebook. “While I wish both of my opponents nothing but success in their future endeavors, I want to make clear that I will not be making any endorsement.”
St. Pe’ carries three years of judicial experience after being appointed by the Gautier City Council as a municipal judge in 2021, becoming the first woman to hold the position. In addition, she has served as the city attorney for Moss Point for 16 years.
Schloegel brings a wealth of knowledge to the table, as well, serving as a chancery court judge for Harrison, Hancock, and Stone counties since first being elected in 2010. She was a practicing attorney for 19 years beforehand.
The District 5, Position 2 seat on the Mississippi Court of Appeals was left open when Judge Joel Smith decided not to seek reelection. The district encompasses Forrest, George, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Lamar, Pearl River, Perry, and Stone counties along with a portion of Wayne County.
Another judicial runoff election will coincide with St. Pe’ and Schloegel’s race but in the central part of the state. Incumbent Justice Jim Kitchens and state Sen. Jenifer Branning will face off for the District 3, Position 1 Mississippi Supreme Court seat.
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