By Billy Davis

State Rep. Warner McBride finished third in Tuesday’s special election for Northern District transportation commissioner.

A run-off election is February 1 between John Caldwell Sr. of Hernando and Mike Tagert of Starkville.

The special election follows the Nov. 2 death of Bill Minor, who was serving his second term.

The three-person commission oversees the Miss. Department of Transportation and appoints its executive director.

Caldwell, 49, a former county supervisor, oversees the district-wide transportation system for DeSoto County schools.

He ran for transportation commissioner in 2003 and lost to Minor.  

Tagert, 40, is president of the Tennesee-Tombigbee Waterway Development Council.

The Clarion-Ledger reported late Tuesday that Caldwell and Tagert were “deadlocked” in the race, and it was unclear Wednesday which candidate had moved into first place.

In Panola County, McBride finished first with 77 percent of the vote. He won 2,422 votes in his home county.  

Caldwell finished second with 12 percent of the vote, or 403 votes, and Tagert finished fifth in a seven-way race. He received 43 votes, or one percent.

Tagert told The Clarion-Ledger his main priority is “road and bridge safety” if elected.

Caldwell told the Jackson newspaper MDOT’s main priority is new leadership and said he would vote to remove Butch Brown, the embattled executive director.

Brown announced Monday, on the eve of the election, that he would retire this June.  

The runoff winner will finish the last year of Minor’s four-your term.