The name to watch in the special election to replace departed Jackson Mayor Chokwe Lumumba?

That's easy: Melvin Priester, Jr.

Priester has deep ties to the power structure that put Mayor Lumumba in office, and his background doesn't hurt at all.  He went to Harvard for undergrad, then went to Stanford to law school.  He was elected to Lumumba's seat on the Jackson City Council when Lumumba ran for mayor, and is currently serving as the Council's acting president.

He's young, energetic, brilliant, and has a very strong base of support.  He's going to be a formidable candidate, should he choose to run.