Big News out of Oxford

Jay Hughes has qualified as candidate for District 12 legislator. Presumably, he'll face Brad Mayo (R-Oxford) in the general election.

This is big news, that blew up with immediate fanfare after his announcement. Hughes is the current Alderman for Ward 1, and has always been a big education proponent -- even donating his alderman salary to the Oxford Public School endowment. Below is a press release:

Oxford Alderman Jay Hughes Announces Campaign for District 12 Representative

Alderman, Businessman Wants Focus on Public Education

Oxford, Mississippi – Jay Hughes officially announced his candidacy for District 12 of the State House of Representatives when he filed his papers in Jackson on Tuesday. Hughes is the current alderman for Ward 1 in Oxford.

Hughes, a businessman and attorney, said he felt called to enter the race after a series of “troubling” votes on education by the district’s incumbent and other members of the state legislature.

“Mississippi has been last on too many lists for too long, and we cannot move up without an assertive effort to improve our public education system.” Instead, Hughes continued, the legislature has been “moving backward” with votes that consistently undermine the state’s public schools.

“I could not sit by idly while the issues that matter to this district were largely ignored; we are in need of new leadership.” said Hughes. “It all starts with education.”

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