Young thinks he is more prepared to hold the office than any other new mayor in the city’s history. 

The life of the attorney and former Shelby County commissioner has taken him to Atlanta, Knoxville, D.C. and Japan. He returned to Memphis more than 20 years ago and found a path to elected office.

Michelle McKissack, who hopes to become the first woman to be mayor of Memphis, remembers growing up in a city where crime was not a constant concern.

Memphis mayoral candidate Willie Herenton remains certain voters will propel him back into the office he held for five terms between 1992 and 2009 and that his hold on the electorate is still near complete.

Memphis mayoral candidate J.W. Gibson says that as a “businessman” he would bring accountability to the city’s highest office, and that he believes he has “a responsibility to take Memphis to a different level.”

In her campaign for Memphis mayor, Tennessee House Minority Leader Karen Camper is emphasizing her relationships with the state’s Republican leadership, saying her role would allow her to bring more state resources to Memphis.

“Our number one issue is crime ... I love our community and I cannot stand by and watch what is going on in our city …” Floyd Bonner Jr. has said throughout his yearlong campaign. 

The Daily Memphian invited the top Memphis mayoral contenders to tell us more about themselves and their candidacy in their own words.

Campaigns are anticipating a voter turnout of around 100,000 voters when all of the votes are counted Oct. 5. Some candidates believe one of them could win the mayors race with as few as 25,000 votes. 

Memphis Mayoral contender J.W. Gibson is the latest in the race to challenger Floyd Bonner Jr. on recent deaths at the Shelby County Jail during Bonner’s tenure as sheriff.

The Greater Memphis Chamber forum drew six of the seven major contenders for mayor.

With a final ballot review conducted Wednesday night, Aug. 16, officials confirmed that Kimberly Remak maintained enough votes to avoid a runoff in the Republican Primary for the District 7 state House seat. 

State Rep. Karen Camper, businessman J.W. Gibson, Memphis-Shelby County Schools board member Michelle McKissack, Van Turner and Downtown Memphis Commission CEO Paul Young participated in the debate.

Related story:

Watch The Daily Memphian, WKNO Memphis mayoral debate

The two mayoral candidates purchased homes within Memphis in the months before a ruling cleared the way for them to run for mayor despite a five-year residency requirement.

Mayoral contender Paul Young took the convention’s endorsement Saturday, Aug. 12, but rival Van Turner delivered a fiery speech and both called for changing the city’s political status quo. City council endorsements are also listed.

The three-day session opened with endorsements for four Memphis City Council candidates on the Oct. 5 ballot. About 150 people attended the event at the Memphis Sports and Event Center at Liberty Park.

Despite a small turnout of supporters in Olive Branch on Wednesday, Democratic nominee Brandon Presley thinks DeSoto County could be key in his run for governor.

Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann has defeated state Sen. Chris McDaniel in the state’s bitter Republican primary for lieutenant governor. Other statewide candidates also faced off Tuesday night.

DeSoto County voters elected two top officials Tuesday, Aug. 8, in the Republican primaries for DeSoto County sheriff and district attorney for the 23rd Circuit Court District.

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Gov. Tate Reeves will face Brandon Presley in November’s election

Mississippi Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann wins heated GOP primary

Reeves defeated two first-time candidates: John Witcher, a physician who has criticized COVID-19 vaccinations, and David Hardigree, a military veteran. Presley, a cousin of rock ’n’ roll icon Elvis Presley, ran unopposed.

Polls in DeSoto County will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday for voters to cast their ballots in the state’s primary elections.

Mayoral contender J.W. Gibson talked about the size of the field as he opened his campaign headquarters Saturday, Aug. 5, in southeast Memphis. The issue could come to a head at the People’s Convention.

Pearson easily beat independent candidate Jeff Johnston in the second special general election this year for the seat covering the western edge of Shelby County.

Voters on the western edge of Shelby County go to the polls Thursday, Aug. 3, to elect their state representative for the fourth time this year.

Watch The Daily Memphian and WKNO’s Memphis mayoral debate from Tuesday, Aug. 15, here.