Jackson Free Press

Although it wasn't as a big of a surprise as the outcome of the race for governor, the Democratic primary for the Central District representative to the Mississippi Transportation Commission also raised a few eyebrows.

Longtime Democratic Rep. Mary Coleman, who has served in the state House for two decades, squares off Tuesday against Robert Amos, who has run for Jackson mayor and city council but has not held public office.

Coleman doesn't think that Amos' being a man played that large of a role in the election's outcome. Rather, Coleman said, the presence of a third candidate, Natasha Magee-Woods, likely split the vote and Amos' name appearing first on the ballot probably helped him, too. She also credits Amos' previous campaign experience with helping him build valuable name recognition.

"You have three people running, and people have choices," Coleman said. "I respect the process."

Coleman said she decided to retire from her House seat and make a run for the three-member transportation commission because the more rural parts of the 22-county district that includes Hinds, Rankin and Madison counties have not been served adequately. She wants to help develop a comprehensive plan to develop a maintenance plan for the state's roads and bridges that are in deplorable and, in some cases, irreparable condition.

Coleman, who lives in north Jackson, also believes she can help bridge what she calls "a disconnect between the city (of Jackson) and the state" in terms of finding funding for transportation-related infrastructure projects.

"If we don't have good infrastructure in the capital, the whole state suffers," Coleman said, adding that she supports a state appropriation to the city to offset the fact that state-owned buildings do not pay property taxes to Jackson but benefit from city services.

She and her opponent agree that completing the reconstruction of Interstate 55 in south Jackson should be a funding priority for the state. Amos, the director of Allied Healthcare Educational Services, travels the stretch frequently and said he has had to fix his windshield three times because of the loose gravel work crews in the area produce.

The slow pace of the work has hurt residents faced with long commutes into Jackson, as well as businesses in Byram and Terry, where it is difficult to get off the interstate. For Amos, aiming for a seat on the transportation commission is about making sure Democrats have a voice there.

"Some people would argue that party doesn't matter, but when you look back over the years, there's no transparency to say why was this project was funded over this project. You could only say these things are decided by politics," Amos said.

Amos, 41, has worked in administration of two truck-driving training academies, helping the schools attain and keep their accreditation. If he wins the nomination, he said he wants to meet with local officials, including Jackson Mayor Tony Yarber and members of the Hinds County Board of Supervisors.

"I don't know how often our commissioner sits down with our mayor, but that's why I'm running," Amos said. "We need to make sure that we have someone at the table."

The winner of the Democratic runoff will face Republican and incumbent Transportation Commissioner Dick Hall in November.