A special election for Mississippi's 1st congressional district was held on May 12, 2015, to fill the term left by the vacancy created by the death of Alan Nunnelee. Nunnelee, a member of the Republican Party, died on February 6, 2015.
According to Mississippi state law, Governor Phil Bryant must call the special election within 60 days of Nunnelee's death, and it must be held at least 60 days after the call. Prospective candidates need to submit a petition for ballot access consisting of at least 1,000 signatures of qualified Mississippi voters with the office of the Secretary of State of Mississippi at least 45 days before the election.
The election was won by Republican Trent Kelly.
All candidates ran together on the same primary ballot, irrespective of party affiliation. As no candidate received a majority of the vote, a runoff was held on June 2 between Trent Kelly (R) and Walter Zinn (D), the top two finishers.
Boyce Adams, nominee for the Northern District of the Mississippi Public Service Commission in 2011
Sam Adcock, businessman
Nancy Adams Collins, State Senator
Ed "Doc" Holliday, dentist
Starner Jones, emergency room physician
Trent Kelly, (Lee, Pontotoc, Alcorn, Monroe, Itawamba, Prentiss and Tishomingo Counties) District Attorney
Chip Mills, Itawamba County Prosecutor
Greg Pirkle, attorney
Henry Ross, former Mayor of Eupora and candidate for the seat in 2010 and 2012
Daniel Sparks, attorney
Mike Tagert, Northern District Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Transportation
Quentin Whitwell, former Jackson City Councilman
Chris Brown, State Representative
Lynn Fitch, Mississippi State Treasurer
Merle Flowers, former state senator
Tommy Irwin, mayor of Corinth
Chip Johnson, mayor of Hernando
James Maxwell, judge on the Mississippi Court of Appeals
Brad Mayo, state representative
Glenn McCullough, former mayor of Tupelo, former chairman of the Tennessee Valley Authority and candidate for the seat in 2008
Mandy McGrevey Gunasekara, counsel for the United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
Joseph Murray, attorney and author
Tori Nunnelee, widow of former Congressman Alan Nunnelee
John Oxford, director of Corporate Communication for Renasant Bank
David Parker, state senator
Amanda Tollison, attorney
Gray Tollison, state senator
Amy Tuck, former Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi
Todd Wade, former NFL player
Walter Zinn, attorney and political aide
Hob Bryan, State Senator
Travis Childers, former U.S. Representative and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2014
Steve Holland, State Representative
Eric Powell, former State Senator
Brandon Presley, Public Service Commissioner and former Mayor of Nettleton (running for re-election)
Scott Ross, former Mayor of West Point
Jason Shelton, Mayor of Tupelo
Danny Bedwell, businessman and Libertarian nominee for the seat in 2012 and 2014
