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Cindy Hyde-Smith

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Cindy Hyde-Smith
Cindy Hyde-Smith.jpg
Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce
Incumbent
In office
January 5, 2012 – present
Term ends
2016
Years in position 1
PartyRepublican
PredecessorLester Spell (R)
Compensation
Base salary$85,500
Prior offices
Mississippi State Senate District 39
2000 – 2012
Personal
Place of birthBrookhaven, MS
ProfessionCongressional Affairs Consultant
ReligionBaptist
Websites
Office website
Campaign website
www.CandidateVerification.org

Contents

Cindy Hyde-Smith is the Republican Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce. She was elected in 2011 and took office on January 5, 2012.[1]

Biography

Hyde-Smith is a former Republican member of the Mississippi State Senate, representing the 39th Senatorial District from 2000-2012. She joined the Mississippi State Senate in 2000 as a Democrat, but switched her party affiliation to Republican in December 2010.[2]

She is a cattle farmer and has been a Congressional Affairs Consultant.[3]

Education

Hyde-Smith attended the University of Southern Mississippi and Copiah Lincoln Community College.

Political career

Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce (2012-Present)

Hyde-Smith is the Republican Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce. She was elected in 2011 and took office on January 5, 2012.[4]

Presidential preference

2012

See also: Endorsements by state officials of presidential candidates in the 2012 election

Cindy Hyde-Smith endorsed Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential election. [5]

Mississippi State Senate (2000-2012)

Hyde-Smith joined the Mississippi State Senate in 2000 as a Democrat, but switched her party affiliation to Republican in December 2010.[6] She served in the Mississippi State Senate from 2000 to 2012.

Committee assignments

2010-2011

In the 2010-2011 legislative session, Hyde-Smith served on these committees:

Elections

2011

See also: Mississippi down ballot state executive elections, 2011

Hyde-Smith won election as Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce in 2011. She defeated Democrat Joel Gill, and Reform Party candidate Cathy L. Toole In the November 8, 2011 general election.

Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture, 2011
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark.jpgCindy Hyde-Smith 56.9% 493,417
     Democratic Joel Gill 40.6% 352,213
     Reform Cathy L. Toole 2.5% 21,347
Total Votes 866,977


The Republican primary was a three-way contest between Hyde-Smith, state Representative Dannie Reed, and Max Phillips. Hyde-Smith won easily, taking 53 percent of the vote.

Commissioner of Agriculture -- Republican primary results
Party Candidate Vote Percentage
     Republican Party Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith Approveda 53%
     Republican Party Rep. Dannie Reed 12%
     Republican Party Max Phillips 35%
Total Votes 268,421

Issues

On her 2011 campaign website Hyde-Smith outlined her "Vision & Commitment" for the office if elected:[7]

  • Expand Consumer Protection


Cindy Hyde-Smith 2011 campaign ad

"Increase food safety inspections at grocery stores"
"Enforce price verification at checkout counters"
"Examine the accuracy of all commercial weight scales"
"Require more inspections at gas pumps"
"Push for new laws against unlawful pesticide use"
  • Increase Markets for Our Farmers
"Focus on economic development and creating jobs"
"Open local markets for small farmers"
"Increase opportunities and revenues for our farmers"
"Promote farmers’ market programs and education"
"Support development of alternative agricultural energy resources"
  • Deliver Efficient and Effective Government
"Streamline Department’s operations and increase productivity"
"Continue to unify efforts to build working relationships with other government agencies, agricultural and forestry organizations, and universities"

2007

See also: Mississippi State Senate elections, 2007

On November 6, 2007, Cindy Hyde-Smith ran for District 39 of the Mississippi State Senate, beating Edwin Case. [8]

Cindy Hyde-Smith raised $43,700 for her campaign.[9]

Mississippi Senate, District 39
Candidates Votes Percent
Cindy Hyde-Smith (D) 12,844 79.4%
Edwin Case (R) 3,323 20.6%

Campaign contributions

Ballotpedia collects information on campaign donors for each year in which a candidate or incumbent is running for election. The following table offers a breakdown of Cindy Hyde-Smith's donors each year.[10] Click [show] for more information.



2009

In 2009 Cindy Hyde-Smith collected $5,150 in donations. [11]

Her four largest contributors in 2009 were:

Donor Amount
Mississippi Opthamologist $1,000
Monsanto $500
Wal-Mart $500
AT&T $500

Personal

Hyde-Smith and her husband, Michael, have one child.

Recent news

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See also

External links

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References

Political offices
Preceded by
Lester Spell (R)
Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce
2012-present
Succeeded by
NA
Preceded by
-
Mississippi State Senate District 39
2000–2012
Succeeded by
Sally Doty (R)
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