Gray Tollison
Gray Tollison (b. September 8, 1964) is a former Republican member of the Mississippi State Senate, representing District 9 from 1996 to 2020.
From 1996 to November 2011, Tollison served as a member of the Democratic Party. On November 10, 2011, two days after being re-elected as a Democrat, Tollison announced his switch to the Republican Party.[1]
Biography
Tollison earned his B.A. from Rhodes College, and J.D. from the University of Mississippi School of Law. His professional experience includes working as an attorney.
Committee assignments
2019-2020
Tollison was assigned to the following committees:
- Senate Appropriations Committee
- Senate Constitution Committee
- Senate Education Committee, Chairman
- Senate Rules Committee, Chairman
- Judiciary, Division B Committee
- Public Health and Welfare Committee
- Senate Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Committee
- Senate Universities and Colleges Committee
- Executive Contingent Fund Committee, Vice-Chairman
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Tollison served on the following committees:
| Mississippi committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Education, Chair |
| • Executive Contingent Fund, Vice Chair |
| • Constitution |
| • Finance |
| • Judiciary, Division B |
| • Public Health and Welfare |
| • Rules |
| • Universities and Colleges |
| • Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks |
2012-2013
In the 2012-2013 legislative session, Tollison served on these committees:
| Mississippi committee assignments, 2012 |
|---|
| • Education, Chair |
| • Executive Contingent Fund, Vice Chair |
| • Constitution |
| • Finance |
| • Judiciary, Division B |
| • Public Health and Welfare |
| • Rules |
| • Universities and Colleges |
| • Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks |
2010-2011
In the 2010-2011 legislative session, Tollison served on these committees:
| Mississippi committee assignments, 2010 |
|---|
| • Compilation, Revision and Publication |
| • Constitution |
| • Education |
| • Fees, Salaries and Administration |
| • Finance |
| • Judiciary, Division B |
| • Tourism |
| • Universities and Colleges |
| • Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks |
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Campaign themes
2011
On his website, Tollison highlighted the following campaign themes:[2]
- Education: "To me, improving educational opportunities is the key to improving our quality of life. I have consistently fought for increased funding for education, and also made sure that we had accountability in our schools. We need to focus on the teacher and classroom and make sure our children are getting a quality education."
- Jobs and Economic Development: "It is important that we invest in our people through education and workforce training, so they have the skills and knowledge to work in the ever-changing workplace. We also need to continue our investment in infrastructure for transportation, energy and technology and to ensure that the government is helpful in growing new jobs and not a hindrance."
- Effective and Efficient Government: "Government is not the answer to all of society’s problems. It never has been. We have to work together as a community – private business, civic groups and churches – to seek real solutions to our problems. At the same time, state government has an important role in our community...We need to continue working on better ways to make government more effective and efficient."
- Crime and Safety: "I have provided leadership in the legislature as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary B Committee for the past seven years. I have worked to increase penalties for crimes against children and vulnerable adults, to reform juvenile justice laws and to support our law enforcement officers."
Elections
2019
- See also: Mississippi State Senate elections, 2019
Gray Tollison did not file to run for re-election.
2015
- See also: Mississippi State Senate elections, 2015
Elections for the Mississippi State Senate took place in 2015. A primary election was held on August 4, 2015, and the general election was held on November 3, 2015. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was February 27, 2015.[3] Cristen Hemmins was unopposed in the Democratic primary. Incumbent Gray Tollison was unopposed in the Republican primary. Tollison defeated Hemmins in the general election.
| Mississippi State Senate, District 9 General Election, 2015 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Gray Tollison Incumbent |
60.4% | 8,932 | |
| Democratic | Cristen Hemmins | 39.6% | 5,852 | |
| Total Votes | 14,784 | |||
2011
- See also: Mississippi State Senate elections, 2011
Tollison won re-election to the Mississippi Senate District 9.[4] He ran unopposed in the primary on August 2, 2011 and was to face Todd Wade (R) in the general election on November 8, 2011.[5] However, Wade was removed from the ballot in mid-September by the state Election Commission for failing to be a qualified elector of the state for four years.[6]
Two days after the election, Tollison switched parties.
| Mississippi State Senate General Election, 2011 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democrat | Gray Tollison Incumbent |
100% | 15,634 | |
| Total Votes | 15,634 | |||
2007
- See also: Mississippi State Senate elections, 2007
On November 6, 2007, Gray Tollison ran unopposed for District 9 of the Mississippi State Senate.[7]
Gray Tollison raised $6,200 for his campaign.[8]
| Mississippi Senate, District 9, 2007 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| Gray Tollison (D) | 11,648 | 100% | ||
Campaign finance summary
Ballotpedia currently provides campaign finance data for all federal- and state-level candidates from 2020 and later. We are continuously working to expand our data to include prior elections. That information will be published here as we acquire it. If you would like to help us provide this data, please consider donating to Ballotpedia.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Mississippi scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2019
In 2019, the Mississippi State Legislature was in session from January 8 through March 29.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business and economic issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2018, the Mississippi State Legislature was in session from January 2 through March 28.
|
2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2017, the Mississippi State Legislature was in session from January 3 through March 29. There was also a special session June 5.
|
2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2016, the Mississippi State Legislature was in session from January 5 through April 21.
|
2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2015, the Mississippi State Legislature was in session from January 6 through April 2.
|
2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2014, the Mississippi State Legislature was in session from January 7 through April 2.
|
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Tollison is married to his wife, Farish.
See also
- Mississippi State Legislature
- Mississippi State Senate
- Senate Committees
- Joint Committees
- Mississippi state legislative districts
External links
- Office website
- Official campaign website (Archived)
- Gray Tollison on Twitter
- Profile from Open States
- Legislative profile on Project Vote Smart
- Biography on Project Vote Smart
- Campaign Contributions: 2009, 2007, 2005, 2003, 1999
Footnotes
- ↑ WLBT, "State Sen. Tollison of Oxford jumps from D to R," November 10, 2011
- ↑ Re-Elect Gray Tollison, "On the Issues," accessed September 8, 2011
- ↑ Mississippi Secretary of State, "2015 Elections Calendar," accessed December 2, 2014
- ↑ http://www.sos.ms.gov/links/elections/results/statewide/MS%20Senate%20MULTI%20COUNTY%20-%20General%20Election%202011%20Results.pdf
- ↑ Mississippi Department of State, "2011 Official State Senate Candidate List," accessed April 2, 2015
- ↑ NEMS, "Election Commission denies Wade ballot spot," September 14, 2011
- ↑ Mississippi Secretary of State, "Mississippi State Senate official election results for 2007," accessed April 2, 2015
- ↑ Follow the Money's report on Tollison's 2007 campaign contributions
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
Mississippi State Senate District 9 1996–2020 |
Succeeded by Nicole Boyd (R) |
