Southaven Mayor Greg Davis (R) held a substantial lead over two Republican opponents in a poll his campaign recently conducted in advance of the March 11 1st district GOP primary.

According to the poll of 300 likely primary voters taken Feb. 24-25 by Public Opinion Strategies, Davis was preferred by 45 percent, former Tupelo Mayor Glenn McCullough (R) got 27 percent and ophthalmologist Randy Russell (R) took 3 percent. The poll had a 6-point margin of error.

If no candidate tops 50 percent next Tuesday, the top two finishers advance to a Republican runoff on April 1.

The Davis campaign did not, however, say whether it had done any polling on the all-party special primary that is scheduled for April 22. In that vote, the Republicans will appear on the same ballot with several Democrats, including state Rep. Steve Holland and Prentiss County Chancery Clerk Travis Childers in the special election to replace former Rep. Roger Wicker (R), who was appointed to the Senate at the end of December. The Democrats also will have a primary on March 11 in advance of the November general election.
— Josh Kurtz