Miss. OD wins special election

David Parker, O.D. (R), Mississippi Senate District 19, won a special election Nov. 27. Dr. Parker ran on Nov. 7 to fill a vacant Senate seat in a special election set to coincide with the general election.

There is no primary for special elections in Mississippi, where all candidates run without party identification.

Dr. Parker, as one of the top two vote getters on Nov. 7, advanced to a runoff scheduled for Nov. 27. Dr. Parker won the special election with 62 percent of the vote.

In 2013, 11 optometrists will serve in the following elected state offices:

• Senator/four optometrists (two new, two continuing)
• Representative/six optometrists (all six continuing)
• State Insurance Commissioner/one optometrist (winning his fourth four-year term).