Tennessee election brings back Mississippi memory

You may be aware of today’s special election for the U.S. House in Tennessee’s Seventh Congressional District. It’s getting plenty of attention because the race between a Democrat and a Republican is believed to be much closer in a district that usually goes big for the GOP.

Chris Cillizza’s preview of this election included a look back by Decision Desk HQ of previous congressional special elections, and it included a huge upset locally in 2008 that got a lot of attention at the time. That’s when Prentiss County Chancery Clerk Travis Childers, a Democrat, defeated Southaven Mayor Greg Davis, a Republican, for the U.S. House seat in North Mississippi. The seat in Mississippi’s First Congressional District came open when Representative Roger Wicker was selected to replace Senator Trent Lott, who had retired.

Even if the Democrat wins the special election in Tennessee, it still would not be as big of an upset as Childers defeating Davis 17 years ago to represent the region in Congress.

We may get wet next week

The Climate Prediction Center on Monday said there is a 40 to 60 percent risk of heavy rainfall for Mississippi during the middle of next week.

That risk also includes west Alabama, west Tennessee, most of Arkansas, southeast Oklahoma, east Texas and all of Louisiana.

As you can see below, there is an area beyond that with a slight risk of heavy rainfall from Tuesday through Saturday of next week.

Big news in SEC baseball

From ESPN’s Pete Thamel: Tennessee baseball coach Tony Vitello is finalizing a deal to become the next manager of the San Francisco Giants, sources tell me and ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Vitello, 47, will be the first ever to jump from college coach to MLB manager without any professional experience.