Republican Phil Bryant wins in Mississippi

JACKSON, Miss., Nov. 8 (UPI) -- Republican Paul Bryant was headed for victory Tuesday night in the Mississippi governor's race, leading Hattiesburg Mayor Johnny Dupree by 20 percentage points.

With 53 percent of the vote counted, Bryant, now lieutenant governor, had 60 percent of the vote to 40 percent for Dupree, WLOX-TV reported. Bryant seemed almost certain to replace Republican Gov. Haley Barbour.

Dupree, a Democrat, was the first black candidate nominated for a statewide office in Mississippi by a major party since Reconstruction. But he was an underdog throughout the race in a state where the Republican Party now dominates among white voters.