(AP) — The last Republican who lost a general election for Mississippi governor is endorsing the Democratic nominee in this year's race. “It’s a big deal for me as a former Republican member of Congress and as a former Republican nominee for governor to vote for a Democrat,” Parker said. Parker was the Republican nominee for governor in 1999, and lost a close race to Democrat Ronnie Musgrove, who was lieutenant governor. The 1999 governor's race had to be decided in the Mississippi House because neither Musgrove nor Parker fulfilled the two requirements to win the race, which also had two little-known candidates. Republicans have controlled the Mississippi House since 2012.

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Persons: JACKSON, Brandon Presley's, Mike Parker, Presley, Tate Reeves, “, ” Parker, Brandon Presley, he’s, Brandon, ” Presley, Black, Parker, Ronnie Musgrove, Reeves, Clifton Carroll, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, ”, Donald Trump, Trump, Musgrove, Gwendolyn Gray, Republican Haley Barbour, Barbour, Republican Phil Bryant Organizations: Republican, Mississippi, Democratic, U.S . Rep, Gov, Democrat, Republicans, Democrats, GOP, U.S . House, Trump, Mississippi House Locations: Miss, Mississippi, Summit