A Republican candidate appears to have quietly withdrawn fromthe race for representative of House District 53, according to areport lodged with the Secretary of State’s office.

Caruther Whitehorn, of Bogue Chitto, filed a campaign financetermination report with the state office on May 17.

According to David Roberts of the Secretary of State’s office,the termination report means Whitehorn can no longer acceptcontributions or spend any money on her campaign.

Caruther’s campaign finance report filed in May showed she hadnot received or spent any money in her bid for the office.

“She had neither received nor spent any monies on her campaignat that time,” Roberts said, refering to the filing of thetermination report.

Whitehorn, who has not campaigned heavily, has made no formalannouncement of her withdrawal. She was unavailable for commentFriday morning.

“We have not received any kind of official notification fromher, but the letter of termination would indicate a withdrawal,”said Kim Gallaspy, executive director of the Mississippi RepublicanParty.

Whitehorn’s withdrawal would leave Richard “Ricky” Bakerunopposed for the Republican nomination. Baker would then faceincumbent Democrat Rep. Bobby Moak, who is unopposed, in theNovember general election.

In other campaign news, all legislative candidates filed theirfinancial reports for May by the Tuesday deadline, although acomputer problem at the Secretary of State’s office delayed theposting of Baker’s report.

“He was not late. His report is here,” Roberts said. “We justhad a problem getting it on the website.”

He said the report should be posted “soon.”

According to a copy of Baker’s finance report obtained by TheDAILY LEADER, Baker received more than $12,500 in contributionsduring May, boosting his total campaign chest to more than$21,800.

“We have been pleased by the diversity of our contributions,”Baker said. “I think we have a real broad base of support.”

Baker’s contributions vastly outstrip those received by hisopponent. During the same period, according to Moak’s report, hereceived $3,200 in donations, lifting his total campaigncontributions to more than $5,000.

Baker has also spent much more of his campaign chest than Moak.Baker reported spending more than $10,860 in May and more than$16,300 total on his campaign. Moak does not report spending anyfunding on his campaign to date.

“Most of it has been spent on flyers, media advertising, directmail and other printed materials,” Baker said. “We’re just startingto introduce me to the people of the district. We’re trying to getmy name out to the public.”

Moak was unavailable for comment Friday morning.

In House District 92, incumbent Dr. Jim Barnett, in his firstelection bid as a Republican after three full terms as a Democrat,and Democratic challenger F.C. “Buddy” Turpin have both filed theirreports.

Barnett reports receiving $11,350 in contributions during hiscampaign, with $5,450 of that received in May. He spent nearly$2,000 of his total campaign costs of more than $2,550 in May.

Turpin reports no contributions and only $203 in expenditures todate on his campaign, with none in May.

In Senate Dist. 39, former Democratic Senator W.L. Rayborn hasoutspent his opponent, incumbent Democrat Cindy Hyde-Smith, in hisbid to reclaim his office.

Rayborn has not received any contributions, but spent nearly$800 in May on his campaign. He has spent more than $5,100 to dateon his campaign.

Hyde-Smith reported receiving $6,250 in contributions andspending nearly $4,000 on her campaign to date, but shows noactivity for May.