Deborah Dawkins
Prior offices
Mississippi State Senate District 48
Elections and appointments
Personal
Deborah Dawkins (Democratic Party) was a member of the Mississippi State Senate, representing District 48. Dawkins assumed office in 2000. Dawkins left office on January 7, 2020.
Dawkins (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the Mississippi State Senate to represent District 48. Dawkins lost in the Democratic primary on August 6, 2019.
Dawkins completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2019. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Dawkins attended the University of Texas and the London School of Economics, and earned her B.S. in business administration and marketing from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1995. Her professional experience includes working as a marketing consultant and surgical technician.
Committee assignments
2019-2020
Dawkins was assigned to the following committees:
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Dawkins served on the following committees:
2012-2013
In the 2012-2013 legislative session, Dawkins served on the following committees:
2010-2011
In the 2010-2011 legislative session, Dawkins served on these committees:
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2019
See also: Mississippi State Senate elections, 2019
General election
Democratic primary election
Republican primary election
2015
- See also: Mississippi State Senate elections, 2015
Elections for the Mississippi State Senate took place in 2015. A primary election was held on August 4, 2015, and the general election was held on November 3, 2015. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was February 27, 2015.[1] Incumbent Deborah Dawkins defeated Joseph Piernas Sr. in the Democratic primary. No Republican candidates filed for election. Dawkins defeated Crapps in the general election.
| Mississippi State Senate, District 48 General Election, 2015 |
| Party |
Candidate |
Vote % |
Votes |
| |
Democratic |
 Deborah Dawkins Incumbent |
53.5% |
4,997 |
| |
Republican |
Walter Crapps |
46.5% |
4,348 |
| Total Votes |
9,345 |
| Mississippi State Senate, District 48 Democratic Primary, 2015 |
| Candidate |
Vote % |
Votes |
|
Deborah Dawkins Incumbent |
65.2% |
1,900 |
| Joseph Piernas Sr. |
34.8% |
1,013 |
| Total Votes |
2,913 |
2011
- See also: Mississippi State Senate elections, 2011
Dawkins won re-election to the Mississippi Senate District 48. She ran unopposed in the primary on August 2, 2011. Ashley Skellie also ran unopposed in the Republican primary. Dawkins defeated Skellie in the general election on November 8, 2011.[2]
| Mississippi State Senate, District 48 General Election, 2011 |
| Party |
Candidate |
Vote % |
Votes |
| |
Democrat |
Deborah Dawkins Incumbent |
50.2% |
4,689 |
| |
Republican |
Ashley Skellie |
49.8% |
4,648 |
| Total Votes |
9,337 |
2007
- See also: Mississippi State Senate elections, 2007
On November 6, 2007, Deborah Dawkins ran for District 48 of the Mississippi State Senate, beating Ashley Skellie.[3]
Deborah Dawkins raised $38,452 for her campaign.[4]
| Mississippi Senate, District 48
|
| Candidates
|
Votes
|
Percent
|
| Deborah Dawkins (D)
|
4,707
|
53.2%
|
| Ashley Skellie (R)
|
4,145
|
46.8%
|
2019
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Deborah Dawkins completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2019. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Dawkins' responses.
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
My priorities are fully funding Public Education in our state, expanding Medicaid, and Healthcare for all the citizens of Mississippi.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I am personally passionate about Public Health because of my healthcare knowledge. Environmental issues are a big concern for me
Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?
Evelyn Gandy was a former Lt Governor of Mississippi. She was a smart woman with great courage
Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?
Rising Tide by John Barry is an incredible book that breaks down the politics of Mississippi
What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?
Strength of character is important for elected officials, along with a genuine desire to improve life for their constituents. My family has always had a commitment to public service.
What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?
As a result of my education
What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?
All legislators have statutorily created duties but I think there are implied duties that are just as important. Our constituents need us to represent them fairly but the *sqeaky wheel* gets the grease. It is necessary to prioritize problems frequently; right now flooding is a devastating problem for Mississippi. Next week it may be a spike in the opioid crisis that becomes critical. I cannot stress enough how important it is to stay flexible in this job.
What legacy would you like to leave?
Right now there are only 9 women out of 52 members serving in the Mississippi State Senate. This is the lowest percentage in the country. I support several women in the upcoming election
What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?
I was in junior high school when President John Kennedy was asassinated. It was the worst thing that I experienced in my life at that time.
What was your very first job? How long did you have it?
I was a pharmacy tech on weekends while I finished high school.
What happened on your most awkward date?
I couldn't possibly remember that.
What is your favorite holiday? Why?
Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday since it brings great memories of me with my family.
What is your favorite book? Why?
I already mentioned Rising Tide is my favorite book but since it is nonfiction, I will choose a work of fiction next. Geronimo Rex by Barry Hannah helped me acclimatize to Mississippi after moving here in 1981. Mr Hannah has passed away now but I'm still grateful for his part in my adjustment to the culture of Mississippi.
If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?
Johnny Appleseed (I make it my business to plant at least 1 tree every year).
What is your favorite thing in your home or apartment? Why?
My art - my art painted
What was the last song that got stuck in your head?
Cold Little Heart by M Kiwanuka
What is something that has been a struggle in your life?
Family issues
Every state besides Nebraska has two legislative chambers. What do you consider the most important differences between the legislative chambers in your state?
There are very few differences between House
What are the benefits and drawbacks of a unicameral state legislature, in your opinion?
I can't imagine that a unicameral would benefit the citizens of Mississippi. Like our Founding Fathers envisioned for our country, a bicameral Legislature is a part of checks
Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?
I know running a campaign is a valuable experience for any candidate
What do you perceive to be your state’s greatest challenges over the next decade?
The so-called leadership that has made campaign fund-raising a priority all mixed up with the legislative process is an outrage. This has hamstrung many legislators
What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and the state legislature?
I would prefer to see the legislative
Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.
Yes of course it is always best to get along with colleagues
What process do you favor for redistricting?
I prefer the legislative process to handle redistricting. I used to favor a separate commission to develop a redistricting plan but in the current climate, it has not worked well in other states.
If you are a current legislator, what appealed to you about your current committees?
I'm very knowledgeable about environmental issues so I feel it's important for me to serve on the Environmental Committee. I live in
If you are not currently a member of your party’s leadership in the legislature, would you be interested in joining the leadership? If so, in what role?
I am a member.
Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?
Representative Alyce Clark is a model for all of us. She is Great!
Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?
No *Higher* office for me.
Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?
It is very disturbing to hear from public school teachers how they are treated. They are professionals
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
- See also: State legislative scorecards and State legislative scorecards in Mississippi
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Mississippi scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2019
In 2019, the Mississippi State Legislature was in session from January 8 through March 29.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business and economic issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2018, the Mississippi State Legislature was in session from January 2 through March 28.
- Legislators are scored by the ACLU on their whether their votes on bills "promote racial, cultural, and economic justice."
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business and economic issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
|
2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2017, the Mississippi State Legislature was in session from January 3 through March 29. There was also a special session June 5.
- Legislators are scored by the ACLU on their whether their votes on bills "promote racial, cultural, and economic justice."
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business and economic issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
|
2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2016, the Mississippi State Legislature was in session from January 5 through April 21.
- Legislators are scored by the ACLU on their whether their votes on bills "promote racial, cultural, and economic justice."
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business and economic issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to education.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
|
2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2015, the Mississippi State Legislature was in session from January 6 through April 2.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business and economic issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
|
2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
|---|
|
In 2014, the Mississippi State Legislature was in session from January 7 through April 2.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business and economic issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on education bills.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
|
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Dawkins and her husband, Craig, have three children.
See also
External links
| Political offices
|
Preceded by
-
|
Mississippi State Senate District 48
2000–2020
|
Succeeded by
Mike Thompson (R)
|
Leadership
Senators
Republican Party (36)
Democratic Party (16)
