Stevenson announces GOP challenge in Senate District 1
June 4, 2025 – Earlier this week, it was intimated that the Aug. 5 Republican primary election in Senate District 1 would quickly become a contested race. We now know that the primary will be at least a two-man run for that party’s nomination toward the November special general election.
Hernando businessman Jon Stevenson announced that he has filed to challenge incumbent state Sen. Michael McLendon in the District 1 Republican primary. Wednesday, Stevenson made his filing announcement official.
Senate District 1 is the new district drawn on approval of a federal three-judge panel to satisfy a successful lawsuit by the Mississippi NAACP, initially started in 2022 and settled earlier this year. The district includes DeSoto and Tate counties.
McLendon has already announced his candidacy for reelection. June 9 is the deadline for filing qualifying papers.
“As a husband, father, and man of deep Christian faith, I believe our community deserves a principled voice who will fight for our values, grow our local economy, and protect our way of life,” said Stevenson in a news release. “District 1 deserves more than business as usual in Jackson—we need bold, local leadership that delivers real results for our families, our jobs, and our future.”
Stevenson is a former All-American football center for the Alabama Crimson Tide, winning one SEC Championship game and one National Championship. After graduation, Jon went on to create his first company with his brother, called Treadmill Doctor. Over 25 years later, he now employs more than 50 people in the Hernando area through his various businesses.
Among Stevenson’s business holdings are Stevenson & Co. Homes, a DeSoto County-based development firm specializing in high-quality, energy-efficient homes. Stevenson and his brother are also among the ownership group of the Hernando Golf and Racquet Club. Jon is also among the members of the DeSoto County Economic Council Board of Directors.
In politics, Stevenson has served as the finance chairman of the DeSoto County GOP and vice president of the DeSoto Republican Club. Additionally, he is associated with the DeSoto Integrity and Government Political Action Committee, known as DIG PAC.
Stevenson says he brings to the race a record of real-world business experience, community involvement, and a deep commitment to conservative principles. He said the campaign will focus on meeting voters where they are—on their front porches, at church, and at small-town diners—because that’s where the future of Mississippi is being shaped.
The winner of the November general election will serve the remaining two years of what would have been a four-year term before the successful redistricting lawsuit challenge.
