By Rachel Kapochunas, CQ Staff

Financial frontrunners in Mississippi’s crowded 1st District and 3rd District primary races became apparent this week when candidates filed pre-primary disclosure reports with the Federal Election Commission.

Candidates are competing on March 11 for two rare open seats: the 1st District, formerly held by Republican Rep. Roger Wicker , who was appointed to succeed Trent Lott in the Senate; and the 3rd District, which Republican Rep. Charles W. “Chip” Pickering Jr. has chosen to leave open in January. CQ Politics rates both seats Safe Republican.

A special election in the northern 1st District is scheduled for April 22 to choose a temporary successor who will serve until January 2009.

In the 1st District, former Tupelo mayor Glenn L. McCullough Jr. raised the most among Republicans: $334,000 through Feb. 20. Democratic Prentiss County Chancery Clerk Travis W. Childers raised the most for his party, $182,000, $103,000 of which came from personal loans.

In the 3rd District, which stretches diagonally from the state’s southwest corner to the East-central border, financial services businessman David Landrum contributed more than $400,000 to his campaign through Feb. 20, for a total of $943,000 raised.

Candidates for all Mississippi primaries were required to file reports Feb. 28. All House candidates must file electronic reports to the FEC when they’ve received or made expenditures in excess of $50,000 in a calendar year. Candidates whose reports were immediately available online Feb. 29 appear below. Totals are through Feb. 20:

1st District:

Republicans

• Glenn L. McCullough Jr., former Tupelo mayor, raised $334,000 and reported $191,000 on hand.

• Greg Davis, mayor of Southaven, raised $252,000 and reported $61,000 on hand.

• Randy Russell, ophthalmologist, raised $161,000* and reported $80,000 on hand.

*Personal contributions from the candidate accounted for $80,000 in receipts.

Democrats

• Travis W. Childers, Prentiss County Chancery Clerk, raised $182,000* and reported $119,000 on hand.

*Personal contributions from the candidate accounted for $103,000 in receipts.

3rd District:

Republicans

• David Landrum, financial services businessman, raised $943,000* and reported $90,000 on hand.

*Personal contributions from the candidate accounted for $410,000 in receipts.

• Charlie Ross, former state Senator, raised $469,000* and reported $88,000 on hand.

*Personal contributions from the candidates accounted for $7,000 in receipts.

• Gregg Harper, former Rankin County GOP chairman, raised $208,000 and reported $47,000 on hand.

• John Rounsaville, former state rural development director for the USDA and former Pickering deputy House chief of staff, raised $204,000 and reported $111,000 on hand.

• Greg Hatcher, museum secretary/treasurer and consultant, raised $4,000* and reported $800 on hand.

*Personal contributions from the candidate accounted for $3,500 in receipts.