Published: November 17, 2009 10:31 am      

2 vie for Miss. House seat in coastal district

BILOXI — A nonpartisan special election Tuesday will determine whether Patrick Collins of Gulfport or Scott DeLano of Biloxi will serve in the Mississippi House of Representatives.

The winner will succeed Republican Michael Janus, who stepped down in September to become city manager in D’Iberville. Janus had served in the House 13 years.

DeLano is a 38-year-old developer from a prominent family in the Gulf Coast real estate business.

Collins is a 45-year-old employee of a local engineering firm and has been a planner for the city of Gulfport and the Gulf Regional Planning Commission. Collins ran against Janus in 2003 and 2007.

House District 117 covers parts of western Biloxi and eastern Gulfport.