On December 31, thirteen days after Lott's resignation, Governor Haley Barbour appointed U.S. Representative Roger Wicker.

[7][8] Hood argued the date of the special election to be March 11, the same day as Mississippi's presidential primary.

[11] On February 6, 2008, after Barbour appealed to the Mississippi Supreme Court, which reversed Judge Delaughter and ruled that the non-partisan special election may be held on November 4.

Former Governor Ronnie Musgrove, former U.S. Representative and Secretary of Agriculture Mike Espy, former Jackson mayor Harvey Johnson, Jr., former Governor Ray Mabus, and former Mississippi Attorney General Mike Moore were all considered potential Democratic candidates.

Former congressman Ronnie Shows also decided to run, but withdrew on February 19, 2008, after determining that he could not raise enough funds to effectively campaign against Wicker and Musgrove.