Barbara Blanton

Barbara Lene Blanton (nee Yarbrough, born September 8, 1937) is an American politician from Mississippi. She represented Rankin County in the Mississippi State Senate from 1988 to 1992 and was an unsuccessful candidate for Secretary of State of Mississippi in 1995.

Early life and career Barbara Lean Yarbrough was born on September 8, 1937, in Crystal Springs, Mississippi, to Clarence Yarbrough and grew up on a farm near Terry, Mississippi. She graduated from Terry High School and then attended Hinds Junior College, where she met and married her husband, Terrell D. "Ted" Blanton circa 1957. She later attended Millsaps College, graduating in 1976.

Blanton ran for re-election in 1991, but lost to Dean Kirby in the Republican primary: Blanton received 3,915 votes, while Kirby received 5,073 votes. The Senate districts were redrawn in 1992, prompting a new election for the remainder of the term. Blanton spent almost $21,655 on her campaign for re-election, with all but $500 being from her own money. Kirby spent $4,819 on his campaign with $3,950 coming from contributions and less than $1000 from his own money. However, she lost the general election to Democrat Eric Clark. Clark received 416,397 votes or 61% of the total, while Blanton received 266,834 votes or 39% of the total.