Mt Carmel Baptist Church, where he warned the congregation about the "devastation churning its way across the Gulf of Mexico." In the aftermath of the storm, the city lost power and water for several days. Due to the lack of a response from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the city under DuPree resorted to leasing essential equipment and goods on its own, items such as generators, which would normally be available through federal and state emergency services. Because of Hattiesburg's position as a regional hub and as the first major metropolitan area outside of New Orleans, the city was flooded with thousands of evacuees. In the immediate aftermath of the storm, DuPree's government worked to meet the needs of the displaced evacuees without assistance from federal agencies. In the weeks following Katrina, DuPree was a vocal critic of FEMA's inept performance and perceived indifference. Although the federal response to the Katrina disaster resulted in many high-profile accusations of racism, DuPree was among those who emphasized the role of income disparity. He also stated that "those charged with providing to those in need simply failed when called upon." Elections In the Democratic primary of the 2011 Mississippi gubernatorial election, DuPree faced businessman and future Clarksdale mayor Bill Luckett and two minor candidates. Despite a significant fundraising disadvantage, on August 23, 2011, DuPree defeated Luckett by 179,748 votes (43.6%) to 161,833 (39.2%). He lost to Republican nominee Phil Bryant in the general election on November 8, 2011. In his 2013 mayoral re-election bid, DuPree faced fourth ward councilman Dave Ware, a Republican who ran as an independent, along with three minor candidates. In the June 4 election, DuPree was believed to be the winner by 37 votes out of over 9,600 cast, but concerns were raised about possible voter fraud, eligibility of some voters, and the fact that the city clerk left ballots unsecured in city hall the night before the election. Ware filed an election challenge on June 24, and a special judge was appointed by the state Supreme Court to hear the case. The jury initially found in favor of Ware in a 9-3 vote, the bare minimum for a verdict, however after Judge William Coleman polled the jurors, the count shifted to 8-4 and a mistrial was declared. After a new election was ordered, another dispute arose over choosing replacements for two election commissioners who resigned. Ultimately, a