JACKSON, Miss. — Longtime state Rep. Jeff Smith of Columbus switched to the Republican Party just before Wednesday's qualifying deadline for legislative races, and he said he still plans to run for the open spot of Mississippi House speaker in January. Smith has served in the House for 20 years as a conservative Democrat and unsuccessfully challenged populist Democrat Billy McCoy of Rienzi for the speakership in January 2008 — a nail-biter of a contest that McCoy won by a 62-60 vote. McCoy announced last week that he won't seek re-election to the Legislature, and his decision opened a race...