NU Online News Service, Nov. 9, 12:01 p.m.EST

Mississippi Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney has wonre-election with more than 60 percent of the vote.

Chaney, a Republican, defeated Democrat challenger Louis Fondrenand Barbara Washer of the Reform Party after voting Nov. 8 inMississipi.

About 62% of votes cast went to Chaney, according to the latesttally.

Chaney was first elected to the post in 2007, after serving seven years in the state House ofRepresentatives and eight years in the state Senate.

Since taking office, Chaney is credited with starting a windmitigation program for the Gulf Coast, and he worked to attractmore than 100 new companies to Mississippi.

Most recently, Chaney sparred with Allstate over homeowners' insurance rate hikes.Chaney denied the insurer's requests for 65 percent and 44 percentaverage increases before settling on a 19.4 percent increase.

Under Chaney, the Mississippi Insurance Department conducted a22-month investigation of State Farm's action following HurricaneKatrina in 2005.

Though the insurer made some mistakes, the report concludedState farm did not intentionally mistreat policyholder after thestorm.

The commissioner serves as the chairman of the NationalAssociation of Insurance Commissioners' Property and Casualty "C"Committee.