Mississippi
Bobby Harrison: Mississippi Democrats hope they are not saying ‘if’ again after midterm elections
“If” has often been the refrain for many Mississippi Democrats after losing statewide elections, as they have done with regularity since 2003.
“If we only had a candidate who could energize true Democrats to the polls, we could win those statewide elections,” is a paraphrase of the full refrain.
That “if” has to be in the back of Lowndes County District Attorney Scott Colom’s mind as the Democrat campaigns to upend incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in the November midterm election.
In short, what Colom has to ponder is some people’s belief that a lot of Mississippians support many of the principles of national Democrats but are not voting because Mississippi candidates generally avoid those issues or campaign with a more conservative bent.
Colom’s already herculean task is made even more difficult by the fact that independent Ty Pinkins, a former Democrat, is also in the race and could possibly siphon votes from him.
Colom, obviously, needs every Democratic vote in his bid to upset Hyde-Smith and become the first Democratic senator from Mississippi since the 1980s and the first Black Mississippi senator since the 1800s.
Recent Democratic campaigns
Former Attorney General Jim Hood, the last Mississippi Democrat to win a statewide election, was accused of not embracing his party as he campaigned with his hunting dog, rifle and pickup truck in his 2019 loss to Republican Tate Reeves in the governor’s race.
After the 2023 election, former Northern District Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley faced much of the same criticism after his unsuccessful attempt to defeat Reeves. Most would concede that Presley ran closer to the national Democratic Party than did Hood.
The results, though, were close to the same.
In his 2020 campaign against Hyde-Smith, former U.S. Rep. Mike Espy came closer to running as a national Democrat than both Presley and Hood. For that effort, Espy garnered more votes than any Democrat in a statewide campaign since Bill Waller in his victorious 1971 gubernatorial race.
But Espy garnered a lower percentage of votes in a higher-turnout election than did Hood or Moore.
In 2019, Reeves defeated Hood 52% to 47%, or by a little more than 45,000 votes. In a lower-turnout election four years later, Reeves beat Presley 51% to 48%, or by fewer than 27,000 votes.
In the 2020 Senate election, Hyde-Smith won 54% to 44%, or by fewer than 131,000 votes in the highest turnout election in the state’s history. Remember, Espy garnered more votes than any Democrat since Waller in the 1971 gubernatorial election.
What the numbers mean for midterm election
Based on the numbers, can the argument be confirmed that some Mississippians are sitting at home on election day who could sway the election to a Democrat if they could be inspired to go to the polls?
In considering that question, it is important to keep in mind that Mississippi is generally near the bottom each election cycle in terms of voter participation.
According to the University of Florida Election Lab, nationally 66.4% of eligible voters cast a ballot in 2020. That year 60.6% of eligible Mississippians did so.
If Mississippians had equaled that national participation in 2020, an additional 126,500 people would have voted.
If that had occurred and all the additional voters had cast Espy ballots, which of course would not have happened, he still would have lost to Hyde-Smith by about 5,000 votes.
But that was a presidential election, and by happenstance an election that set both a national and Mississippi record for the number of voters. A midterm election, such as the upcoming Colom vs. Hyde-Smith contest, is a different story. The turnout will be much lower – perhaps closer to a Mississippi gubernatorial turnout.
In that instance, new voters perhaps could make a difference for Colom if – there is that word again – he could equal Presley’s or even Hood’s performance.
Colom, though, must walk that fine line of attracting those mysterious hard-to-find Mississippi progressives while not scaring away moderate voters who might be considering him in the current political environment where Trump and the Republicans have lost some of their luster nationally and perhaps even in true-red Mississippi.
If – if – Colom could accomplish those goals, perhaps he could give Mississippi Democrats something to cheer about for the first time in a long time.
Bobby Harrison, Mississippi Today’s senior capitol reporter, covers politics, government and the Mississippi State Legislature. He can be reached at [email protected]
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
GULFPORT, Miss. (WLOX) — Gas prices in Mississippi have fallen ahead of the Fourth of July holiday weekend, with AAA reporting the average price for regular unleaded at $3.46 a gallon, down eight cents from last week.
Prices along the coast are even lower.
AAA spokesman Don Redman said the drop is tied to a decline in crude oil prices.
“We’ve definitely seen a decrease statewide,” Redman said.
Redman said lower crude oil prices can mean lower gas prices, since crude oil is used to make gasoline.
“When we were at the height of this war, we touched over $115 a barrel, but we’re currently looking at $70 a barrel and that absolutely has had an impact,” Redman said.
AAA said prices had been higher in recent weeks because of uncertainty in the global oil market, including the conflict in Iran.
Gulfport-area driver David Depreo said the lower prices are a welcome change from paying more than $3.50 a gallon.
“It sure is nice to see this,” Depreo said.
Depreo said the higher prices had taken a financial toll on his family.
“It’s put pressure on everybody. I’m retired, but I have younger children with kids and it’s a struggle for them,” Depreo said.
He said the savings will add up at the pump.
“I’m gonna probably save $10–$15. I fill up every half a tank and keep a full tank,” Depreo said.
Redman said drivers are not out of the woods yet.
“I think we’re always going to be in a state of flexibility in terms of prices and seeing that light at the end of the tunnel really will come when a permanent treaty is signed with Iran,” Redman said.
AAA expects more than 60 million Americans to hit the road this holiday weekend.
See a spelling or grammar error in this story? Report it to our team HERE.
Copyright 2026 WLOX. All rights reserved.
Supreme Court allows late-arriving mail-in ballots
The Supreme Court is upholding Mississippi’s rule to count mail-in ballots received within five days after Election Day, halting Trump’s attack on voting by mail.
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Supreme Court backed on Monday state laws that allow mail-in ballots received after Election Day to be counted, rejecting a Republican-led challenge to a five-day grace period in Mississippi and dealing a setback to President Donald Trump.
The justices in a 5-4 ruling overturned a lower court’s decision that had deemed Mississippi’s law inconsistent with U.S. statutes that set the timing of federal elections – for the presidency, Senate and House of Representatives. Trump last year vowed to end the use of mail-in ballots nationwide before this November’s congressional elections, when his fellow Republicans are seeking to retain control of Congress.
The court has a 6-3 conservative majority. Conservative Chief Justice John Roberts and fellow conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined the court’s three liberals in the majority. Barrett wrote the opinion.
Conservative Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh dissented from the decision.
Mississippi’s law permits mail-in ballots to be counted if they were postmarked on or before Election Day but received up to five business days after a federal election. Absentee voting by mail in Mississippi is limited to a few categories of voters including people age 65 and above, the disabled and those living away from home.
About 30 states and the District of Columbia accept at least some ballots that are postmarked on or before Election Day but received afterward.
The Republican National Committee, the Mississippi Republican Party and other plaintiffs filed a lawsuit in 2024 seeking to invalidate Mississippi’s law.
Trump’s administration backed the challenge. Restricting mail-in ballots would stand to disproportionately benefit Republicans given that Democratic voters traditionally have been more likely to use mail-in ballots than Republican voters.
After the ruling, Trump again called on Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, a partisan federal elections bill that would require photo identification to vote and proof of citizenship to register to vote. Republicans have been unable to overcome Democratic opposition in the U.S. Senate, where 60 votes are required to advance most legislation in the 100-seat chamber. Republicans hold a 53-47 Senate majority.
“In light of the tremendous loss in the Supreme Court today concerning Voter’s Rights, and the fact that ‘people’s’ votes are allowed to be counted LONG AFTER an Election is over, it is more important than ever to pass THE SAVE AMERICA ACT,” Trump wrote.
Trump added, “There is only one reason to oppose — CHEATING!”
Democrats have accused Trump of seeking measures that would make it harder for people to vote, especially groups that tend to favor Democratic candidates
A skeptical view
Republicans have taken a skeptical view toward mail-in ballots. Trump has sought to cast doubt on the security of these ballots, although evidence of voter fraud is rare. Trump issued an executive order in March to restrict mail-in ballots nationwide, but a federal judge in Boston on June 25 blocked its implementation.
Trump has continued to make false claims of widespread voting fraud in the 2020 presidential election that he lost to Democrat Joe Biden.
During the first year of the COVID pandemic, the Republican-controlled Mississippi legislature in 2020 passed the law on mail-in voting on a bipartisan basis.
The New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in 2024 ruled in favor of the Republican challengers. It declared that the measure was preempted by federal laws setting Election Day for federal elections as the “day by which ballots must be both cast by voters and received by state officials.”
Federal law “does not permit the state of Mississippi to extend the period for voting by one day, five days or 100 days,” the 5th Circuit stated.
The 5th Circuit did not immediately block Mississippi’s procedures, but instead sent the case back to a trial judge for further review. The litigation was placed on hold pending the Supreme Court’s consideration.
During Supreme Court arguments in the case in March, some of the conservative justices expressed concerns that permissive mail-in ballot practices could cause the appearance of voter fraud. Some of the liberal justices said the arguments made by the challengers also would jeopardize the widespread practice of early voting prior to Election Day.
Though the 5th Circuit’s action applied only in the three states where the regional federal appeals court has jurisdiction — Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas — it called into question the voting practices in the other states with similar mail-in ballot policies.
The 5th Circuit’s decision would “override countless state laws from the past 165 years and largely require citizens to vote in person, on Election Day, in their home districts, without the secret-ballot system,” Mississippi said in its appeal.
Other election-related decisions
Acting in other election-related cases, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority in April gutted a key provision of the Voting Rights Act, blocking an electoral map that had given Louisiana a second Black-majority U.S. congressional district.
The ruling makes it harder for minorities to challenge electoral maps as racially discriminatory under the 1965 civil rights law and represented a victory for Louisiana Republicans and Trump’s administration.
That decision prompted several Republican-led states to pursue redrawn electoral maps ahead of the midterms in an effort to put at risk U.S. House seats considered safely Democratic-held.
Mississippi has no shortage of quarterback talent entering the 2026 high school football season. From proven 3,000-yard passers to explosive dual-threat playmakers and reigning state champions, the Magnolia State is loaded with signal-callers capable of carrying their teams deep into November.
As we gear up for the 2026 season, High School On SI will be exploring Mississippi’s top players at each position. Today, we start with our list of quarterback to watch, highlighting 10 of the best signal callers in the state.
Elite Passers
Smith Stringer, Presbyterian Christian School
In 2025, Stringer completed nearly 61 percent of his passes for 2,783 yards and 37 touchdowns. He threw just seven interceptions, and there were three games where he threw for over 300 yards. Stringer also added 144 yards on the ground with two touchdowns on 24 carries.
Kellen Hall, Oak Grove
Hall completed 64 percent of his passes for 2,709 yards and 34 touchdowns last season. He displayed excellent decision-making as well as he threw only four interceptions. On the ground, Hall rushed for 189 yards and one touchdown on 39 carries. Hall also put the entire state on notice last season with his 438-yard and six touchdown performance in the 57-54 loss to Starkville.
Gavin Ducksworth, Hattiesburg
In 2025, Ducksworth completed 67 percent of his passes for 2,581 yards and 27 touchdowns with five interceptions. Ducksworth had two games where he passed for over 400 yards, and he finished with a quarterback rating of 137.1.
The Dynamic Dual-Threats
Paris Trivillion, Pass Christian
Few quarterbacks in Mississippi are more dangerous with both their arm and legs than Trivillion. In two full years as a starter, Trivillion has passed for over 4,600 yards with 53 touchdowns and rushed for over 1,800 yards with 23 touchdowns. In his junior season, he completed nearly 53 percent of his passes for 2,570 yards with 34 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He also rushed for 1,120 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Kingston Johnson, Starkville
Johnson finished the season last year by completing 51 percent of his passes for 2,510 yards with 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also rushed for 488 yards and eight touchdowns. Johnson’s best game of the 2025 season came in the 57-54 win over Oak Grove. In that game, he passed for 486 yards and four touchdowns. Johnson also rushed for 92 yards and two touchdowns in the win.
Caiden Wade, Kosciusko
Like Trivillion, Wade returns as one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the state as he accounted for double-digit passing and rushing touchdowns. Through the air, Wade completed 60 percent of his passes for 2,402 yards and 22 touchdowns with only three interceptions. On the ground, Wade rushed the ball 107 times for 407 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Championship Leaders
Sullivan Reed, Lamar
The Mississippi State baseball commit has also shown he is one of the top quarterbacks in the state. Last season, Reed completed nearly 56 percent of his passes for 2,409 yards and 26 touchdowns to only seven interceptions. He added 334 more yards on the ground with six touchdowns.
Kross Avent, East Webster
Avent’s numbers might not jump off the stat sheet like some of the other signal callers on this list, but he displayed excellent decision making and leadership qualities as he helped the Wolverines capture the 2A state championship last year. He only completed 90 passes for the entire season, but in those 90 passes, he finished with 1,797 yards with 22 touchdowns. Avent averaged exactly 20 yards per completion which was one of the highest in the state. Lastly, he also rushed for 237 yards and three touchdowns.
Rising Stars
Brady Chancelor, Seminary
Chancelor emerged as one of the state’s top young quarterbacks by passing for over 3,400 yards. He also completed 65 percent of his passes and tossed 28 passing touchdowns. In 2026, he will look to further add to his run game as he rushed for two touchdowns in 2025.
Kobe Payne, Aberdeen
Last season, Payne completed 60.9 percent of his passes for 2,005 yards and 26 touchdowns with eight interceptions. He also rushed for 274 yards and seven touchdowns. His best two-game stretch of 2025 came in the wins over Humphreys County and Booneville. In these two games, Payne passed for 639 yards combined with eight touchdowns.
Follow
-
Dallas, TX2 minutes agoLIVE | Ivory Coast, Norway meet for World Cup knockout match at Dallas Stadium
-
Miami, FL7 minutes agoEvery Dolphins head coach’s start in Miami from worst to best
-
Boston, MA14 minutes agoHistorian clears up one of the biggest myths about the Boston Tea Party
-
Denver, CO17 minutes ago
Nemanja Jokic, the older brother of\u00a0Denver …
-
Seattle, WA22 minutes ago3 Seahawks Rookies Who Must Step Up Right Away
-
San Diego, CA29 minutes agoAdobe Falls: The elusive waterfall that briefly returns after San Diego rains
-
Milwaukee, WI32 minutes agoSteve Czaban returns with new home in Milwaukee sports-talk radio
-
Atlanta, GA37 minutes agoGolestan brings a taste of Persian home cooking to Peachtree Corners – Atlanta Magazine
