Mississippi
Ezell endorsed, Palazzo seeks debate in Mississippi race
Republican Sheriff Mike Ezell, of Jackson County, photographed at a celebration discussion board in Carriere, Miss., Might 19, 2022, is one in every of a number of candidates difficult incumbent U.S. Rep. Steven Palazzo, R-Miss., within the celebration’s 2022 Fourth Congressional District Main, June 7. (AP Photograph/Rogelio V. Solis)
AP
JACKSON, Miss.
A sheriff who’s attempting to unseat a six-term Mississippi congressman picked up assist Thursday from all of the candidates eradicated on this week’s first spherical of Republican main voting.
Later within the day, Rep. Steven Palazzo dismissed the endorsements of Jackson County Sheriff Mike Ezell and mentioned he desires to debate Ezell earlier than the June 28 main runoff in south Mississippi’s 4th District.
“It’s not surprising that native politicians who ran in opposition to me within the first main are endorsing our opponent,” Palazzo mentioned in a press release.
Palazzo — who had confronted an ethics investigation over marketing campaign spending after the 2020 race — declined to participate in candidate boards earlier than Tuesday’s six-person main. He acquired about 32% of the votes and Ezell acquired about 25%, in response to uncertified outcomes.
Three of the 5 Republicans who completed behind Palazzo and Ezell on Tuesday appeared Thursday in Gulfport with Ezell to announce their assist of him. One despatched a consultant to announce the previous candidate’s assist of Ezell, and the opposite confirmed his assist in a name with the sheriff, the Solar Herald reported.
“We deserve higher than what we have now,” mentioned Clay Wagner, a retired banker who positioned third within the main.
State Sen. Brice Wiggins, who completed fourth, mentioned 68% of the individuals who solid ballots voted in opposition to Palazzo and “that’s a mandate for change.”
Palazzo, now 52, was first elected to the U.S. Home in 2010. In his assertion Thursday, he mentioned of Ezell: “A 65-year previous freshman in Congress shouldn’t be going to have the ability to get executed for Mississippi what I can as a subcommittee chairman on Appropriations with seniority within the Home.”
Ezell has mentioned Palazzo is ineffective in representing south Mississippi, and he has criticized Palazzo for proxy voting — the apply of not exhibiting up in individual to solid votes within the Home however permitting one other member to solid a vote in his place.
The Republican nominee will advance to the final election poll to face Democrat Johnny DuPree and a Libertarian candidate, Alden Patrick Younger.