Mississippi
Mississippi holds primaries for 4 seats in the US House and 1 in the Senate
JACKSON, Miss. — Mississippians head to the polls with party primaries for all four of the state’s U.S. House seats and one U.S. Senate seat.
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CDT Tuesday. If runoff elections are needed, they will be held April 2. The general election is Nov. 5.
Here’s a look at the candidates who are vying for the nominations.
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HOUSE DISTRICT 1
Rep. Trent Kelly is unopposed for the Republican nomination in north Mississippi’s 1st Congressional District. He is a former district attorney and has been in the House since winning a 2015 special election. Kelly is a member of the House Armed Services Committee.
Dianne Dodson Black and Bronco Williams are competing in the Democratic primary.
Black is a business owner and was the Democratic nominee in the 1st District in 2022. She says she wants to support President Joe Biden’s economic policies, restore abortion rights and limit access to semi-automatic rifles.
Williams, a theater and Spanish teacher, says he wants the U.S. to invest in alternative energy sources, improve transportation and increase access to health care.
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HOUSE DISTRICT 2
Rep. Bennie Thompson is unopposed for the Democratic nomination in the 2nd Congressional District, which encompasses most of the city of Jackson and rural areas in the Delta and along the Mississippi River. Thompson has been in the House since he won a 1993 special election. He is the ranking Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee.
The three candidates in the Republican primary are Ron Eller, Andrew Scott Smith and Taylor Turcotte.
Eller is a military veteran and physician assistant who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination in the 2nd District in 2022. He says he supports construction of a U.S.-Mexico border wall and expansion of domestic energy production.
Smith has worked in farming and commercial real estate. He says he wants to rejuvenate agriculture, rebuild infrastructure, reinforce the southern U.S. border and require more transparency in government.
Turcotte has worked in advertising and as a regional sales manager for a vacuum cleaner company. She says she is running because she wants to secure the U.S. borders.
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HOUSE DISTRICT 3
Republican Rep. Michael Guest is unopposed in the primary and the general election in central Mississippi’s 3rd Congressional District. Guest is a former district attorney who was first elected to the U.S. House in 2018. He is chairman of the House Ethics Committee and vice chairman of the Homeland Security Committee.
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HOUSE DISTRICT 4
Rep. Mike Ezell faces two challengers in the Republican primary in south Mississippi’s 4th Congressional District.
Ezell is a former sheriff and was first elected to the House in 2022. He has voted to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and to end U.S. military assistance to Ukraine. Former President Donald Trump endorsed him this year.
Carl Boyanton and Michael McGill are challenging Ezell in the Republican primary.
Boyanton has owned a produce distribution company. He ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for the 4th District U.S. House seat in 2020 and 2022. He says he wants to enact term limits, eliminate some federal agencies and limit government spending.
McGill is a military veteran. He says he wants to improve power grids, highways and other infrastructure, increase funding for mental health services and eliminate pay disparities between women and men.
Craig Elliot Raybon is unopposed for the Democratic nomination in the 4th District.
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Mississippi
Voters will choose judges for Mississippi's top courts in runoff elections
JACKSON, Miss. — Mississippi voters will decide winners for one seat on the state Supreme Court and one on the state Court of Appeals.
Runoff elections are Tuesday between candidates who advanced from the Nov. 5 general election. Polls are open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. central.
Voter turnout typically decreases between general elections and runoffs, and campaigns say turnout could be especially challenging two days before Thanksgiving.
Supreme Court
Supreme Court Justice Jim Kitchens is seeking a third term and is challenged by state Sen. Jenifer Branning.
They are running in District 1, also known as the Central District, which stretches from the Delta region through the Jackson metro area and over to the Alabama border.
Branning received 42% in the first round of voting, and Kitchens received 36%. Three other candidates split the rest.
Mississippi judicial candidates run without party labels, but Democratic areas largely supported Kitchens on Nov. 5 and Republican ones supported Branning.
Branning is endorsed by the state Republican Party. She calls herself a “constitutional conservative” and says she opposes “liberal, activists judges” and “the radical left.”
Kitchens is the more senior of the Court’s two presiding justices, putting him next in line to serve as chief justice. He is endorsed by the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Action Fund, which calls itself “a catalyst for racial justice in the South and beyond.”
In September, Kitchens sided with a man on death row for a murder conviction in which a key witness recanted her testimony. In 2018, Kitchens dissented in a pair of death row cases dealing with the use of the drug midazolam in state executions.
Court of Appeals
The Court of Appeals runoff is in District 5 in the southeastern corner of the state, including the Gulf Coast.
Amy St. Pe’ and Jennifer Schloegel advanced to the runoff from a three-way contest, with St. Pe’ receiving 35% of the vote on Nov. 5 and Schloegel receiving 33%. The runoff winner will succeed Judge Joel Smith, who did not seek reelection.
St. Pe’ is a municipal judge in Gautier. Schloegel is a chancery court judge in Hancock, Harrison and Stone counties.
Mississippi
VIDEO: Jeff Lebby Pre-Ole Miss
It’s Egg Bowl week! Regardless of how the rest of the season has gone, Mississippi State has the opportunity to go into the off-season with some momentum and a win over bitter rival Ole Miss. The Rebels are 8-3 this season, but are coming off a 24-17 loss Saturday at Florida.
Coach Jeff Lebby spoke with members of the media Monday, to talk about where Mississippi State is heading into the Egg Bowl on Black Friday.
Mississippi
Burford Electric Service expanding in Lowndes County | Mighty Mississippi
- Electromechanical repair company creating 14 jobs
- Project represents corporate investment of over $3.5 million
Jackson, Miss. (November 25, 2024) – Burford Electric Service is expanding in Columbus. The project is a $3.55 million corporate investment and will create 14 jobs.
Founded in 1959, Burford Electric Service is a third-generation family-owned Mississippi business that specializes in electromechanical repair and replacement solutions, including electric motor repair and pump repair, for customers in the Southeast. For the expansion, the company is constructing 15,000 square feet of additional manufacturing space with larger crane capacity to meet an increase in customer demand for large industrial needs.
Mississippi Development Authority is providing assistance through the Mississippi Flexible Tax Incentive, or MFLEX, program. Lowndes County and the city of Columbus also are assisting with the project.
Burford Electric Service expects to fill the 14 new jobs over the next five years.
QUOTES
“It is always exciting to see long-standing Mississippi companies grow right here at home. Burford Electric Service’s expansion is another example of how Mississippi’s business climate and pro-business policies encourage companies not only to remain in Mississippi, but also to invest in our state and in our people. I wish the Burford Electric team another 65 years of success in Lowndes County.” – Gov. Tate Reeves
“In Mississippi, we are committed to maintaining a favorable and supportive business environment that empowers our homegrown businesses to grow. Burford Electric’s expansion exemplifies that commitment. Mississippi has had a tremendous year for economic development, with billions of dollars invested and thousands of jobs created in our communities. Burford Electric’s growth in Columbus continues that trend while letting other companies know Mississippi is a top place for business.” – Mississippi Development Authority Executive Director Bill Cork
“We’re honored to expand our footprint in Columbus and build on the foundation my grandparents Tolbert and Margaret Burford established in 1959. As a third-generation family-owned business, this $3.55 million investment reflects both our commitment to serving the Southeast and our dedication to carrying forward the values that have sustained us for over 60 years. The additional 15,000 square feet of manufacturing space and increased crane capacity will allow us to meet the growing needs of our industrial customers while creating 14 new jobs in the community. We’re grateful for the support from the Mississippi Development Authority, Golden Triangle Development LINK and the city of Columbus, which has made this expansion possible. This is an exciting step forward for Burford Electric, our family and the communities we’re proud to serve.” – Burford Electric Service President/Owner Jonathan Robinson
“It’s great to see a family-owned, local business like Burford Electric Service expanding right here in Lowndes County. Their growth is a direct response to the increase in industrial activity in our area, and it shows how our local companies are rising to meet new demand. Burford’s investment in Columbus is a testament to the strength of our community and workforce. We’re excited to see the impact this expansion will have.” – Joe Max Higgins, CEO, Golden Triangle Development LINK
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