Mississippi
This week in politics: When MS judge races went apolitical, or did they? Plus, more updates
Read more on insurance commissioner, Grenada statue update
In this year’s judicial races, Mississippi politicians and at least one political party have thrown their two cents in on who they believe should be elected to the Mississippi Supreme Court.
And while the races are nonpartisan, and have been for just over 30 years, it has never stopped partisan groups from supporting a candidate who holds their values more so than others.
“I think (the change from partisan to nonpartisan elections) is one of the best things about our system” said Jim Kitchens, Mississippi Supreme Justice and Central District candidate, in an interview with the Clarion Ledger. “… But I haven’t seen any kind of judicial selection, whether it’s appointed, elected or some kind of variation that completely eliminates politics.”
Kitchens has also received donations from Mississippi Democrats, including Brandon Presley and endorsements from state party leaders, including Cheikh Taylor, a Mississippi House Representative from Starkville. Kitchens said the point in the 1990s was to remove aspects of politics from the equation and to some degree it has.
One of Kitchens’ toughest opponents, State Sen. Jenifer Branning, R-Philadelphia, has received donations from Republican support groups for top state GOP members, including House Speaker Jason White and Senate Finance Chairman Josh Harkins. Branning also received a donation from former Gov. Haley Barbour.
Read more about political donations to candidates here.
What donations have been given: How much cash MS judicial candidates raised before Nov. 5 election. What companies donated?
In the Mississippi Supreme Court race for the Southern District, incumbent Dawn Beam has also received an endorsement from the Mississippi GOP.
Before 1994, judges in Mississippi ran partisan races as Democrats, Republicans and others, but the Legislature, in an effort to bring impartiality and fairness to the court, passed legislation to end the practice that year. The only exception to the rule is justice court judge races, which are still partisan.
According to legal scholar and University of Minnesota Law Professor Herbert M. Kritzer’s book, “Judicial Selection in the States: Politics and the Struggle for reform,” in the 1970s, the state was ranked last on an index of legal professionalism and lawsuits pressuring the state to revise judicial districts to increase the number of Black judges pushed reform through in the early ’90s.
“It was actually Republicans who championed that change from partisan to nonpartisan elections,” Kitchens said.
Mike Chaney not the only one to ever advocate for his position to be appointed:
Chaney’s ask to lawmakers: Mississippi Insurance Commissioner wants his position to be appointed. Read why
On Oct. 23, Mississippi Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney asked Senate lawmakers to consider legislation to change his position from an elected to appointed.
As it happens, it wouldn’t be the first state position go down that road.
Below are a few of the other state positions that have been changed from elected to appointed, according to state historical records:
- State Superintendent was previously a statewide elected office, but in 1984, the Legislature voted to make it a State Board of Education appointment with consent of the Senate.
- Former Gov. William Winter was the state’s last elected tax collector after successfully lobbying for the position to be appointed. His term in that role ended in 1964.
- Before the Secretary of State’s Office absorbed the department, Mississippi had an independent Land Commission with a statewide elected commissioner. MSOS absorbed the commission in 1980 after the Legislature voted to abolish it in 1978.
- Prior to 1976, the position of Mississippi Supreme Court Clerk was a statewide elected position. In that year, it was changed so that the clerk is now appointed by the nine state supreme court justices.
Grenada Confederate statue update:
Details on Confederate statue lawsuit: Lawsuit threatens to change how MS towns can relocate Confederate statues. Read how
It appears that negotiations between the City of Grenada and two local residents over a dispute on where a 1910 confederate statue should be located have soured.
Last month, residents Susan Kirk and James Jones filed suit in circuit court to reverse a 2020 decision by the Grenada City Council to move the statue from the town’s courthouse square to behind a fire station.
Grenada Mayor Charles Latham and plaintiff attorney Don Barrett told the Clarion Ledger they had agreed to request the council vote to move the statue to a nearby Confederate cemetery, and by doing so, Kirk and Jones had agreed to withdraw the suit.
The vote was slated to take place on Oct. 14, but Latham said it was taken off of the council’s agenda and, due to the lawsuit, he was not allowed to speak on the situation.
On Oct. 18, the city’s attorney requested an extension of time lasting until Oct. 28 to file a response to the complaint.
The statue at the center of the lawsuit is also being kept in storage while litigation plays out. It is one of only three Confederate statues in Mississippi to have been moved from its original location.
Grant McLaughlin covers state government for the Clarion Ledger. He can be reached at gmclaughlin@gannett.com or 972-571-2335.
Mississippi State baseball is facing Lipscomb in the first game of the Starkville Regional in the NCAA Tournament on May 29 (1 p.m., ESPN+).
The Bulldogs (40-17) are the host and No. 14 national seed, and Lipscomb (29-24) is the No. 4 seed in the regional. It is the fourth time they’ve played each other this season, with MSU sweeping a March series at Dudy Noble Field.
Here is what to know about Lipscomb University.
Where is Lipscomb University?
Lipscomb is a private Christian school in Nashville, Tennessee. It is about a four-and-a-half-hour drive from Starkville.
Lipscomb University mascot
Lipscomb’s mascot is the Bisons.
What conference is Lipscomb in?
Lipscomb is in the Atlantic Sun Conference.
Lipscomb University enrollment
According to US News, Lipscomb has an undergraduate enrollment of 3,006 students and a 68% acceptance rate.
Lipscomb baseball coach
Jeff Forehand is Lipscomb’s baseball coach. He’s in his 20th season and has led Lipscomb to all four of its NCAA Tournament appearances in program history.
Starkville Regional schedule in 2026 NCAA baseball tournament
All games at Dudy Noble Field; double elimination format; game times in Central
Friday, May 29
- Game 1: Mississippi State vs. Lipscomb, 1 p.m. on ESPN+
- Game 2: Cincinnati vs. Louisiana, 6 p.m. on ESPN+
Saturday, May 30
- Game 3: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 3 p.m., TBA
- Game 4: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 8 p.m., TBA
Sunday, May 31
- Game 5: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 loser, 2 p.m., TBA
- Game 6: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 7 p.m., TBA
Monday, June 1
- Game 7 (if necessary): TBA
Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for The Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
OKLAHOMA CITY — Hoping to extend its season, Mississippi State softball will play No. 2 seed Texas in its second game at the Women’s College World Series.
The Bulldogs (43-20) will take on the reigning NCAA champion Longhorns (47-12) on May 29 (6 p.m. CT, ESPN) at Devon Park. The loser of the game will be eliminated from the tournament.
Mississippi State made it WCWS debut by falling 8-0 to No. 11 seed Texas Tech in five innings. Texas lost its opener 6-3 to No. 7 seed Tennessee.
Here’s what to know about the matchup.
Texas’ Katie Stewart was SEC’s Player of the Year
Texas’ Katie Stewart was selected as the best player in the SEC during 2026 and helped the Longhorns to a conference title. Stewart, catcher Reese Atwood and pitcher Teagan Kavan were named a second-team NFCA All-American.
Stewart ranks third in the SEC in batting average (.428), fourth in RBIs (72) and second in home runs (27) and on base percentage (.551).
Stewart was ineffective in the Longhorns’ WCWS loss to Tennessee. She went 0-for-3, striking out once and grounding out twice.
Atwood, who’s hitting .337 with 18 home runs and 59 RBIs, fared better against the Lady Vols, finishing 1-for-3 and scoring a run.
Texas’ Teagan Kavan has struggled in recent outings
Teagan Kavan (24-6, 2.54 ERA) has been one of the top pitchers in the nation in each of her three seasons at Texas, but she hasn’t quite looked like herself in some recent appearances.
Kavan started Games 1 and 2 of the super regionals against Arizona State and allowed 11 hits and six runs with four walks and five strikeouts in seven innings. She recovered to shut the Sun Devils out despite allowing five hits in Game 3.
Kavan again started for the Longhorns against Tennessee. Her outing lasted three innings and she gave up three hits and three runs.
Citlaly Gutierrez (9-3, 2.38 ERA) is Texas’ primary reliever and has appeared in four of the Longhorns’ seven NCAA Tournament games. She threw four innings vs. Tennessee, allowing three runs on four hits and a walk with two strikeouts.
Does Mississippi State have an ace up its sleeve?
Mississippi State elected to start Alyssa Faircloth (16-8, 2.61 ERA) in its WCWS opener and use Peja Goold (15-11, 2.45) in relief. Faircloth threw just 1⅓ innings, while Goold pitched for three.
Both could be options for the game against Texas, or Mississippi State could turn to breakout star Delainey Everett (3-1, 0.69 ERA).
Everett’s lone start this season was against Oklahoma in Game 3 of the super regionals. She gave the Sooners their first shutout since 2019 and held them to three hits.
Everett pitched four innings in Game 2 of last year’s regular season series against Texas. She gave up one run on two hits with four strikeouts in four innings as the Bulldogs’ starter in the 7-3 loss.
Mississippi State softball vs Texas WCWS prediction
Texas 3, Mississippi State 2: Even if the Bulldogs’ pitching staff can limit Texas, MSU’s offense seems to have cooled down considerably from its showing against Oklahoma in the super regionals.
2026 Women’s College World Series schedule
All times CT
- May 28
- Game 1: Texas Tech 8, Mississippi State 0
- Game 2: Tennessee 6, Texas 3
- Game 3: UCLA vs Alabama (6 p.m., ESPN2)
- Game 4: Arkansas vs Nebraska (8:30 p.m., ESPN2)
- May 29
- Game 5: Mississippi State vs Texas (6 p.m., ESPN2)
- Game 6: Game 3 loser vs Game 4 loser (8:30 p.m., ESPN2)
- May 30
- Game 7: Texas Tech vs Tennessee (2 p.m., ABC)
- Game 8: Game 3 winner vs Game 4 winner (6 p.m., ESPN)
- May 31
- Game 9: Game 5 winner vs Game 8 loser (2 p.m., ABC)
- Game 10: Game 6 winner vs Game 7 loser (6 p.m., ESPN2)
- June 1
- Game 11: Game 7 winner vs Game 9 winner (11 a.m., ESPN)
- Game 12 (if necessary): Game 7 winner vs Game 9 winner (1:30 p.m., ESPN)
- Game 13: Game 8 winner vs Game 10 winner (6 p.m., ESPN2)
- Game 14 (if necessary): Game 8 winner vs Game 10 winner (8:30 p.m., ESPN2)
- June 3
- Finals Game 1 (7 p.m., ESPN)
- June 4
- Finals Game 2 (7 p.m., ESPN)
- June 5
- If necessary, finals Game 3 (7 p.m., ESPN)
Tia Reid covers Jackson State sports for the Clarion Ledger. Email her at treid@usatodayco.com and follow her on X @tiareid65.
Check out how to watch the Gulf Breeze alum, who is part of a history making Mississippi State squad.
Blue Angels Super Hornet simulator unveiled at Naval Aviation Museum
Climb inside a Blue Angels F/A-18 Super Hornet with us and take off in the new Fly with the Blues simulator at the National Naval Aviation Museum.
The Women’s College World Series begins May 28, and the Pensacola area will be represented on the biggest stage.
Gulf Breeze alumna Leila Ammon is part of a Mississippi State squad making its first WCWS appearance in school history and has played a role in getting the Bulldogs there.
Below is how to watch Ammon play if you aren’t in Oklahoma City, as well as how Ammon is part of history at Mississippi State.
How to watch Mississippi State in the WCWS
When: May 28-June 4/5
Where: OG & E Energy Field at Devon Park, Oklahoma City
Broadcast: ABC and ESPN
Streaming: ESPN Unlimited, Fubo
Mississippi State will open up against Texas Tech on May 28 at 11 a.m. CT on ESPN. With a win, the Bulldogs will play the winner of Tennessee/Texas on May 30 at 2 p.m. CT on ABC. With a loss, they’ll play the loser of Tennessee/Texas in an elimination game on May 29 at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN.
The last two teams standing will advance to a best 2-out-of-3 championship series scheduled for June 3-5 at 7 p.m. CT on ESPN. Check this page for more information on the WCWS bracket and schedule.
Mississippi State lost to Texas Tech twice in the Lubbock regional a year ago.
How did Mississippi State make history?
The Bulldogs are the only unseeded team out of eight in the WCWS field, which means they’re the only team in the field to have to win on the road in a regional and super regional to advance to Oklahoma City.
Mississippi State was ranked No. 13 in the NFCA poll on March 29, putting them in good position to host a regional with a strong finish to the season. The Bulldogs did the exact opposite, losing four of their last five regular season series.
But they flipped a switch in the NCAA Tournament. First, Mississippi State rolled through the Eugene regional, winning all three games by a score of 12-2, to advance to just their second super regional in program history.
Up next was a trip to perennial powerhouse Oklahoma in the super regional. However. the Bulldogs weren’t fazed, winning Game 1 of the best two-out-of-three series 11-9. After the Sooners won Game 2 7-1, Mississippi State won Game 3 6-0 to clinch their first ever WCWS appearance.
What role did Leila Ammon play?
While Ammon didn’t pitch in the regional, she helped stop the bleeding in Game 1 of the Super Regional.
She entered in the bottom of the third after Oklahoma had scored five runs in the inning to take a 5-1 lead. Ammon got the final two outs in the inning, then allowed a run in the fourth and pitched a scoreless fifth before being relieved with runners on first and second with two outs in the top of the sixth.
Both runners scored later in the inning, meaning Ammon allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits and struck out three in three innings pitched.
Ammon’s gone 8-0 this spring with a 1.85 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 56 1/3 innings pitched. She spent her freshman season at Middle Tennessee State, where she was named to the Conference USA All-Freshman team.
Before her college career, Ammon was the 2023 PNJ Pitcher of the Year and a 2024 First Team All-Area selection.
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