Mississippi
This week in politics: Why Democrats didn’t vote for Kamala Harris in Mississippi as they’ve done in previous years
Hyde Smith not interested in US Sec. of Ag, and US Rep. Michael Guest once again in national spotlight last week.
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Ever since Donald Trump won a lopsided victory over Vice President Kamala Harris, many have been researching how she lost by a worse margin than sitting President Joe Biden.
The answer might be as simple as this: Some Democrats simply didn’t vote, and that trend was true in Mississippi.
Analyzing election data from Mississippi and the nation, turnout was low across the board, but the GOP won by a larger percentage of ballots cast in the state than in some previous presidential elections.
According to Dallas Breen, the Stennis Institute’s executive director, many Democratic voters in swing counties did not see enough of a separation between Harris and Biden.
Not wanting to vote for Trump but also not seeing a reformer in Harris, many Mississippi Democrats just decided to stay home on Election Day, Breen said.
“From what we are seeing, you just had a lot of 50/50 counties, and there was a bigger drop off of Democrats not coming to vote than Republicans,” Breen said. “In years past, Democratic candidates were typically disconnected from that because they were senators, secretaries of state, etc.”
That theory is also illustrated by the fact that Trump won six Mississippi counties that went for Biden in 2020, including some in the Delta.
Hyde-Smith throws cold water on Sec. of Agriculture rumors
Early last week, Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, a Republican, finally spoke on what state politicos had been wondering for weeks: Will she become the next U.S. Secretary of Agriculture?
Her answer may not have a huge ripple effect, but it did reaffirm her bid for reelection in 2026.
“It’s an honor to be mentioned as a potential nominee for Secretary of Agriculture, but my plans are to remain in the Senate and continue to deliver for the people of Mississippi,” Hyde-Smith wrote in a press release. “As a former state agriculture commissioner and with my current committee assignments, I remain wholeheartedly committed to the ag community, its growth, and its success.”
With Hyde-Smith out, the question remains if any Mississippi politician will get a seat at Trump’s table. Whether that comes through an appointment or semi-regular trips to the White House over the next four years remains to be seen.
Mississippi US House Rep. at center of AG pick drama
For the second time since taking office, U.S. House Rep. Michael Guest, R-Dist. 3, took the national spotlight, though it was likely unwanted.
Guest, who chairs the House Ethics Committee, told reporters Wednesday afternoon that a report on Trump’s now-former U.S. Attorney General pick Matt Gaetz’ alleged sexual misconduct and drug abuse was not going to be released.
Over the last week, many had called on the committee to release the report to the Senate so when Gaetz came before an appointment committee, it would have all the facts. Others called on the Senate not to approve of the pick altogether.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, had said since Gaetz resigned from Congress when Trump appointed him, the report could not be released. Gaetz bowed out of the appointment on Thursday.
Guest did not respond to requests for comment on the Gaetz report. Nor did Sen. Roger Wicker or Hyde-Smith respond to whether they would vote to approve Gaetz’ appointment if it came before the full Senate.
“Democrats would have never nominated a candidate like Gaetz to anything,” U.S. House Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Dist.3, said in a statement to the Clarion ledger about the former AG pick. “(Gaetz) demeans the office of Attorney General. Shame on the Republicans for embarrassing themselves.”
Branning sues election commissioners to pressure on-time ballot counting
As of the afternoon on Nov. 15, the Hinds County Election Commission had yet to send its final tally of absentee and affidavit ballots to the Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office.
When it appeared that the commissioners might be pushing the count to the 5 p.m. deadline to submit them to, Mississippi Supreme Court Central District candidate and State Sen. Jenifer Branning’s attorney Spencer Ritchie filed a lawsuit in Hinds County Circuit Court to pressure them into finishing on time, he said.
Branning, a Republican from Philadelphia, has been on the record saying she is a constitutional conservative and would not “legislate from the bench. She has also been endorsed by the Mississippi GOP.
MSOS Communications Director Elizabeth Jonson confirmed after 6 p.m. on Nov. 15 that Hinds County had sent in its finalized results. The lawsuit was then dismissed, Ritchie told the Clarion Ledger in a text message.
Grant McLaughlin covers the Legislature state government for the Clarion Ledger. He can be reached at gmclaughlin@gannett.com or 972-571-2335
Mississippi
Thompson defeats Turnage to highlight U.S. House primaries in Mississippi – SuperTalk Mississippi
Political newcomer and Capitol Hill attorney Evan Turnage proved no match for longtime U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, who defeated him and one other challenger to earn the Democratic nomination for Mississippi’s 2nd Congressional District on Tuesday.
Some politicos thought Turnage – who went to Yale and later worked for some of Thompson’s Democratic colleagues, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) – wouldn’t necessarily win but could make waves as one of the more viable candidates to challenge Thompson in recent years. However, that wasn’t the case as Thompson garnered approximately 85% of the vote when the race was called.
Thompson, 78, is seeking an 18th term. The civil rights leader who chaired the Jan. 6 Committee was first elected in 1993 and serves as a ranking member on the House Homeland Security Committee. He will face either Ron Eller or Kevin Wilson on the Republican side, a race yet to be called as of late Tuesday night, and independent Bennie Foster in November’s general.
All of Mississippi’s U.S. House seats are up for grabs this year.
In the 1st Congressional District, Republican Rep. Trent Kelly ran unopposed, while civil rights attorney and University of Mississippi School of Law professor Cliff Johnson beat former state lawmaker Kelvin Buck in the Democratic primary. Libertarian challenger Johnny Baucom awaits Kelly and Johnson in the general.
In the 3rd Congressional District, both Republican Rep. Michael Guest and Democrat Michael Chiaradio ran unopposed. They will meet Libertarian Erik Kiehle in the general.
In the 4th Congressional District, Republican Rep. Mike Ezell had over 80% of the vote when his race was called against former Mississippi Department of Marine Resources officer and political staffer Sawyer Walters. State Rep. Jeffrey Hulum easily won the Democratic nomination over Paul Blackman and D. Ryan Grover. Ezell and Hulum will face independent Carl Boyanton in the general.
Arguably the most watched races of the night occurred in the state’s lone U.S. Senate seat in this year’s cycle. Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith had no problem with Ocean Springs doctor Sarah Adlakha, seeing her name bolded around 30 minutes after the polls closed. It wasn’t long after that when Lowndes County District Attorney Scott Colom was announced the winner of the Democratic primary over Priscilla Till and Albert Littell. Independent Ty Pinkins will meet Hyde-Smith and Colom in the general on Nov. 3.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Mississippi
Mississippi First Congressional District Primary 2026: Live Election Results, Buck vs. Johnson
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Staff
Sunday, March 15, 2026
1. (tie) “The Irish Goodbye,” Beth Ann Fennelly, Norton; and “Vigil,” George Saunders, Random House
2. “Theo of Golden,” Allen Levi, Atria Books
3. “The Widow,” John Grisham, Doubleday
4. “The Correspondent,” Virginia Evans, Random House
5. “When It’s Darkness on the Delta,” W. Ralph Eubanks, Beacon Press
6. “Eradication,” Jonathan Miles, Doubleday
7. “Neptune’s Fortune,” Julian Sancton, Random House
8. “The Dean,” Sparky Reardon, The Nautilus Publishing Company
9. “Kin,” Tayari Jones, Random House
10. “Brawler,” Lauren Groff, Riverhead
Children and young adults
1. “The Bear and the Hair and the Fair,” Em Lynas, Little Brown
2. “The Hybrid Prince,” Tui T. Sutherland, Scholastic Press
3. “One Mississippi,” Steve Azar,Sarah Frances Hardy (Illustrator), The Nautilus Publishing
4. “If You Make a Call on a Banana Phone,” Gideon Sterer, HarperCollins
5. (tie) “Fancy Nancy: Besties for Eternity,” Jane O’Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser (Illustrator), HarperCollins; and “The Dark is For,” Jane Kohuth, Simon and Schuster
Adult events (Sunday, March 15–Saturday, March 21)
Amy McDowell in conversation with Jodi Skipper for “Whispers in the Pews,” 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Off Square Books, 129 Courthouse Square, Oxford, 662-236-2262
Tayari Jones on Thacker Mountain Radio Hour for “Kin,” 6 p.m. Thursday, Off Square Books, 129 Courthouse Square, Oxford, 662-236-2262
Children’s events (Sunday, March 15–Saturday, March 21)
No Cap Book Club (kids 10-13) will be reading “A Kid’s Book About…,” 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, Square Books Jr., 111 Courthouse Square, Oxford, 662-236-2207
Storytime, “Clifford: Dream Big,” 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, Square Books Jr., 111 Courthouse Square, Oxford, 662-236-2207
Chapter Captains Book Club (kids 6-9) will be reading “Princess in Black: Bathtime Battle,” 6:00 p.m. Thursday, Square Books Jr., 111 Courthouse Square, Oxford, 662-236-2207
Storytime, “What a Small Cat Needs,” 10:00 a.m. Saturday, Square Books Jr., 111 Courthouse Square, Oxford, 662-236-2207
Story Time, “Very Hungry Caterpillar” Day! 10 a.m. Saturday, Lemuria Books, 202 Banner Hall, 4465 I-55 North, Jackson, 601-366-7619
— Sales and/or Events Reported by Lemuria Books (Jackson); Lorelei Books (Vicksburg); Square Books (Oxford).
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