Mississippi
'We have to be mature voters': Mississippi Democratic Party chairman touts unequivocal support for Biden – SuperTalk Mississippi
Mississippi Democratic Party Chairman Cheikh Taylor has made it clear that he supports President Joe Biden’s reelection efforts amid recent talks of replacing the commander-in-chief following a shaky debate performance.
At times during the late June debate between Biden and presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump, the president appeared to be hazy and struggled to finish his thoughts. Reports then immediately began to surface that registered Democratic voters, and even party leaders, became concerned about Biden’s ability to oust Trump in this November’s election.
Names of potential replacement nominees including Vice President Kamala Harris, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, and even former First Lady Michelle Obama were floated and juxtaposed against Trump for polling purposes as calls for Biden to step down from his post grew louder. Nonetheless, the president insisted that he will remain in the race and that he is confident in his ability to defeat Trump just like he did in 2020, debunking rumors of any last-ditch efforts to remove him from the ballot.
Though some on the Democratic side of the aisle are not quite convinced of Biden’s electability versus the former president and once again candidate Trump, Taylor stood firm in his support for Biden and said that he and Mississippi Democrats alike are excited to cast a ballot for the Biden-Harris ticket on election day.
“Every delegate from the state of Mississippi will be traveling to Chicago for the [Democratic National Convention] emboldened by the last four years of this presidency and are very excited about voting for him again,” Taylor said on MidDays with Gerard Gibert.
Looking back at the debate between the two top polling candidates seeking the Oval Office, Taylor acknowledged that Biden had a few moments that may not have reflected well on camera but pointed to Biden’s performance in the White House as the ultimate selling point for voters.
Taylor appealed to voters on the fence about the president’s fitness for the job to reflect on what he believes to be some of the biggest wins of Biden’s tenure so far and compare his stint to Trump’s time in Washington D.C.
“We have to be mature voters. If you’re looking at that last debate and you’re saying to yourself, ‘Oh my goodness. There is a cause for change or pause,’ or anything like that, let’s be very adamant to look at the records of the last four years and compare both candidates,” Taylor said.
“Sometimes I may have a gaffe. Sometimes I may have a pause, but surely my track record should speak instead of a couple of seconds of air time.”
One of the biggest victories of Biden’s term, according to Taylor, has been economic success. The chairman highlighted the U.S. economy rebounding after the COVID-19 pandemic in the face of experts continuously predicting a looming recession. Taylor also pointed to a study showing wage growth among Americans surpassing the rate of inflation — a chief concern among voters across the country.
Another positive Taylor emphasized was dwindling crime rates nationwide. FBI crime data reveals that the U.S. has continued a post-pandemic trend of crime being on a sharp decline. Most notably, there was a 13% drop in murders between 2022 and 2023, a feat Taylor credits to Biden’s leadership.
Barring unforeseen circumstances, Biden is anticipated to be selected as the Democratic Party’s nominee during the DNC set for August 19-22 as Trump is expected to be given the nod as the GOP candidate at the Republican National Convention next week. Meanwhile, independent Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is continuing his campaign as a third-party candidate.
The general election is set for Tuesday, November 5
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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