• Kamesha Mumford won the Mississippi Senate District 26 runoff election against Letitia Johnson.
• Mumford will fill the seat vacated by former Sen. John Horhn, who is now the mayor of Jackson.
• The race drew attention for large campaign donations, including a $150,000 contribution to Johnson’s campaign.
• Under Mississippi law, large donations from limited liability companies (LLCs) are permitted.

Kamesha Mumford defeated Jackson attorney Letitia Johnson in the Dec. 2 runoff election for Mississippi Senate District 26.

Mumford, a municipal judge from Canton, will serve the remainder of the term through 2028 after voters across parts of northwest Hinds County and Madison County hit the polls.

According to the unofficial results, Kamesha Mumford defeated Letitia Johnson in the Mississippi Senate District 26 runoff with 3,711 votes, or 55.9%, to Johnson’s 2,922 votes, or 44,1%. A total of 22 write-in votes were cast, bringing overall turnout to 6,655 votes across both counties.

In Madison County’s six precincts, Mumford received 814 votes or 69.6% to Johnson’s 356 votes or 30.4%, with five write-in votes. In Hinds County’s 19 precincts, Mumford carried 2,897 votes to Johnson’s 2,566 votes, with 17 write-ins counted.

The District 26 seat has been vacant since former Sen. John Horhn resigned earlier this year to become mayor of Jackson. Horhn represented the district for more than three decades before leaving the Legislature. Gov. Tate Reeves called the special election to fill the remainder of Horhn’s term.

Meet the candidates: Mississippi Senate District 26 runoff: Candidates answer questions

The Nov. 4 special election initially featured seven candidates before narrowing to Tuesday’s runoff, with Mumford winning the race and Johnson finishing in second.

Large donations draw attention in Senate District 26 race

But the runoff didn’t just play out at the ballot box. It also unfolded on campaign finance reports, where six-figure and five-figure donations fueled an expensive legislative race.

On Johnson’s report, her campaign lists a $150,000 contribution from the national law firm Singleton Schreiber, where Johnson serves as a managing partner. The firm is listed as a limited liability company.

JACKSON, Miss. – Mississippi’s poultry and egg companies this year stepped up their annual donation of chicken meat and eggs for the charities of Governor Reeves’ choosing.

Governor Reeves has directed this generous donation of 478,500 servings of protein to the Mississippi Food Network and Salvation Army. That is 87,229 pounds of meat and 129,600 eggs.

“Thank you to the Mississippi Poultry Association for once again stepping up to serve their fellow Mississippians,” said Governor Tate Reeves. “The Mississippi Food Network and the Salvation Army do a tremendous job serving those who need it most, and I appreciate them for accepting this donation to help fight hunger in our state.”

“This year’s deliveries to the Mississippi Food Network and Salvation Army began arriving before Thanksgiving. The companies started earlier because of the extra demand the two charities were reporting. The last trucks will arrive at the MFN warehouse today. We appreciate Governor Reeves coordinating this effort,” said MPA Chairman of the Board Ed Fletcher of Koch Foods.

“We are deeply grateful to the governor and the Mississippi Poultry Association for this generous donation. At Mississippi Food Network, partnerships like this make it possible for us to provide nutritious meals to families across our state. This contribution will help us meet the growing need and ensure that no Mississippian goes hungry,” said Mississippi Food Network CEO & COO Cassandra Mobley.

“The Salvation Army is deeply grateful to Governor Reeves and the Mississippi Poultry Association for this generous donation. These chickens and eggs will help us feed hundreds of families across our community. At a time when many are struggling, this gift is more than food—it is hope placed on the table. We are honored to partner together in serving our Mississippi neighbors,” said Major Timothy Delaney of The Salvation Army.

Since the program began, MPA members have donated 977,00 pounds of chicken and 2,012,200 eggs, which totals almost six million servings of protein.

In addition to the 32,000 people that work in the industry and the 1,700 farm families that raise these chickens and eggs, another 66,400 jobs are generated because of the poultry industry. Mississippi’s largest agricultural industry, poultry’s total economic impact is $27.8 billion.

These products raised on Mississippi farms come from Amick Farms, Cal Maine Foods, Koch Foods, Mar-Jac Poultry MS, Peco Foods, Tyson Foods and Wayne-Sanderson Farms. Each company individually donates products throughout the year to various charities, but they come together through the Mississippi Poultry Association once a year to make this donation.