Listen to the article
Mississippi Heads to the Polls for Congressional Primaries with Incumbents Facing Challenges
Mississippi voters will cast their ballots Tuesday in state primaries to select nominees for Congress. While Republicans maintain narrow majorities in Washington, the outcomes in Mississippi are unlikely to shift the balance of power in either chamber, as no federal office in the state has changed party hands since 2010.
Republican U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith faces a primary challenge from physician and novelist Sarah Adlakha as she seeks a second full term. Hyde-Smith, who received approximately 54% of the vote in her previous two Senate general elections against former U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy, did not face a primary opponent in 2020.
On the Democratic side, Scott Colom, a state district attorney from northeast Mississippi, is among those vying for the nomination. Colom’s candidacy carries an interesting backstory – President Joe Biden nominated him to the federal bench in 2023, but Hyde-Smith blocked his confirmation, setting up this potential November matchup.
Mississippi’s Senate seats have shown remarkable stability over the decades. Since 1989, the state has had only four U.S. senators, all Republicans, reflecting the state’s solid conservative leanings in federal elections.
In the 2nd Congressional District, Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson, Mississippi’s longest-serving current member of Congress, is seeking an 18th term against two primary challengers. Among them is attorney Evan Turnage, a former adviser to Democratic Senators Chuck Schumer of New York and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, representing a new generation of Democrats challenging established incumbents within their party.
Thompson’s most competitive primary as an incumbent came in 2006, when he received about 64% of the vote against then-state Rep. Chuck Espy, nephew of Mike Espy, whom Thompson succeeded in Congress in 1993.
On the Republican side in the 2nd District, physician assistant Ron Eller and Adams County supervisor Kevin Wilson are competing for the GOP nomination. Eller previously lost to Thompson in the 2024 general election.
The 2nd District is geographically significant, comprising about 40% of Mississippi’s land area. It stretches along the Mississippi River, bordering Arkansas and Louisiana, and includes most of the state capital of Jackson. Demographically, it stands out with approximately 64% of its population being Black – the highest percentage in the state. Under boundaries adopted in 2022, the district supported Democrat Kamala Harris over Republican Donald Trump by a margin of 60% to 39% in the 2024 presidential election.
Voter participation in Mississippi primaries has historically been modest. The 2024 Republican presidential and U.S. Senate primaries each saw about 248,000 votes cast, representing roughly 13% of registered voters. Democratic primaries attracted even fewer participants, with about 91,000 votes in the presidential primary and 82,000 in the Senate contest, accounting for approximately 5% and 4% of registered voters respectively.
As of Friday, 13,473 ballots had already been cast for the 2026 primaries. Mississippi does not register voters by party, allowing eligible voters to participate in any party’s primary, though they cannot vote in more than one party’s contest.
Unlike some states, Mississippi does not have automatic recounts or permit candidates to request them. Recounts occur only through court orders. The state also lacks in-person early voting, though absentee ballots are permitted. Counties vary in how they report absentee results, with some providing separate subtotals and others merging them with precinct results throughout election night.
Polls close at 7 p.m. local time (8 p.m. Eastern). In previous primaries, initial results typically begin appearing shortly after polls close, with approximately 95% of votes counted by early the following morning.
While these primaries represent an important step in the electoral process, they mark just the beginning of the campaign season, with 238 days remaining until the November 2026 midterm elections that will determine the final composition of Congress.
Fact Checker
Verify the accuracy of this article using The Disinformation Commission analysis and real-time sources.
9 Comments
Mississippi’s Senate seats seem to have been very stable over the past few decades. I wonder what factors have contributed to that long-term political continuity in the state.
Good point. The lack of party turnover in Mississippi’s Senate delegation is quite remarkable compared to many other states. It will be interesting to see if this primary shakes things up at all.
It’s always fascinating to see the interplay between state and federal politics play out in primaries like this. The Mississippi Senate race should provide some good insights into the current political currents in the state.
The potential matchup between Hyde-Smith and Colom sounds like it could get heated, given the blocked judicial nomination. I’m curious to see how that dynamic plays out on the campaign trail.
Absolutely, the personal and political tensions there will likely make for a lively Senate race. It will be worth following closely to see how the candidates position themselves.
The backstory between Colom and Hyde-Smith adds an intriguing personal dimension to this Senate race. I wonder how much that will factor into the campaign messaging and voter perceptions.
With the narrow Republican majorities in Congress, the outcome of this primary could have broader implications. I’ll be interested to see if any of the challengers are able to unseat the incumbent.
Interesting to see the Senate race in Mississippi heating up. I’m curious to see if the incumbent Hyde-Smith can fend off the primary challenge from Adlakha. And the potential general election matchup between Hyde-Smith and Colom could be quite compelling given the backstory there.
Yes, the nomination battle between the incumbent and the challenger will be worth watching. It should give us a sense of the political landscape in the state.