AP news guide: Primaries for federal offices in Mississippi
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi was holding party primaries Tuesday to choose nominees for a U.S. Senate seat and four congressional seats. What’s at stake:
U.S. SENATE
The Democratic primary will determine whether Mississippi has a rematch of a hard-fought 2018 special election for U.S. Senate. In that race, Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith defeated Democrat Mike Espy.
Now, Hyde-Smith is seeking a full six-year term, and she is unopposed for the GOP nomination. She was appointed to serve temporarily in the Senate in early 2018 when longtime Republican Sen. Thad Cochran retired. Hyde-Smith won the November 2018 special election against Espy to complete the six-year term Cochran started.
Espy, a former Mississippi congressman, is one of three candidates seeking the Democratic nomination this year. His election in 1986 made him the state’s first African American congressman since Reconstruction. In 1993, President Bill Clinton named him agriculture secretary. Espy has raised the most money among the Democrats running for the seat this year.
Espy competes Tuesday against Tobey Bernard Bartee and Jensen Bohren.
Bartee is a former military intelligence officer who was eliminated in the first round of voting in the 2018 special election for Senate.
Jensen Bohren is a former teacher who unsuccessfully challenged Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker in 2018.
U.S. HOUSE — 1ST DISTRICT
Republican U.S. Rep. Trent Kelly is unopposed for his party’s nomination. He has been in the House since winning a 2015 special election in north Mississippi’s 1st District.
Antonia Eliason, a University of Mississippi law professor, is unopposed for the Democratic nomination.
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U.S. HOUSE — 2ND DISTRICT
Democratic U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson faces one challenger in his party’s primary: Sonia Rathburn.
Thompson has been in the House since winning a 1993 special election in the 2nd District, which stretches along the Mississippi River, through the Delta and into Jackson. He is chairman of the Homeland Security Committee.
Rathburn owns a chiropractic business.
Three candidates are running in the Republican primary. Thomas L. Carey is a retired real estate agent who ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate in 2014. Brian Flowers is a military veteran who works at Grand Gulf Nuclear Station. B.C. Hammond is a volunteer firefighter and has run unsuccessfully for state legislative seats.
U.S. HOUSE — 3RD DISTRICT
Republican U.S. Rep. Michael Guest faces one challenger in his party’s primary: James Tulp.
Guest was first elected to the House in 2018 in the 3rd District in the central part of the state. Tulp hosts a talk show on a Jackson radio station.
Two candidates are running in the Democratic primary. Dorothy “Dot” Benford has run unsuccessfully for several offices. Katelyn Lee is a first-time candidate who advocates universal healthcare and expansion of public housing.
U.S. HOUSE — 4TH DISTRICT
Republican U.S. Rep. Steven Palazzo faces three challengers in his party’s primary: Carl Boyanton, Robert L. Deming III and Samuel Hickman.
Palazzo was first elected to the House in 2010 in south Mississippi’s 4th District. Boyanton is a former owner of a produce business. Deming is a Biloxi City Council member. Hickman has worked for U.S. Rep. Trent Kelly.
No Democrats are running in the 4th District.
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