With clouds of corruption hovering over the city of Jackson after one council member pleaded guilty to federal bribery with more prosecutions expected, next year’s mayoral election looms large. The field is already packed with candidates who plan to contend for current Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba’s seat, and Democratic state Sen. John Horhn is heavily considering joining the pack.
Lumumba, a Democrat who has been in office since 2017, has already announced his intention to run for a third term in Mississippi’s capital but is facing obstacles such as U.S. Congressman Bennie Thompson neglecting to endorse him. Some, such as Jackson Councilman Kenneth Stokes, have also pushed rumors that Lumumba may face charges in the ongoing FBI bribery investigation that recently took down former Councilwoman Angelique Lee.
On Tuesday, Horhn took some time on MidDays with Gerard Gibert. to discuss the swirl of corruption, how Jackson can recover, and if he plans to seek the mayoral seat amid an unsettling state of affairs.
“We work so hard to try to put the good face on Jackson, and when issues come up, it just knocks us down,” Horhn said. “It’s going to be tough for us to climb out of this hole that’s being dug for us. It’s really unfortunate. But I hope that folks will focus on the health of the city, the survival of the city, and the survival of its people.”
Horhn, who has served as a senator representing parts of Jackson since 1994, ran for mayor in 2017 but was defeated handily in the Democratic primary by Lumumba. During the interview, Horhn alluded to another run – one his team believes could be successful this time around.
“There’s some consideration being taken. We’re looking at it very heavily,” Horhn said, noting that initial polling results have been favorable for a potential run. “I think folks want someone who’s been around the track a time or two – who’s got some experience, who’s got a track record of results, and someone who has a decent relationship with the state of Mississippi. We haven’t pulled that final trigger yet, but we’re close.”
Jacksonians have decried crumbling infrastructure and rampant crime under Lumumba. Since first being elected in 2017, homicide rates have nearly tripled with some improvements recently reported under new police chief Joseph Wade. While infrastructure struggles are harder to measure, residents complain regularly about potholes, sinkholes, and lack of repaving across the city.
Horhn vouched that if he did become mayor, those two issues would be on the top of his agenda.
“The two issues that continue to rise to the top are crime and infrastructure. That’s no secret. You can probably use that same phrase for every city in America. But in Jackson, it’s real,” Horhn continued. “It’s horrible you don’t have security in parts of Jackson where you don’t feel comfortable staying in your house and you’re afraid to leave your house. It’s a tough situation. We have to get the criminal element under control.”
Horhn, recently appointed chairman of the Mississippi Senate Housing Committee, did point to some positive momentum that has been buried under negative headlines plaguing the capital city – including restoration of the water system through a third-party manager and a fruitful relationship between the Jackson Police Department and Capitol Police. But, Horhn says, there’s still a long way to go.
“We’ve got the water on the way to being resolved, but these streets are horrible,” Horhn said. “That sales tax is not going to be enough to cover what we need to resolve the issues with our streets. So, the infrastructure and the criminal element would be what we’d be looking at uppermost in our minds. And, following that, education and job performance.”
Horhn concluded that if he decided to run, the announcement would be soon because “the clock is ticking.” The qualifying period for next year’s municipal elections in Jackson opens on Jan. 2.
Other challengers who have announced their intention to run for mayor include conservative radio personality Kim Wade, retired Air Force lieutenant Tim Henderson, former Edwards mayor Marcus Wallace, and Department of Revenue employee Corinthian Sanders.
