The Statewide Presidential Primary election is coming up on March 10th and here are your candidates for Republicans and Democrats and a little bit about what you should know:
For US House of Representatives 2nd Congressional District:
- Thomas L. Carey
- According to vote-USA.org, Carey was a 2014 Republican candidate who sought election to the U.S. Senate from Mississippi. He lost in the Republican primary on June 3, 2014.
- He has conservative Christian values and wants to repeal Obama Care and do away with IRS and have a flat tax.
- Brian Flowers (no photo available)
- Flowers is running for the House of Representatives, Mississippi 2nd Congressional District.
- B. C. Hammond
- Hammond is running for the Representative position for the 2nd Mississippi Congressional District. He is a farmer and insurance agent who got his masters in Education administration for Delta State University and his Bachelor’s from the University of Mississippi in Business Administration. To find out more, you can visit Hammond’s Facebook page.
For the United States Senate
- Cindy Hyde-Smith
- Hyde-Smith is the incumbent for this position holding the republican position. She was a Mississippi state senator from 1999-2011, Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce in 2011 and currently is a Mississippi U.S. Senator. Hyde-Smith studied at Copiah-Lincoln Community College and also the University of Southern Mississippi. To find more, visit her website.
US House of Representatives 3rd Congressional District
- Michael Guest
Michael Guest official headshot – Photo courtesy of the Office of Congressman Michael Guest - Guest is currently the United States House of Representatives member for Mississippi’s 3rd Congressional District and has been serving as since 2019. He is also the Madison and Rankin County District attorney since 1995. Guest received his Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of Mississippi and then his Juris Doctor degree as well. Visit his website.
- James Tulp
- Tulp is a former university political science professor and host of The James Tulp Show, a daily two-hour conservative talk radio show. He is running against the incumbent, Michael Guest, for the 3rd Congressional District House of Representatives seat. For more information on Tulp and his campaign, you can visit his website.
US House of Representatives 4th Congressional District
- Carl Boyanton
- Boyanton born in Memphis, TN then moved to Mississippi as a toddler and grew up in Picayune. He has been a lifelong republican and fights every day to promote and preserve conservative values according to his website, here.
- Robert L. Deming, III
- An attorney on the coast, Deming studies at the University of Southern Mississippi for undergrad then went and got his Juris Doctor Degree at Ole Miss Law School. He was elected to represent Biloxi, Ward 4 from 2013-2017 and has 20+ years with private sector experience and is currently at the Pietrowski Group.
- Samuel Hickman
- A south Mississippi native, Hickman graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a Political Science degree. After graduation, he moved to Washington DC eventually accepting an internship in a congressman’s office then working full time with Congressman Trent Kelly. Hickman’s website describes him as a compassionate Mississippian who remains steadfast in his conservative Christian values.
- Steven M. Palazzo
Photo courtesy of Congressman Steven Palazzo - Palazzo is the incumbent in this position. He serves as South Mississippi’s 4th Congressional District Representative. A former member of the Mississippi House of Representatives and currently serves on a number of committees. You can read more about Steven Palazzo on his website.
US House of Representatives 1st Congressional District:
- Trent Kelly
Courtesy of the Office of Trent Kelly - Kelly won a special election in June of 2015 and has since represented the 1st District of Mississippi. Over the years Trent has maintained a private law practice in his hometown of Saltillo. Prior to being elected to Congress, he served as a District Attorney for the 1st CircuitJudicial District, managing all felony cases. For more on Trent Kelly, you can visit his website.
Now for the Democratic candidates running for election:
US House of Representatives 1st Congressional District
- Antonia Eliason
- Eliason, running against incumbent Trent Kelly, is a law professor at Ole Miss. She joined the Ole Miss staff in 2013, she is also the state’s first Democratic Socialist candidate. Eliason is focusing her campaign on environmental justice, universal healthcare and workers’ rights.
US House of Representatives 2nd Congressional District
- Sonia Rathburn
- Rathburn is running against incumbent Bennie Thompson. She states on her Facebook page that she is “new to politics but not new to leadership.” Rathburn is an active member of the Hinds County community and says the people need good jobs to grow the economy, affordable healthcare, fully funded Pre-K, and apprenticeship programs.
- Bennie G. Thompson
- Thompson is the incumbent in this race and is currently serving his 13th term in the United States House of Representatives. He served as an Alderman in his hometown of Bolton, and the mayor from 1973-1980. To learn more about Bennie Thompson, you can visit his website.
US House of Representatives 3rd Congressional District
- Dorothy “Dot” Benford
- Benford has been a frequent candidate for many offices up for election over the year. She is 76 years old and running against the incumbent Michael Guest.
- Katelyn Lee
- Lee is running against Republican incumbent Michael Guest for this seat. If winning this election, Lee’s main issues to address, according to her website, are national paid family and medical leave, schedules that work, and living wages. You can find more on her website.
United States Senate
- Tobey Bernard Bartee
- Bartee is running for a US Senate seat. Born and raised on the coast, went to school at the naval academy and has served in the US Department of State and US Department of Homeland Security. According to his website, Bartee is a trustworthy, thoughtful, and transparent person and claims he will “always do his homework.”
- Jensen Bohren
- Mike Espy
- Mike Espy is no stranger to the political world. He told NBC News that for this election, “he has a clearer strategy to win the US Senate seat in Mississippi than when he ran last year.” Hyde-Smith won in a run-off election against Espy in a 2018 special election. According to Espy’s website, he gives credit to his grandfather for inspiring him to serve Mississippi. For more information, visit his website.
Here is a sample ballot provided by the Secretary of State’s office.
