As a busy field shapes up ahead of the 2025 mayoral election in Mississippi’s capital city, recent indications show current Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba may not be receiving an endorsement from the state’s most prominent Democrat this time around.
After endorsing Lumumba for mayor in the past, U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson was singing a different tune during a speech at New Horizon Church last month. Asserting that Jackson has a plethora of federal funds at its disposal, the longtime congressman described it as “tough” watching the largest city in his district not take advantage of that money or other federal government-offered resources.
“We have a future in this community, but we’ve got to get it right. We’ve got to make some difficult choices,” Thompson told those in attendance on July 28. “I just think that the capital city has to do better. I just think that there’s so much that we can do if we sit down and talk to each other. We have more money and opportunities from the federal level that we don’t take advantage of in the capital city. It’s tough.”
Lumumba’s eight years in office have been plagued by a detrimental water crisis and homicide rates nearly tripling since he was first inaugurated in 2017. Spats between the Democratic mayor and the Democratic-controlled city council are often front-page news, whether it’s about trash contracts, city employees, or other disagreements turned tense.
While Thompson did note that he would like to see communication between different parties representing Jackson improved, he urged citizens to begin thinking about who they will vote for next year. The 2025 elections include both the mayoral seat along with the seven seats on the city council.
“At some point, you’ll have to make a decision next year on a lot of people. I want you to make the right decision,” Thompson said. “You see it as an opportunity. If you like it, you keep it. If not, you figure out what other choices are out there. I’m sure you’ll do the right thing.”
Lumumba, who had not responded to an inquiry by the time this article was published, does have some good he can point to, though. Even though the progressive vision he introduced when first elected has not come to fruition when solving most fundamental problems such as shoddy infrastructure across the city, he can tout 2% pay raises for city employees and an above-average solvability rate when it comes to arresting and convicting violent criminals.
With the qualifying period for mayoral candidates in Jackson not opening until Jan. 2, 2025, multiple people have already declared they will be running. That list includes retired Air Force lieutenant colonel Tim Henderson, conservative radio host Kim Wade, former Edwards Mayor Marcus Wallace, Jackson State professor Delano Funches, and Mississippi Department of Revenue analyst Corinthian Sanders, Sr.
There have also been rumblings of city council members or Jackson-based legislators throwing their hats in the ring. In 2017, Sen. John Horhn ran and lost against Lumumba in the Democratic primary before Lumumba went on to win the general election with over 90% of the vote. Councilman Kenneth Stokes, who often refers to the mayor as “Lyin’ Lumumba,” has also teased mayoral runs in the past.
In 2021, Lumumba flew through both the primary and general elections attaining over 69% of the vote in both. However, voter turnout was poor with a median of 19,700 voters on both election days. According to the 2020 U.S. Census, 153,701 people lived in the capital city, meaning less than 13% of citizens voted.
The 2025 primary elections will take place in April with the general following in June.
