Control of Congress is at stake Tuesday as voters across the country head to the polls. Five Mississippi races could help determine whether Republicans or Democrats hold majorities in the U.S. House and Senate for the second half of President Donald Trump’s second term.
Mississippi voters will decide one of the state’s two U.S. Senate seats and all four congressional districts. Incumbents in all five races face challengers, including Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, and independent candidates.
Here’s a look at the candidates on the ballot ahead of Election Day.
Hyde-Smith, Colom headline Senate race
U.S. Senate seats are intentionally staggered, meaning just one of Mississippi’s two seats is on the ballot Tuesday. After Republican Sen. Roger Wicker won a third term in 2024, it’s fellow Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith’s turn to see if she can keep her seat for a second, six-year term.
Challenging Hyde-Smith is Democrat Scott Colom, a Columbus-based district attorney for Mississippi’s 16th Judicial District. Colom, who has worked to keep pace on the fundraising front, promises to “work with any party” if elected to the Senate.
Colom shares some priorities with the national Democratic Party, including safeguarding Medicaid and taking a closer look at the data-center surge. But he also shares the views of some Republican voters, including the protection of gun rights, further securing the southern border, and providing aid to struggling farmers.
Hyde-Smith has continuously touted her conservative platform that focuses on agricultural and rural areas, border security, abortion restrictions, gun rights, tax cuts, and support for and from President Donald Trump.
Both Hyde-Smith and Colom have said they want to lower prices for Mississippians amid persistent inflation and rising costs for everyday necessities.
Hyde-Smith and Colom have each brought in national party power players in efforts to mobilize voters. In the past two weeks alone, Hyde-Smith welcomed Trump to Corinth for a rally, while Colom hosted former Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Bill Clinton at campaign events in different parts of the state.
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Back-and-forth between Hyde-Smith and Colom has been contentious throughout the cycle. The mudslinging started over a year ago, when Colom posted a video on social media depicting a fake phone call with Hyde-Smith. Hyde-Smith later created a fake campaign website for Colom, labeling him as a “transgender defender,” among other titles. Both have cut ads in recent weeks that, in part, focus on each other and what they believe are their opponent’s shortcomings.
Meanwhile, Ty Pinkins has been working on a long-shot bid for the Senate seat as an independent. The Vicksburg-based attorney and Army veteran left the Democratic Party over what he views as corruption within both major political parties. While some passionate voters have called for Pinkins to drop out of the race to avoid drawing support away from a candidate with a better chance of winning, he announced on Oct. 27 that he would not withdraw his bid in the days leading up to Election Day.
Every U.S. House race is contested
All four of Mississippi’s U.S. House seats will have at least three candidates on Tuesday’s ballot:
- 1st Congressional District: Republican incumbent Rep. Trent Kelly is being challenged by civil rights attorney and University of Mississippi School of Law MacArthur Justice Center director Cliff Johnson, who is running as a Democrat. Libertarian Johnny Baucom is also running.
- 2nd Congressional District: Democratic incumbent Rep. Bennie Thompson is seeking an 18th term after first being elected in 1993. He will face Republican Ron Eller, a physician assistant in Jackson, and independent Bennie Foster. Foster works as the chief operating officer at a Jackson church.
- 3rd Congressional District: Republican incumbent Rep. Michael Guest is being challenged by political newcomer and regenerative farmer Michael Chiaradio, who is running as a Democrat. Erik Kiehle, a property manager and volunteer firefighter from Meridian, is running as a Libertarian.
- 4th Congressional District: Republican incumbent Rep. Mike Ezell, the newest of Mississippi’s delegation, is seeking a second term. He will face Democratic state lawmaker Jeffrey Hulum III and independent Carl Boyanton, a local produce farmer.
Mississippi’s 1st Congressional District is made up of 21 counties in the northeast corner of the state. It includes Southaven, Tupelo, Oxford, Columbus, and Olive Branch.
Mississippi’s 2nd Congressional District is made up of 28 counties concentrated along the Mississippi River and in the Delta region and holds portions of Madison and Hinds counties, including most of the city of Jackson.
Mississippi’s 3rd Congressional District covers central and southern portions of the state while stretching from the Louisiana border to the Alabama border. It includes a sliver of Jackson and all of Brookhaven, Madison, Meridian, and Starkville.
Mississippi’s 4th Congressional District covers the southeastern portion of the state, including part of the Pine Belt and all of the Coast. It contains three of the state’s four most populous cities: Gulfport, Biloxi, and Hattiesburg.
What to know before voting
Polls statewide will be open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Any registered voter in line before 7 p.m. is legally entitled to cast a ballot. Voters are required to have an acceptable form of photo identification, which includes driver’s licenses and passports.
More information on what to know before voting, including how to view sample ballots and verify polling locations, can be found here.
How to track results on Election Night
To follow live results after the polls close, tune in to SuperTalk Mississippi News on participating stations statewide or visit supertalk.fm/elections for trackers and written recaps. Live updates will be posted on Facebook and X.
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