After losing the Republican primary by just 26 votes, State Rep. Nick Bain is attributing his defeat to his vote in a landmark decision to change Mississippi’s state flag.
Bain, who was seeking a fourth term as the representative for House District 2, was unseated by challenger Brad Mattox — whose campaign harped on the fact that the lawmaker used his vote to change the flag in 2020, which did not resonate well with some voters in the north Mississippi district.
“It was all about the flag. I had two opponents come out, and they were upset from the get-go about the reason and the fact that I voted to change the Mississippi state flag,” Bain said on Monday’s episode of The Gallo Show. “Let me say, unequivocally, I would do that a thousand times out of a thousand. It was the right thing to do, and we did it the right way.”
The Corinth attorney claims to have experienced scrutiny from voters while on the campaign trail. From having doors slammed in his face to residents alleging that he betrayed his race with his vote to move on from the Confederate-themed flag, Bain said he was met with harsh criticism from a large number of his constituents.
“When I would go door-to-door, I had people who would shut the door in my face, who would say stuff like, ‘I would never vote for you because you voted to change the flag.’ I had people call me a traitor to my race. They said some awful stuff to my parents. It was not a good look,” Bain continued.
“On the flip side of that, I had a whole lot of people up here, in Corinth especially, who were grateful, who were thankful for [me] doing that and realized that it was the best thing for Mississippi.”
Bain recalled having suspicions that his vote to change the state flag could have ramifications in future election cycles. However, the lawmaker stands by his decision to move forward with a new banner to represent the Magnolia State.
“I said back in 2020 that I could lose my seat over this, but it was the right thing,” Bain said. “I’ll fall on the sword for the people of Alcorn County, the people of Corinth, and the people of Mississippi any day. It’s important when we go down there to Jackson to make changes and general changes for our state, and I certainly believe that I left the state of Mississippi better than I found it.”
Though Bain will not be present in the Capitol as a member of the legislature this upcoming session, he plans to remain active in Mississippi’s political scene, saying he will be a familiar face in Jackson come January.
Watch the full interview with Bain below.
