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Reading: Keating defeats Williams Barnes in contentious Gulfport mayoral race
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Reading: Keating defeats Williams Barnes in contentious Gulfport mayoral race
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Featured NewsLatest NewsPoliticsTrending News

Keating defeats Williams Barnes in contentious Gulfport mayoral race

Ben Milam
By Ben Milam June 4, 2025
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3 Min Read
Republican Hugh Keating was declared winner of the Gulfport mayoral election early Wednesday morning after a tense race against Democrat Sonya Williams Barnes. (Friends of Hugh Keating/Facebook)
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Gulf Coast attorney and Republican candidate Hugh Keating has won Gulfport’s mayoral seat after a tense race against former state lawmaker and Democratic candidate Sonya Williams Barnes. 

A long night at Gulfport City Hall stretched into the early hours of Wednesday morning. In the end, Keating totaled 6,902 votes to Williams Barnes’ 6,073 to take the seat and replace Mayor Billy Hewes, who decided not to seek reelection. 

Onlookers kept a close eye on those organizing and managing the vote count as leadership from both candidates’ state parties had lobbed accusations of election interference to their opponents in the last seven days. 

RELATED: Horhn easily wins Jackson mayoral seat as all but one city council race called

The Mississippi GOP claimed on May 28 that Williams Barnes’ campaign was guilty of buying voters by providing meal vouchers to residents who cast in-person absentee ballots, though the Democrat vehemently denied the claims. 

The accusation sparked a public call for an investigation by state Republican Party chairman Mike Hurst, along with an investigation by the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, though no conclusions were ever brought forth. 

Four days later, the Mississippi Democratic Party issued a public statement condemning efforts by Keating supporters. Specifically, Democratic leaders pointed to a letter sent to employees of Island View Casino by managing partner Rick Carter that voiced support for Keating’s mayoral bid.  

State party chairman Cheikh Taylor called upon the Secretary of State, Attorney General, and Gulfport Election Commission to investigate the matter, though officials did not announce an official investigation would be carried out.  

The day after Carter’s letter to employees, Island View CEO Linsey Inman issued a follow-up letter, attempting to ease unrest by some who received the letter that there was pressure to vote for Keating.  

In the lead up to the general election, the race drew statewide, regional, and national attention as both candidates brought in heavy hitting endorsements, such as Keating receiving in-person support from U.S. Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Mayor Billy Hewes, and other statewide leaders. Williams Barnes drew the support of former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), and other top Democratic leaders as she made a push to become the coastal city’s first Black woman to hold the mayor’s office. 

Upon the certification of Tuesday’s results, Keating will assume the mayor’s seat on July 1.

Copyright 2025 SuperTalk Mississippi Media. All rights reserved.

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By Ben Milam
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Ben Milam is a multimedia journalist for SuperTalk Mississippi News. Prior to joining the news team, he spent three years as a radio and TV play-by-play broadcaster at the NCAA Division I, NJCAA, and high school levels – including time with William Carey, ESPN+, and most recently as the voice of the University of Louisiana Monroe women’s basketball team. He also is a staff writer for Big Gold Nation of the Rivals Network. Ben is a born-and-raised Mississippian and a graduate of Southern Miss. For inquiries or story tips, email [email protected].

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