Ty Pinkins is moving on from the Democratic Party after two runs at statewide office under the blue banner.
The U.S. Army veteran and attorney-turned-politico officially announced his intention to walk away from his longtime affiliation Tuesday. In the same statement, Pinkins reaffirmed his intention to run for U.S. Senate in 2026 – this time as an independent.
“I didn’t make this decision lightly,” Pinkins said. “But I made it with clarity, purpose, and a deep belief in putting people over party.”
The Mississippi Delta native first ran for a statewide seat in 2023 when he took Shuwaski Young’s place as the Democratic challenger for secretary of state after Young stepped down due to health concerns. The pair have now followed a similar political path as Young announced in 2024 he was leaving the Democratic Party.
Pinkins pointed to instability, corruption, and the prioritization of fundraising over values within both the Democratic and Republican Party that led him to landing in the middle. He initially announced his run against Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith for U.S. Senate in January.
“When I first entered this race, party officials didn’t ask me about healthcare, veterans, or education,” Pinkins said. “They asked how much money I had. And when I refused to step aside for their handpicked, millionaire-backed candidate, they tried to buy me off – and then they threatened me. But I didn’t serve 21 years in uniform to be bullied by party bosses.”
In his 2024 loss to Sen. Roger Wicker, Pinkins was vastly outspent by the Republican ballast. The attorney decried a lack of support from the national Democratic party during the campaign, which ultimately ended in a landslide loss.
But while Pinkins is shedding the blue for his own colors, he remains committed to the same foundation on which he ran in 2023 and 2024. While he’s at it, the senator-hopeful is aiming to rattle the establishment.
“This campaign isn’t about political parties – it’s about the people,” Pinkins concluded. “The forgotten, the working, the hopeful. If you’re tired of being taken for granted by politicians who answer to donors instead of you, then join me. This is your campaign, too.”
