Mississippi’s largest coastal city and the state’s second-largest city by population, Gulfport, will soon have a new mayor as elections are set to take place later in the spring and into the summer.
As longtime Republican Mayor Billy Hewes announced last May that he would not seek a fifth term, three candidates have lined up to try to take the reins at city hall. Below you can find a list of people who filed their paperwork before Friday’s deadline. Primary elections will take place on April 1 with runoffs, if necessary, on April 22 and the general election on June 3.
Hugh Keating (Republican)
After Hewes indicated he was stepping aside, Hugh Keating publicly announced his intention to run for the seat back in June. The Gulfport native has spent the last 40 years in the legal profession, cementing himself as a well-known attorney in south Mississippi. He now aims to continue the trend of a Republican-led municipality against multiple Democratic opponents.
In addition to serving as the vice president and treasurer at law firm Dukes, Keating, Hatten, McRaney, and Blum, the legal veteran has also worked as president of the Mississippi Bar Association.
“It’s almost like a calling,” Keating told SuperTalk Mississippi News after his announcement. “I feel like I can hit the ground running and for it to be a seamless transition. We’ve got a lot of transformative projects in the pipeline that need to be carried to fruition. But the city has other needs to be addressed – there’s always room for improvement.”
Keating, a Mississippi College School of Law graduate, touts a robust track record of community involvement, including roles as Vice-President of the Gulfport Redevelopment Commission, President of the Mississippi Coast Crime Commission, Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Leadership Gulf Coast, and multiple leadership positions with the Boy Scouts of America.
Sonya Williams-Barnes (Democrat)
Sonya Williams-Barnes, a former member of the Mississippi House of Representatives from 2012-22, was the first candidate to file paperwork when the qualifying period opened earlier this month. Williams-Barnes has introduced a platform she’s dubbed “One Gulfport,” in which she would like to see all communities come together with the unifying goal of advancing the city.
“My vision for Gulfport is a thriving, inclusive community,” a portion of her campaign website reads. “I am ready to lead our city into a future where every voice matters and every opportunity is possible.”
During her time in the House, Williams-Barnes worked across the aisle on multiple occasions to advance legislation in a Republican-controlled chamber. She touts her work directing lottery money to public education and harboring funding for the state’s ports, the main of which is in Gulfport. She served as vice chair of the Ports, Harbors, and Airports Committee and was chair of the Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus.
Since leaving the state capitol, Williams-Barnes has served as Mississippi Policy Director for the Southern Poverty Law Center. The Jackson State University alumnus also owns Lockett Williams Mortuary, a third-generation funeral home.
Ronald “Ronnie” Henderson (Democrat)
Henderson, a Gulfport native who moved back to the coastal city after a career in professional basketball, is running on a platform centered around three core tenets: economic development, public safety, and the beautification of Gulfport. According to Henderson’s campaign website, the approach of his campaign will be grounded in the principles of “unity, equality, and possibilities.”
After an illustrious basketball career at LSU and in the NBA, Henderson began a career in small business entrepreneurship, which included a plumbing business, car sales, and financial management, and most recently as the owner and proprietor of KRH Enterprises, a property development and management firm. His track record of business success, along with his service to the Gulfport community, is something Henderson believes will make him an effective mayor.
“Ronnie has developed many leadership qualities that are needed for the role of mayor,” his campaign site reads. “Being a businessman, he has embodied the definition of an entrepreneurial spirit; a man who is involved in being proactive, taking initiative, and seeking out new challenges.”
