Few local lawmakers are going to see competition in this year’s elections, according to qualifying papers filed with the Mississippi Secretary of State’s office and candidates’ campaign announcements.
Republican Rep. Sam Mims of McComb, the area’s longest-serving lawmaker, faces a challenge from Democrat Benton Thompson for House District 97.
Mims, who has been in office since 2004, handily defeated Thompson four years ago, claiming three-fourths of the votes cast.
Rep. Daryl Porter Jr., D-Summit, is expected to face a challenge from Lance Darnel Brown in House District 98, which covers parts of Pike and Walthall counties.
Porter, an attorney and former Summit town councilman, is in his first term. Brown’s campaign website describes him as an Army veteran, minister and former teacher. His party affiliation is not listed.
Brown had not qualified as of Jan. 24, according to the most recent list of candidates available from the secretary of state’s office.
Candidates have until Wednesday to file qualifying papers.
In other legislative districts, Reps. Angela Cockerham, an independent from Magnolia, and Republicans Vince Mangold of Brookhaven and Bill Pigott of Tylertown remained unopposed, according to the list of qualified candidates.
Cockerham is seeking re-election as an independent, four years after shedding her affiliation with the Democratic party when she faced primary opposition in 2019.
In the Senate, District 38 incumbent Kelvin Butler still hadn’t qualified, but neither had any opponent.
Butler served from 2004-2016 and won his old seat back in a special election in 2021 to fill the remaining term of former Sen. Tammy Witherspoon, who resigned when she was elected mayor of Magnolia. Butler defeated fellow Democrat Gary Brumfield to win the office in 2021.
Sen. Melanie Sojourner, R-Natchez, won’t be representing the area when the new term begins next year after her district was merged with District 36, a heavily Democratic area where she wasn’t expected to be competitive. Sojourner blamed the move on her longstanding feud with fellow Republican Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann and isn’t running for re-election. Current District 36 Sen. Albert Butler is running in District 37, which no longer covers the area, as is fellow Democrat Shirley Sandifer.
With District 37 moving out, Senate District 39 has taken its place in northern parts of Pike and Amite counties. Sen. Jason T. Barrett, R-Brookhaven, is the incumbent and faces no opposition so far, according to the list of qualifying candidates.
