AP news guide: Guest wins Republican primary in 3rd District
Associated Press | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 years, 10 months AGO
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi was holding party primaries Tuesday to choose nominees for a U.S. Senate seat and four congressional seats:
U.S. SENATE
Mike Espy won the Democratic nomination Tuesday, easily defeating two challengers to face Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith and Libertarian candidate Jimmy Edwards in November.
Hyde-Smith is an ally of President Donald Trump. She was appointed to serve temporarily when Republican Thad Cochran retired in early 2018. In November 2018, Hyde-Smith defeated Espy in a hard-fought special election to occupy Cochran's seat for the remaining two years of the six-year term. Espy is a former congressman who served as U.S. agriculture secretary in the 1990s. Espy defeated two candidates in the Democratic primary: Tobey Bernard Bartee and Jensen Bohren.
Bartee is a former military intelligence officer who was eliminated in the first round of voting in the 2018 special election for Senate.
Bohren is a former teacher who unsuccessfully challenged Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker in 2018.
U.S. HOUSE — 1ST DISTRICT
Republican U.S. Rep. Trent Kelly is unopposed for his party's nomination. He has been in the House since winning a 2015 special election in north Mississippi's 1st District.
Antonia Eliason, a University of Mississippi law professor, is unopposed for the Democratic nomination.
U.S. HOUSE — 2ND DISTRICT
The chairman of the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee easily won the Democratic primary.
Rep. Bennie Thompson defeated Sonia Rathburn, who owns a chiropractic business.
The two competed in the state's 2nd Congressional District, which stretches along the Mississippi River, through the Delta and into Jackson.
Thompson has been in Washington since winning a special election in 1993. He is the longest-serving member of Mississippi's current congressional delegation. He is also the only Democrat and the only African American representing the state on Capitol Hill. Thompson will face a Republican in November.
Three candidates are running in the Republican primary. Thomas L. Carey is a retired real estate agent who ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate in 2014. Brian Flowers is a military veteran who works at Grand Gulf Nuclear Station. B.C. Hammond is a volunteer firefighter and has run unsuccessfully for state legislative seats.
U.S. HOUSE — 3RD DISTRICT
Republican U.S. Rep. Michael Guest won his party primary in central Mississippi's 3rd Congressional District.
He defeated radio talk show host James Tulp. Guest is a former district attorney who was first elected to the House in 2018. He will face a Democrat in November.
Two candidates are running in the Democratic primary. Dorothy “Dot” Benford has run unsuccessfully for several offices. Katelyn Lee is a first-time candidate who advocates universal healthcare and expansion of public housing.
U.S. HOUSE — 4TH DISTRICT
Republican U.S. Rep. Steven Palazzo faces three challengers in his party's primary: Carl Boyanton, Robert L. Deming III and Samuel Hickman.
Palazzo was first elected to the House in 2010 in south Mississippi's 4th District. Boyanton is a former owner of a produce business. Deming is a Biloxi City Council member. Hickman has worked for U.S. Rep. Trent Kelly.
No Democrats are running in the 4th District.
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