Primary Tuesday: What's on the ballot in Mississippi

Associated Press

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi is one of six states holding federal party primaries on Tuesday. Here's what's on the ballot in Mississippi.

Former Vice President Joe Biden, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard are competing for 36 Democratic delegates in Mississippi.

The Mississippi ballot was set before several Democratic candidates left the presidential race, and their names will still appear: Michael R. Bloomberg, Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, Deval Patrick, Tom Steyer, Elizabeth Warren and Andrew Yang.

The Republican primary ballot in Mississippi has President Donald J. Trump, Roque 'Rocky' De La Fuente and Bill Weld. Mississippi was one of Trump's strongest states in the 2016 general election. Mississippi has 40 Republican delegates.

U.S. SENATE

Republican U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-smith is seeking a full six-year term, and she is unopposed for the GOP nomination. She was appointed to serve temporarily in the Senate in early 2018 when longtime Republican Sen. Thad Cochran retired. Hyde-smith won a special election in November 2018 to complete the six-year term Cochran started.

Three candidates are seeking the Democratic nomination this year.

Mike Espy is a former Mississippi congressman and served as U.S. agriculture secretary in the mid-1990s when Bill Clinton was president. Espy lost to Hyde-smith in the hard-fought 2018 special election. He has raised the most money among the Democrats running for the seat this year.

Tobey Bernard Bartee is a former military intelligence officer who was eliminated in the first round of voting in the 2018 special election for Senate.

Jensen Bohren has been a teacher, and he 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

Democratic U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson faces one challenger in his party's primary, Sonia Rathburn.

Thompson has been in the House since winning a 1993 special election, in the 2nd District, which stretches along the Mississippi River, through the Delta and into Jackson. He is chairman of the Homeland Security Committee.

Rathburn owns a chiropractic business.

Three candidates are running in the Republican primary. Thomas L. Carey is a retired realtor 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 faces one challenger in his party's primary, James Tulp.

Guest was first elected to the House in 2018 in the 3rd District in the central part of the state. Tulp hosts a talk show on a Jackson radio station.

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 has run 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.