JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Mississippi’s Primary Election will be held on Tuesday, August 8, and some of the most contested races will be front and center.
The chairmen of both parities said their morale is high in what has been a fascinating primary season for both parties.
For the Democratic party, new leadership and competitive primaries have them excited for what Tuesday night might bring.
Rep. Cheikh Taylor (D-District 38) took over the Mississippi Democratic Party just 31 days ago. A month later, he’s leading the party into what he believes will be the start of a blue wave.
“As a party, we are excited. We’re excited about the type of candidates we’re putting forward. We’re excited about that these Democrats in this race actually having real solutions. Great to have these many candidates. So, they’re the people who can actually choose who they want to lead. I’ll be back on being armchair quarterback to some extent, rooting on the blue wave that is about to happen starting on tomorrow,” said Taylor.
The Mississippi Republican Party has not responded to WJTV 12 News’ interview requests. However, Party Chairman Frank Bordeaux told the Magnolia Tribune, “Republican candidates are working hard to reach out to voters between now and next Tuesday. There is a ton of energy on a local level.”
A last-minute endorsement was thrown into the most heated primary race in the state.
Madison Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler took to Facebook on Sunday and announced her endorsement of State Senator Chris McDaniel (R-District 42) for lieutenant governor.
Butler said this endorsement comes after she was made aware of alleged meetings that incumbent Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann (R-Miss.) was attending regarding a potential split of the Madison and Rankin counties judicial district.
“It was my understanding that the lieutenant governor was meeting with public officials in Madison County to discuss splitting the district off. The bottom line is that I know what was going to happen. I would not be doing what I’m doing if I were not sure of it,” she said.
Hosemann refuted those claims. He noted in a Facebook post, “I have repeatedly committed to the voters of Rankin and Madison counties that the senate will not sever the Rankin-Madison Circuit Court District.”
It’s worth noting that Hosemann has also received the support of Butler’s neighboring mayors, including those of Ridgeland, Gluckstadt and Flora.