Last Tuesday, general elections were held in Mississippi.  The ballot will include candidates for both state and county offices. Although many of the state office incumbents are expected to be re-elected by a wide margin, current Attorney General Jim Hood is being highly contested by Republican challenger Mike Hurst. 

Attorney General Jim Hood, the last remaining Democrat in statewide office, has faced lingering accusations of complacency as it pertains to the fight against public corruption. As stated in The Clarion-Ledger, “[Mike Hurst] has zeroed in on Hood’s lack of investigating and prosecuting state and local officials who have stolen taxpayer dollars or abused their office for personal gain. It’s a legitimate attack that Hood has failed to satisfactorily answer.” Mike Hurst, a graduate of George Washington University Law School, is a former federal prosecutor with a strong record of results. Although Jim Hood has done a great job on several fronts, including leading the fight against cybercrime and cracking down on child predators, Mississippi’s public corruption speaks for itself. According to a recent study by the University of Hong Kong and Indiana University, Mississippi is the most corrupt state in the country. While the burden of responsibility does not fall solely on Jim Hood’s shoulders, many feel that a change in leadership is a good place to start. A recent poll showed that the two candidates are gridlocked in a statistical tie, which makes the election all the more suspenseful. 

Although the election for Attorney General is shaping up to be the most exciting, it is worth noting that each statewide office is facing opposition. Governor Phil Bryant is facing opposition from two opponents: Robert Gray (D) and Shawn O’Hara (Reform). Lieutenant Governor Tate Reeves is facing opposition from three opponents (the most of any statewide official): Tim Johnson (D), Ron Williams (Libertarian) and Rosa Williams (Reform). State Treasurer Lynn Fitch is being challenged by Viola McFarland (Reform).  Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann Jr. is being challenged by two candidates: Charles Graham (D) and Randy Walker (Reform). State Auditor Stacey Pickering is being faced by two challengers: Joce Pritchett (D) and Lajena Walley (Reform). Finally, Cindy Hyde-Smith (Agriculture and Commerce Commissioner) and Mike Chaney (Insurance Commissioner) are being challenged by two and one candidates respectively. Although many of the statewide elections are shaping up to be blowouts, it’s extremely important to remember that it is our civil obligation to vote. By increasing the voter turnout we are allowing for a more accurate representation of our population’s political ideology.