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The key to Jim Kitchens’ reelection to the Mississippi Supreme Court: Kamala Harris voters

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mississippitoday.org – Bobby Harrison – 2024-10-20 06:00:00

Democrat Joe Biden won in the Mississippi Supreme Court central district by a comfortable margin of 220,405 votes to 193,785 votes against Republican Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election.

While losing the 2020 election nationwide, Trump won Mississippi by an also comfortable margin of 756,764 votes to 539,393 votes. But the central district was a different story.

In elections with big turnouts, especially presidential elections, the central district is often a Democratic stronghold.

This November, it is a safe assumption that Vice President Kamala Harris will lose the state of Mississippi but will do as well if not better than Biden did in the central district.

And if Harris does have a strong showing in the 22-county central district, that should bode well for Supreme Court Justice Jim Kitchens, who currently is campaigning for a third term on the state’s highest court representing the aforementioned district.

What may be Kitchens’ easiest path to win reelection is to convince the central district voters he is more aligned with Harris than is his primary and most well funded opponent, state Sen. Jenifer Branning, R-Philadelphia.

Also running for the central district seat are Ceola James, a former Mississippi Court of Appeals judge, and Hinds County private practice attorneys Byron Carter and Abby Gale Robinson.

If no candidate garners a majority vote on Nov. 5, a runoff will be held between the top two vote-getters. Kitchens’ best bet to win the seat is in the first election on Nov. 5, when all the Harris voters will be going to the polls. A runoff election for a Supreme Court race days before the Thanksgiving holiday is the definition of a low turnout race.

There are not expected to be many competitive races this election cycle in Mississippi, but the central district Supreme Court race stands out. It also is vitally important. Supreme Court justices have significant impact on many aspects of the state.

Kitchens, a former district attorney, and fellow central district Justice Leslie King, are not as conservative as the other seven Mississippi Supreme Court justices. Some might describe Kitchens as a middle-of-the-road jurist, while others might contend he is a liberal.

At any rate, it is less likely that a non-conservative moniker will hurt him in the central district than in other parts of the state.

The problem that Kitchens might face is getting his credentials and philosophy out to the voters.

Judicial races in Mississippi are nonpartisan, and candidates have more restraints on what they can say on the campaign trail. And quite frankly, voters often do not pay attention to judicial races.

While judicial races are nonpartisan, that does not mean that political parties cannot endorse candidates. Branning has the backing of the Mississippi Republican Party.

Branning, who was elected to the Senate in 2015, currently serves as chair of the Transportation Committee. She has been one of the more conservative members of the Senate, and she is touting her conservativism on the campaign trail.

In the Senate, Branning voted against changing the state flag to remove the Confederate battle emblem from the design in 2020 and voted against expanding Medicaid to provide health insurance to the working poor earlier this year. In 2023, she voted against a measure that eventually became law to allow women to remain on Medicaid for 12 months after giving birth opposed to 60 days.

In television commercials, she bills herself as “a constitutional conservative.” Kitchens’ initial television commercial took the approach of Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann by making the advertisement a play on his name. His wife maintains in the commercial he needs to be on the high court to keep him out of her kitchen.

Whether a cute commercial and a district stacked to his advantage will ensure a third term on the state’s highest court for Jim Kitchens remains to be seen.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Mississippi Today

Photos: Lawmakers gavel in for 2025 Mississippi legislative session

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mississippitoday.org – Vickie King – 2025-01-07 15:23:00

The Mississippi Legislature returned to the State Capitol on Tuesday for the start of the legislative session in Jackson.

House Speaker Jason White brings the House of Representatives to order at the beginning of the new legislative session at the State Capitol, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025 in Jackson. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
A children’s choir entertains at the the State Capitol before the start of the new legislative session, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025 in Jackson. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
Members of the House of Representatives at the start of the new legislative session at the State Capitol, Tuesday Jan. 7, 2025, in Jackson. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
Rep. C. Scott Bounds, R-Philadelphia, during the start of the new legislative session at the State Capitol, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025 in Jackson. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
House of Representatives look over bills during the first day of the new legislative session, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025 in Jackson. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
House Reps chat during the first day of the new legislative session, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025 in Jackson. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
Visitors to the House of Representatives pledge allegiance to the flag during the first day of the legislative session at the State Capitol in Jackson, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
House of Representative members during the first day of the new legislative session at the State Capitol, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025 in Jackson. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
House members pledge allegiance to the flag during the first day of the legislative session at the State Capitol, Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today
The legislative session began Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025 at the State Capitol in Jackson. Credit: Vickie D. King/Mississippi Today

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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Billionaire Tommy Duff forms Republican PAC as he weighs gubernatorial run

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mississippitoday.org – Taylor Vance – 2025-01-07 11:40:00

Billionaire Tommy Duff, as he considers a run for Mississippi governor in 2027, has formed a political action committee to help elect Republicans to city and legislative offices this year, likely to increase his influence as a political powerbroker.

Jordan Russell, a longtime Republican operative who has led several federal and state campaigns, is director of the PAC, which was formed in December. 

Russell told Mississippi Today in a statement that Duff founded the PAC to support conservative candidates and advance policies that promote “opportunities, freedom, faith-based values and prosperity across Mississippi.” 

“We are planning a significant investment in multiple races in our state to ensure strong, conservative leadership at every level of government,” Russell said. 

Duff, a Hattiesburg resident and the co-wealthiest Mississippian along with his brother Jim, has been involved in state politics for decades, but mostly behind the scenes as a megadonor and philanthropist. He recently finished an eight-year stint on the state Institutions of Higher Learning Board, first appointed by former Gov. Phil Bryant. 

READ MORE: Will a Mississippi billionaire run for governor in the poorest state?

He’s travelled around the state in recent months meeting with political and business leaders, potentially laying the groundwork for a gubernatorial run. Duff also appeared at last year’s Neshoba County Fair and made the rounds at the state’s premiere political gathering. 

Duff and his brother turned a small, struggling company into Southern Tire Mart, the nation’s largest truck tire dealer and retread manufacturer. They created Duff Capitol Investors, the largest privately held business in Mississippi, with ownership in more than 20 companies, including KLLM Transport, TL Wallace Construction and Southern Insurance Group.

Duff has recently said he’s still weighing a run for governor, but his creation of a PAC that could garner support from many down-ticket Republicans would appear to be a concrete step in that direction. Duff’s entrance into a gubernatorial race would likely cause numerous potential candidates — particularly those who have looked to him for large campaign donations — to wave off.

While statewide elections are still two years away, municipal elections will take place this year and several special legislative races will happen as well. 

Rep. Charles Young, Jr., a Democrat from Meridian, died on December 19, and Rep. Andy Stepp, a Republican from Bruce, died on December 5. Sen. Jenifer Branning, a Republican from Philadelphia, was sworn into office yesterday for a seat on the Mississippi Supreme Court. Special elections will take place later this year to fill these vacancies. 

A federal three-judge panel also ruled last year that the Legislature  must create new state Senate and House maps with Black-majority districts and conduct special elections in 2025 under those newly created districts. 

The court ordered legislators to create a majority-Black Senate district in the DeSoto County area in north Mississippi and one in the Hattiesburg area in south Mississippi. The panel also ruled the state must create a majority-Black House district in the Chickasaw County area in northeast Mississippi. 

However, the Legislature will also have to tweak many districts in the state to accommodate for the new Black-majority maps. State officials in court filings have argued that the redrawing would affect a quarter of the state’s 174 legislative districts.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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Mississippi Today expands politics team for 2025 legislative session

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mississippitoday.org – Adam Ganucheau – 2025-01-07 10:19:00

Mississippi Today is proud to announce the expansion of its politics team, dedicated to providing readers with in-depth reporting on the 2025 legislative session and key political issues shaping our state.

This team will rove the halls of the Mississippi Capitol in 2025, providing insightful daily updates, robust analysis, and in-depth coverage of state politics. The team will also produce investigations that aim to provide accountability to our state’s most powerful leaders.

Geoff Pender, a seasoned journalist with decades of experience covering Mississippi politics, continues his role as the politics team editor. Pender will guide the team as they tackle critical stories and offer insightful commentary on the decisions affecting Mississippians.

“We have a great team in place, a mix of old hands and fresh eyes, and one I believe will enhance Mississippi Today’s already unrivaled coverage of Mississippi government, politics and policies that impact us all,” Pender said.

Newcomers to the politics team — Simeon Gates and Michael Goldberg — join team veteran Taylor Vance to bring unique expertise to readers.

Simeon Gates, who has been with Mississippi Today since 2024, moves to the politics team to focus on education policy issues, highlighting how debates and decisions at the Capitol affect Mississippi’s schools, teachers and students. Gates is a Pearl native and alumna of University of Southern Mississippi.

Michael Goldberg joined Mississippi Today on Dec. 30, 2024, after more than two years with The Associated Press. Goldberg, who covered two Mississippi legislative sessions with the AP, will be posted at the Capitol daily. Goldberg is a California native and is an alumnus of Western Washington University and University of Southern California.

Taylor Vance, who has served on the Mississippi Today politics team since 2023, will continue to cover the Legislature and focus on elections and the political dynamics shaping the state’s future. Vance, a Grenada native, is an alumnus of the University of Mississippi.

PODCAST: Expanded Mississippi Today politics team talks 2025 legislative session

Mississippi Today Senior Political Reporter Bobby Harrison, who has been on the politics team since 2018, is transitioning to a new role in the newsroom that will be announced in coming days. Harrison will continue publishing his weekly political analysis in conjunction with newspaper partners across the state.

The politics team will continue producing its weekly podcast, “The Other Side,” and beginning this week, videos of episodes will be available to watch on our YouTube channel.

To follow Mississippi Today’s politics team and its coverage of the 2025 legislative session, you can do two things:

  1. Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter. There, the team will recap the previous week, forecast the upcoming week, and produce short videos and other written nuggets that you can’t find anywhere else.
  2. Bookmark our 2025 Legislative Guide, which includes resources you need to engage with lawmakers and follow their action this year. This page will also update whenever a new legislative story from Mississippi Today publishes.

Thank you for reading, and don’t hesitate to email us if you have any questions or tips.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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