Dem
47
GOP
53
Since we are an election-and-politics site, an election is a big deal. When there is one, we like to lead Monday's posting with it. Practically anything would be a letdown after last week, but there is still a bit of action this week on the Democrats side—in Mississippi of all place The battle is in MS-02, a D+11 largely Black district in the Mississippi delta. It includes Jackson and Natchez. Incumbent Bennie Thompson (D-MS) is running for his 18th term. Not surprisingly Thompson is no spring chicken. He is 78 in a party where many voters want generational change. He is facing attorney Evan Turnage (33) who, like Thompson, is Black. Turnage was 1 year old when Thompson was first elected to the House. Turnage has pointed out that when he was born, the district was the poorest district in the poorest state in America. And it still is. He wants to do something about that in Congress.
While Turnage is new to running for office, he is not new to politics. He worked as chief counsel for then-Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), where he helped write the No Kings Act, which would have stripped criminal immunity for presidents who commit crimes. Here is an article about Turnage. None of the other House races are competitive.
MS-02 isn't the only game in town, though. The resignation of Marjorie Taylor Greene triggered a special election in GA-14. It will be held tomorrow, as well. The district is in the northwest corner of the state and includes the cities of Dalton and Rome. It is 70% white, 12% Black, and 12% Latino. It is mostly exurban and rural. The district is R+19, the reddest district in Georgia. No Democrat has ever gotten over 30% in a House race there.
Per Georgia law, all candidates run on the same ballot, regardless of party. If a candidate receives 50% + 1 vote, he or she is elected. If not, there will be a runoff on April 7. Twenty-two candidates filed but four have dropped out. Left are 13 Republicans, 3 Democrats, 1 Libertarian, and 1 independent.
Among the candidates on the Republican side are local prosecutor Clay Fuller, former state Rep. Colton Moore, ex-Greene staffer Jim Tully, FEMA official Star Black, pastor Tom Gray, horse trainer Reagan Box, and farmer Jennifer Turnipseed. One of the great things about America is that anyone can run for Congress. Fuller has raised the most money, by far, but conservative businessman Brian Stover has the biggest war chest—using his own money.
Democrat Shawn Harris, a retired brigadier general, who ran against Greene in 2024, is trying again. If the Republican vote is fragmented, he might make it to the runoff and then be crushed there. He did raise $4.3 million though, most of it from outside the state from people who don't like Greene but who can't vote in the special election. Polymarket has Harris and Moore as the top two at 9% and 7%, respectively. They could well meet in the April 7 runoff, in which case Moore would be the heavy favorite. That said, he is crazypants and Harris is not, so never know. Maybe some voters in GA-14 have had their fill of crazy. Early turnout was higher than usual. The winner will serve until Jan. 3, 2027. Anyone who wants to run for a full term starting in Jan. 2027 has to file and run in that election, which is separate from the special election tomorrow. (V)