Three incumbents did not file for re-election to Mississippi’s Senate in 2023. This was the lowest number of retirements since 2011, and a 66% decrease from the average of 8.7 retirements per cycle between 2011 and 2019.
Mississippi is holding its primary on Aug. 8, with a primary runoff on Aug. 29. The general election is on Nov. 7 of this year. All 52 seats in the Mississippi State Senate are up for election.
Further, 16 incumbents in the 52-member Senate face primary challengers compared to 32 in the 122-member House.
Zenger News identified eight battleground primaries in Mississippi’s Senate based on media coverage and endorsements. Of the eight primaries, six are Republican and two are Democratic. Six of these primaries feature incumbents, while two are in open districts.
Incumbent Hillman Frazier and Marvin Hightower are running in the primary for Senate District 27. Frazier and Hightower ran against each other in the same primary in 2019. Frazier won the election with 62% of the vote to Hightower’s 38%. The Mississippi Association of Educators endorsed Frazier.
Incumbent David Blount and Dwayne Pickett are running in the primary for Senate District 29. The Mississippi Association of Educators endorsed Blount.
For Democrats, campaign priorities and messages include: civil rights, economic development, public safety, education, police reform, healthcare, and infrastructure.
Incumbent Chad McMahan and Lauren Smith are running in the primary for Senate District 6. The Mississippi Association of Educators endorsed McMahan, while the Mississippi Freedom Caucus endorsed Smith.
Incumbent Nicole Boyd and Ricky Caldwell are running in the primary for Senate District 9. The Mississippi Association of Educators endorsed Boyd, while the Mississippi Freedom Caucus endorsed Caldwell.
Incumbent Bart Williams and Alan Sibley are running in the primary for Senate District 15. The Mississippi Association of Educators endorsed Williams, while the Mississippi Freedom Caucus endorsed Sibley.
Incumbent Kevin Blackwell and Walter Hopper are running in the primary for Senate District 19. The Mississippi Freedom Caucus endorsed Hopper.
Jared Morrison and Brian Rhodes are running in the primary for Senate District 36. This district is open, meaning no incumbents are running.Don Hartness and Robin Robinson are running in the primary for Senate District 42. Robinson has served in the Mississippi House since 2020. This district is open, meaning no incumbents are running. The Mississippi Freedom Caucus endorsed Hartness.
For Republicans, campaign priorities and messages include: education, constitutional rights, cutting taxes, conservative values, public safety, second amendment rights, and election integrity.
CNalysis rates each election based on the likelihood of a Democratic or Republican victory. Currently, the outlet rates 11 elections as Uncontested Democratic and four as Solid Democratic. It rates 26 elections as Uncontested Republican, 10 as Solid Republican, and one as Very Likely Republican.
Produced in association with Ballotpedia
Edited by Saba Fatima and Maham Javaid
