If the compressed primary schedule wasn’t already enough of an obstacle, Mississippi’s incumbent federal delegation’s campaign cash will give challengers even tougher sledding heading into the March 10th primary.
The latest round of federal campaign finance reports from the FEC, which were due Friday, show all incumbents significantly outpacing their 2020 challengers in campaign dollars.
U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith is sitting comfortably with $736,000 after raising nearly $1.3 million. She is unopposed in the Republican primary.
Her likely General Election opponent, Democrat Mike Espy, reported $144,000 cash on hand and raising $254,000. The other Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate in Mississippi – Jensen Bohren and Tobey Bartee – were not reported.
In the Congressional races, Congressmen Trent Kelly (R-MS01), Bennie Thompson (D-MS02), Michael Guest (R-MS03), and Steven Palazzo (R-MS04) all have substantial fundraising leads.
Kelly reports $113,000 cash on hand and raising $360,000. He is unopposed in the Republican primary. No report was showing for his General Election opponent, Democrat Antonia Eliason.
Thompson, the longest serving Mississippi Congressman, reported $1.6 million in his campaign account after raising $715,000. No reports were posted at press time for his Democrat primary challenger, Sonia Rathburn, or for the three Republicans vying to face Thompson in the General Election – Thomas Carey, Brian Flowers or B.C. Hammond.
Guest sits at $198,000 COH with $359,000 raised. He faces James Tulp in the Republican primary. Tulp reported raising $15,000 and has just under $13,000 cash on hand. No reports were showing for the Democrats in this district – Dorothy Benford and Katelyn Lee.
Palazzo reports $291,000 cash on hand and has raised nearly $400,000. He has three Republican challengers in the primary. Carl Boyanton reports raising $17,000 with $5,000 on hand. Samuel Hickman raised $10,000 and has $10,000 remaining. Robert Deming has no report showing. There is no Democrat vying for this seat.
Frank Corder
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