Branning, Kitchens advance to runoff for Central Mississippi Supreme Court seat

• The judicial race was the race-to-watch in Tuesday’s General Election.

Incumbent Justice Jim Kitchens and State Senator Jenifer Branning appear to have advanced out of the five-candidate field Tuesday, heading to a November 26 runoff election for the State Supreme Court District 1, Position 3 seat.

Unofficial results with 90% of precincts reporting show Branning with 42% and Kitchens with 36%.

Kitchens, a former three-term District Attorney, has served on the bench since 2008. While judicial campaigns are non-partisan, Kitchens has been endorsed by high profile state Democrats.

Branning has represented State Senate District 18 since 2016 as a Republican. She has drawn endorsements this cycle from the Mississippi Republican Party as well as numerous GOP elected officials.

Combined, the two campaigns have raised nearly $1 million this cycle, with Branning pulling in nearly two-thirds of those donations.

The other three candidates on the ballot Tuesday were Byron Carter, Ceola James, and Abby Gale Robinson.