(Photo from John Horhn on Facebook)
At the close of the night Tuesday, State Senator John Horhn maintained a near 3-to-1 lead over embattled incumbent Chokwe Antar Lumumba for the Democratic nomination for Jackson Mayor. Still, Horhn’s reported 11,909 votes (48.4%) put him just shy of the mark needed to avoid a runoff with Lumumba, who was saved from outright defeat by a crowded field of 12 candidates.
The pair will face each other in a runoff contest on Tuesday, April 22nd. Lumumba, who won the Democratic Primary in 2021 with nearly 70 percent of the vote, saw his support plummet to just 16.8 percent Tuesday night. Over 83 percent of voters chose a candidate other than the incumbent.
The Mayor faced a series of public controversies during his tenure, with a federal takeover of Jackson’s water system, nation leading homicide rates, and a nasty public feud with the City Council over garbage contracts that resulted in a court loss.
Most recently, Lumumba found himself embroiled in a federal bribery sting with Jackson and Hinds County officials. In November, federal prosecutors under the Biden Department of Justice indicted Lumumba for allegedly accepting campaign contributions as bribes to grease the skids for a downtown hotel development project.
According to the indictment, Lumumba and Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens flew via private jet to Miami to meet with FBI operatives on a yacht, where Lumumba accepted $50,000 in contributions for his help in ensuring an development proposal was accepted by the City. During the same meeting, Owen’s was supplied a bag of cash. FBI video surveillance captured the exchanges.
If convicted, Lumumba faces up to 70 years in prison and $1.5 million in fines. He has labeled the Biden administration indictment as a “political prosecution” and vowed to fight the charges while continuing his reelection bid.
Horhn capitalized on Lumumba’s legal troubles and Jackson’s ongoing challenges with water infrastructure, crime, and governance during the race. He emphasized restoring trust and accountability in city leadership during his speech after the primary results were announced.
The winner of the Democratic runoff will face Republican and independent candidates in the general election on June 3, 2025. Past election cycles suggest the winner of the Democratic Primary will almost certainly win the overall race.
