Mississippi Republicans to choose opponent for longtime Democratic congressman
Mississippi Republicans are choosing a candidate to face off against a longtime Democratic congressman
By EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS
Published - Apr 02, 2024, 12:14 AM ET
Last Updated - Apr 02, 2024, 12:14 AM EDT
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A runoff election Tuesday in Mississippi's 2nd Congressional District will determine the Republican nominee to face longtime Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson in the Nov. 5 general election.
Republicans Ron Eller and Andrew Scott Smith advanced to the runoff after a three-person primary three weeks ago. They’re competing in a majority-Black district that Thompson has represented since winning a special election in 1993 and where President Joe Biden won by 27 percentage points in 2020.
Eller is a military veteran and physician assistant who ran unsuccessfully for the 2nd District Republican nomination in 2022. He said he supports construction of a U.S.-Mexico border wall and expansion of domestic energy production.
