Voters break Republican supermajority in legislature with court-ordered special elections
However, pending U.S. Supreme Court case could pose challenges to legislative redistricting that prompted most of the elections
Mississippi voters in multiple legislative districts participated in special elections on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, as a result of court-ordered redistricting and legislative vacancies. The elections mark the first held under new district maps ordered by a federal court and mark a notable shift in the state’s legislative landscape.
The outcome means that after 13 years, Republicans no longer command a supermajority in the state Senate. Voters elected Democrats to two seats previously held by Republicans, reducing the number of Republican senators from 36 to 34, which is one seat short of a supermajority.
The Mississippi Conference of the NAACP and Black voters in 2022 filed suit challenging legislative districts drawn, alleging dilution of Black voting strength. A federal three-judge panel ruled in their favor and ordered the creation of a new majority-Black district in Chickasaw County in north Mississippi. In July 2024, the court directed the Legislature to adopt new maps during its 2025 session and conduct elections for the redrawn seats.
The legislature modified the affected districts during the 2025 session, and the court accepted the Chickasaw County redistricting plan. Tuesday’s elections represent the first held under the broader court-ordered maps.
Redistricting Election Results
Senate District 1
Michael McLendon (R, incumbent) – 72%
Chris Hanna (D) – 28%
Senate District 2
Theresa Isom (D) – 63%
Charlie Hoots (R) – 37%
Note: Sen. David Parker (R) did not seek re-election in the redrawn district.
Senate District 11
Reginald Jackson (D, incumbent) – 67%
Kendall Prewett (R) – 33%
Senate District 19
Kevin Blackwell (R, incumbent) – 53%
Dianne Black (D) – 47%
Senate District 44
Chris Johnson (R, incumbent) – 70%
Shakita Taylor (D) – 30%
Note: Sen. John Polk (R) did not seek election, avoiding a contest between two Republican incumbents.
Senate District 45
Johnny DuPree (D) – 71%
Anna Rush (R) – 29%
Note: DuPree, who served 16 years as Hattiesburg mayor, flipped a Republican-held seat. He previously ran unsuccessfully for governor and Congress.
House District 22
Justin Crosby (D) – 53%
Jon Lancaster (R, incumbent) – 47%
Vacancy Elections
Three special elections were held to fill seats vacated before the end of their terms. These races operated under nonpartisan rules requiring candidates to secure more than 50 percent to avoid a runoff.
Senate District 24
Six candidates competed for the seat vacated by Senator David Jordan (D), who resigned citing family obligations. Curressia Brown (24%) and Jason Colquett (20%) advanced to a Dec. 2, 2025, runoff. Other candidates: Everette Hill (15%), Loretta McClee (15%), Justin Pope (19%) and Georgio Proctor (8%).
Senate District 26
Seven candidates sought the seat vacated by John Horhn (D), who was elected Jackson’s mayor. Kamesha Mumford (39%) and Letitia Johnson (28%) will meet in a Dec. 2, 2025, runoff. Other candidates: Coleman Boyd (16%), Jermaine Cooley (6%), Theresa Kennedy (7%), James Pittman (2%) and Jeffery Stallworth (2%).
House District 26
Otha Williams (52%) won outright in a three-person race for the seat vacated by Orlando Paden (D), who was elected Clarksdale’s mayor. Other candidates: Mary Frances Dear-Moton (14%) and Kimberlyn Seals (32%).
August Primary Results
Seven additional redistricting-related seats were decided in August primaries. Incumbents won reelection in six districts: Sen. Juan Barnett (D, District 34), Sen. Joey Fillingane (R, District 41), Rep. Rickey Thompson (D, District 16), Rep. Karl Gibbs (D, District 36), Rep. Dana McLean (R, District 39), and Rep. Kabir Karriem (D, District 41).
In Senate District 42, Don Hartness defeated incumbent Sen. Robin Robinson in the Republican primary.
Impact on Legislative Composition
The redistricting elections resulted in a net gain of two seats for Democrats in the Mississippi Legislature. Democrats picked up Senate District 2 with Theresa Isom’s victory after Republican incumbent David Parker declined to run in the redrawn district, and Senate District 45 with Johnny DuPree’s defeat of Republican Anna Rush in a previously Republican-held seat. Democrats also gained House District 22, where Justin Crosby defeated Republican incumbent Jon Lancaster.
These gains come in a state where Republicans hold substantial majorities in both legislative chambers. The newly drawn districts, created in response to the federal court’s finding that the previous maps diluted Black voting strength, have expanded representation for Black voters in areas where they constitute a majority of the population.
The contested nature of some races, particularly Senate District 19 where Republican incumbent Kevin Blackwell held his seat by just six percentage points against Democrat Dianne Black, suggests competitive dynamics even in districts not explicitly redrawn to favor one party.
The vacancy elections also reflect a trend of Democratic legislators transitioning to municipal executive positions. John Horhn’s move from the state Senate to become Jackson’s mayor and Orlando Paden’s shift from the state House to become Clarksdale’s mayor both created openings that will be filled by Democrats, maintaining party representation in those districts.
Future Legal Uncertainty
The legal framework that produced these special elections faces potential challenges. The U.S. Supreme Court is currently considering a Louisiana redistricting case that could restrict the application of the Voting Rights Act in map-drawing processes. The ruling could affect the ability of federal courts to order states to redraw legislative districts and conduct special elections designed to create majority-minority districts.
Should the Supreme Court limit the use of the Voting Rights Act in redistricting cases, the practice of court-ordered remedial elections like those held in Mississippi on Tuesday could become more difficult to implement. The decision would have implications not only for Mississippi but for other states where similar challenges to legislative maps have been filed on grounds of voting rights violations.
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