By Andrew Rice
The Center Square

Mississippi will hold its state primary elections on Tuesday, making it the fourth state in the nation to elect party representatives in preparation for the 2026 midterm elections. One Democratic primary in the state has been labeled a battleground race by election watchers.

Several key primary elections will take place to determine the competitiveness Mississippi can expect going into the general election. Here are some of those races and the candidates who are running.

U.S. Senate

Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., is running for reelection on Tuesday. She was first appointed to the Senate in 2018. She won her first election in 2020.

Hyde-Smith has made illegal immigration, gun rights and anti-abortion issues primary fixtures of her reelection campaign. President Donald Trump has endorsed Hyde-Smith in several elections, including for the upcoming primary.

Trump wrote in a social media post, “Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith is 100% MAGA, and doing a fantastic job representing the Incredible People of Mississippi!”

Hyde-Smith faces a challenger in the Republican primary from Sarah Adlakha, a Mississippi physician.

Adlakha completed BallotPedia’s candidate connection survey, a questionnaire where candidates can answer several questions about their policy goals, background and stances. Her campaign focused on increased access to healthcare and greater economic flexibility.

Adlakha called for reducing taxes, increased workforce education, and greater defense spending.

“By focusing on pro-business policies, reducing taxes, and eliminating unnecessary regulations, Mississippi can foster an environment where local businesses thrive,” Adlakha wrote.

She called attention to several military installations in the state and their role in shoring up defense spending and continued ship building.

“Strengthening our national defense ensures these facilities remain vital contributors to our local economies, providing stable employment and supporting businesses throughout the region,” Adlakha wrote.

Several Democrats are also vying to take over Hyde-Smith’s seat in the U.S. Senate. Scott Colom, a twice nominated district judge, is running for the Democratic nomination against Albert Littell

Former President Joe Biden nominated Colom to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi twice, both nominations were rejected by the U.S. Senate. Colom serves as a district attorney in Mississippi and has emphasized reducing crime in his campaign.

“Our current U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith isn’t working for us anymore, voting against Mississippi jobs and investments because it serves her donors’ agenda,” Collom wrote. “Scott will always put Mississippi first – and he’ll work with anyone, Republican or Democrat, to get things done for our state.”

Collom is running against Albert Littell, who has advocated for expanded mental health services and lower prescription drug costs. Littell also promised to raise the minimum wage in Mississippi.

U.S. House

All four districts in Mississippi will hold primary elections for the U.S. House on Tuesday. In District one, incumbent Rep. Trent Kelly, R-Miss., is the only Republican candidate running in the district.

Cliff Johnson, a law professor, and Kevin Buck, a former member of the Mississippi House of Representatives, are running to face off against Kelly on the Democratic ticket.

Johnson has focused his campaign on increased education quality, lowering healthcare costs and lowering grocery prices in Mississippi.

“While wages remain flat, prices for everything from groceries to health care are soaring,” Johnson wrote in BallotPedia’s candidate survey. “To make things worse, the Trump administration and politicians who support it are focused on giving tax cuts to the super-rich.”

In Mississippi’s second Congressional district, incumbent Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., is looking to hold onto his seat. Ballotpedia identified the Democratic primary in Mississippi’s second congressional district as a battleground race.

Thompson was first elected in 1993 and has received endorsements from Planned Parenthood, federal workers unions and the Yeamsters in his reelection campaign.

Evan Turnage, a practicing lawyer, is challenging Thompson for the Democratic nomination in Mississippi’s second congressional district. Turnage has advocated for holding government officials accountable for managing stock portfolios and trading.

“In order to restore trust in our system, we have to get corporate money out of politics, ban members of Congress from trading stock, and overhaul corporate lobbying,” Turnage wrote in Ballotpedia’s candidate connection survey.

Races across Mississippi will be unique to watch as voters head out to the polls to determine who appears on November’s ballot.