Party chairmen describe final push in Mississippi U.S. Senate race

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - Mississippi’s U.S. Senate race has drawn national attention for a midterm year, with multimillion-dollar ad buys and visits from presidents and party leaders. With less than 24 hours until Election Day, campaigns and party organizations are making a final push. The chairmen of both state parties discussed where the race stands.

Chairmen on voter urgency

“You either run unopposed or you run scared. And so we’re not scared, but we’re also having to remind our voters, as we do every election, that this is important,” said Mike Hurst, chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party. “We can’t be comfortable. We can’t be complacent, that we have to get up, get out, and go vote.”

Cheikh Taylor, chairman of the Mississippi Democratic Party, said the party sees an opportunity.

“There’s an urgency here like no other time because we’re in striking distance of winning,” Taylor said. “Polls say that we’re about three points behind. The public says that we’re not, but we don’t want to rest. We want to charge forward and let folks know these are dire straits.”

Absentee ballots

The total of absentee ballots received is more than double the total received in the last midterms. It also exceeds the total from the 2023 gubernatorial race.

The chairmen described different factors behind the increase.

“I think Republicans are starting to wake up and seeing that this absentee voting, this early voting here in Mississippi is a thing. It’s something they can and should do,” Hurst said. “And I think that’s why you’re seeing the increase in the number of absentee ballots.”

Taylor said his party is relying on in-person voting.

“At the end of the day, we know that we’re going to be depending on in-person voting that’s happening on Tuesday,” Taylor said. “Let’s make sure that Tuesday is the final push and not just what’s happening in absentee ballots.”

Visits from national leaders

Both parties have hosted national leaders. The chairmen were asked about the impact of those visits.

“This president can generate that kind of momentum, that kind of enthusiasm... These things the President promised us, he has made it happen,” Hurst said. “And so we need to send our senator, Cindy Hyde-Smith, back to the Senate... to continue the good work they started.”

“You have to tie the candidate to all the failed policies of Donald Trump at this time... All the promises made to Mississippians and to folks of this great country have not been made good,” Taylor said. “Colom campaign has ran a campaign worthy of everyone understanding what he fights for and that’s the people of Mississippi.”

Democrat Scott Colom, Republican Hyde-Smith and Independent Ty Pinkins are campaigning across the state in the final hours before the election.

Election Day preparations

Both parties are shifting to Election Day operations.

The Republican Party has recruited attorneys and poll watchers in all 82 counties to monitor election integrity.

The Democratic Party has activated a voter protection hotline. The party is preparing for potential long lines, ballot shortages or equipment issues.

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