WASHINGTON — As Mississippi gears up for November elections, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee is announcing its first round of Spotlight candidates running to break Republican supermajorities in the Magnolia State legislature.
“Democrats are on the offensive in every state — including Mississippi,” said Jessica Post, president of the DLCC. “We have a great candidate for governor in Attorney General Jim Hood and the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee is working to ensure he has Democratic partners in the state legislature.”
All 174 seats in the Mississippi legislature are up for election for the first time since 2015 and Democrats need to flip just one seat in the House and two seats in the Senate to break Republican supermajorities — a must-win to preserve a future Democratic governor’s veto if Attorney General Jim Hood is successful in his election at the top of the ticket.
“These Spotlight candidates are running to improve education, invest in infrastructure and protect health care for Mississippi families,” Post said. “They’re going to break Republicans’ supermajorities and move Mississippi forward.”
The first round of Spotlight candidates includes five House and two Senate challengers:
- Tiffany Kilpatrick (HD-12), a lawyer and proud product of Mississippi public schools who is running to improve the quality of education for all.
- Vicki Slater (HD-56), a small business owner running to fight corruption and bring greater transparency to Jackson.
- Shanda Yates (HD-64), an attorney who has experience working for small businesses and Fortune 500 companies and is running to apply her work ethic advocating for working families in Mississippi.
- Brandon Rue (HD-102), a college student and experienced community activist who would be the youngest state legislator in Mississippi history.
- Inez Kelleher (HD-117), a practicing orthopedic surgeon and retired lieutenant colonel in the US Air Force who is running to increase health care affordability and access.
- Steve Eaton (SD-5), an advocate for rural Mississippi who is running on supporting local teachers, veterans, and hospital workers.
- Kevin Frye (SD-9), a lawyer and Lafayette County Supervisor who is running to build a better future for all Mississippians.
Across the country, the DLCC is working with state partners to invest in staff and fundraising capabilities, leveraging data to identify targets and direct resources. Organizational support from the DLCC will ensure state Democrats and the Spotlight candidates have the resources they need to win this November and in 2020.
The DLCC and state Democrats have flipped more than 400 state legislative seats from red to blue since Trump’s election, winning control of eight new chambers and breaking Republican supermajorities.
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