Jackson Jambalaya

As Mississippi approaches its pivotal 2026 mid-term elections, the national spotlight is already trained on our U.S. Senate race and potential kitchen-table issues in the state’s congressional districts.

Republicans have dominated Mississippi’s congressional politics at the federal level for over a decade. The GOP has held both of the state’s U.S. Senate seats and three of the state’s four U.S. House seats with relative ease. At the heart of the action in 2026 is the race for the Senate, where incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith seeks reelection for a second full term. The first-term senator from Brookhaven, appointed to fill the seat vacated by Thad Cochran in 2018 and winning a subsequent special election, has been seen as a safe bet for Mississippi Republicans. Now, the incumbent senator faces primary challengers Sarah Adlakha and Andrew Scott Smith.

Hyde-Smith has, in many ways, been the model of a traditional Mississippi Republican. Her unwavering loyalty to former President Donald Trump and her position on hot-button conservative issues have earned her favor with Mississippi's conservative electorate.

Since her appointment to the Senate, Hyde-Smith has made clear her allegiance to Trump, and his continued popularity in the state has undeniably bolstered her standing with the Mississippi GOP base. For many Republican voters in Mississippi, Trump’s endorsement is political gold. The idea of challenging Trump-backed candidates has historically been a non-starter for most in Mississippi.

Chicago native Sarah Adlakha, Hyde-Smith’s most formidable primary challenger, has already raised eyebrows in state political circles. A Gulf Coast osteopath and health industry businesswoman with a history of policy activism, Adlakha’s challenge to Hyde-Smith will likely center on whether Mississippi voters want to continue with the status quo or embrace a new vision.

What Adlakha has yet to reconcile is her support for the political pabulum of term limits with the suggestion that Hyde-Smith’s seats on the powerful Senate Appropriations and Senate Agriculture committees aren’t vital to the state’s future regardless of who succeeds Trump in the White House.

Hyde-Smith is the clear favorite in this race. Her campaign is well-funded, well-connected, and a recognized name in both Washington and this state’s political circles. However, Adlakha's primary challenge could make the race more competitive than expected. The GOP primary contest, along with the Democratic race led by Golden Triangle District Attorney Scott Colom of Columbus, will likely result in a lengthy and possibly tough campaign for Hyde-Smith, who has shown since the 2018 race that she is ready for the fight in both primary and general elections. On the House side, Mississippi’s four incumbent congressmen – 1st District U.S. Rep. Trent Kelly, R-Tupelo, 2nd District U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Bolton, 3rd District U.S. Rep. Michael Guest, R-Brandon, and 4th District U.S. Rep. Mike Ezell, R-Pascagoula – are all favored to win reelection.

Republicans Kelly and Guest don’t have primary challengers. Kelly will face the winner between Democrats Cliff Johnson, an Ole Miss law professor, and former state legislator Kelvin Buck in the general election. Guest will face Democrat Michael Chiaradio and Libertarian Erik Kiehle in November.

Rep. Ezell will face Sawyer Walters in the GOP primary. The Democratic Primary will be between State Rep. Jeffrey Hulu, D. Ryan Glover and Paul Blackman. The primary winners will meet independent Carl Boyanton in the general election.

In the Second District, veteran Democratic Congressman Bennie Thompson faces a Democratic primary and challenges from Evan Turnage and Pertis Herman Williams III. The winner will face the GOP Primary winner between Adams County Supervisor Kevin Wilson and term limits advocate Ron Eller in the general election, along with independent Bennie Foster.

Thompson has held office since 1993 and is one of the longest-serving African American members of Congress. For much of his time in office, Thompson has been a fixture of Mississippi’s political landscape, holding onto his district with the ease of a veteran incumbent. Some political observers believe that as the district’s makeup changes, Thompson may struggle to hold on to his traditionally safe seat.

A relevant caveat for all candidates is that kitchen-table issues – the rising prices of food, fuel, health care, drugs, etc. – have historically impacted what appear to be “safe” races in the most unpredictable ways. The 2026 midterms may well prove to be one of those elections.

Sid Salter is a syndicated columnist. Contact him at sidsalter@sidsalter.com.