Justin Crosby, an operations leader at Higher Level Logistics, flipped Mississippi House District 22 to the Democratic Party as he ousted incumbent Republican House Rep. Jon Lancaster in Tuesday’s special election.

Winning about 53% of the vote, Crosby secured victory over Lancaster, who garnered about 47%. Mississippi Public Broadcasting reported preliminary election results at midnight on Wednesday. House District 22 includes parts of Chickasaw, Clay and Monroe counties.

On his campaign website, the new Democratic representative says he supports expanding Medicaid to improve health care access, especially in rural areas. Crosby says he wants to boost urgent care facilities and access to telemedicine in his district.

“Every community in District 22 deserves to be seen, heard, and supported,” he says on his campaign website. “I’m committed to building connections across our district—investing in what unites us and addressing what holds us back. Our towns aren’t just places on a map—they’re homes, legacies and launching pads for the next generation.”

Crosby said he wants to attract jobs to House District 22 by upgrading infrastructure and helping local businesses thrive. The State should fully fund public schools and raise teachers’ salaries, he says.

Mail-in and early voting should be more accessible, Crosby argues, noting that he will vote against “voter suppression laws.” By advocating for community policing, mental health care, youth mentorship and “restorative justice programs,” he says he hopes to lower crime rates and decrease the “school-to-prison pipeline.”

“From port development to broadband expansion, I’m ready to bring smart, people-first solutions to the table—and deliver real results across every corner of our district,” Crosby says on his website.

The newly elected representative says he supports the “rights of all citizens,” including veterans, legal immigrants and people with disabilities. Crosby says he will work to fight discrimination in employment, housing, education and health care while advocating for equal pay and family leave policies.

He lives in Aberdeen, Mississippi. He graduated from Itawamba Community College, Delta State University and the University of Mississippi.

House District 22 is one of two that held special elections after a federal court ordered the State to create more Black-majority legislative districts earlier this year. Six Mississippi Senate seats were also up for special elections.

Follow more of our special election coverage here.

State Reporter Heather Harrison has won more than a dozen awards for her multi-media journalism work. At Mississippi State University, she studied public relations and broadcast journalism, earning her Communication degree in 2023. For three years, Heather worked at The Reflector student newspaper: first as a staff reporter, then as the news editor and finally, as the editor-in-chief. This is where her passion for politics and government reporting began.
Heather started working at the Mississippi Free Press three days after graduation in 2023. She also worked part time for Starkville Daily News after college covering the Board of Aldermen meetings.
In her free time, Heather likes to sit on the porch, read books and listen to Taylor Swift. A native of Hazlehurst, she now lives in Brandon with her wife and their Boston Terrier, Finley, and calico cat, Ravioli.