Theresa Gillespie Isom, a North Mississippi Democrat, has won a special election for Mississippi Senate District 2, flipping a Republican-held seat. Her victory helped Democrats break the Republican Party’s supermajority for the first time in six years.
With 76% of the vote in as of 11 p.m. Tuesday, Isom led Republican opponent Charlie Hoots by 63%-37%, 270 to Win reported. The district includes parts of DeSoto and Tunica counties.
The seat was previously held by Mississippi Sen. David Parker, R-Olive Branch, who decided not to run for reelection after the Legislature redrew his district’s boundaries in response to a court order.
On her campaign website, Isom said she supports Medicaid expansion and wants to protect rural hospitals.
“We need leadership that listens with compassion, serves with unwavering integrity, and puts people at the forefront,” she said in an Aug. 10 Facebook post. “I’m not running for office to engage in politics as usual—I’m running to drive meaningful change and genuine representation for the people of DeSoto County. Together, we can forge a brighter, safer, and healthier future that inspires hope and opportunity for all.
Senate District 2 is one of six that were up for a special election Tuesday because a federal court ordered the State to create more Black-majority legislative districts earlier this year. Two other Senate districts are up following an incumbent’s retirement. Two Mississippi House seats were also up for special elections.
Isom’s win is the second Democratic flip of the night after Democrat Johnny DuPree flipped a Republican-held seat in the Mississippi Pine Belt.
Before tonight’s election, Republicans held a supermajority in the Senate, with 36 seats to Democrats’ 14 Senate seats; another two vacant seats, previously held by Democrats, were also on the ballot for Tuesday’s special elections. Republicans must maintain 35 seats to keep their supermajority.
For Democrats to break the Republican supermajority, they not only need to flip two seats but also maintain the seats they currently hold and win both vacant seats. That means that Democratic Sen. Reginald Jackson, the Senate District 11 incumbent whose district lines changed as part of this year’s redistricting process, will also need to keep his seat. With 77% of the vote in, he led Republican Kendall Prewett by just 13 votes as of 11 p.m. Tuesday, 270 to Win reported.
Before tonight’s election, Republicans held a supermajority in the Senate, with 36 seats to Democrats’ 14 Senate seats; another two vacant seats, previously held by Democrats, were also on the ballot for Tuesday’s special elections. Republicans needed to maintain 35 seats to keep their majority, but now will only hold 34 seats.
When a party has supermajority status in the Mississippi Senate, it can more easily override a governor’s veto, propose constitutional amendments and execute certain procedural actions.
Democrats will likely enter the January legislative session with 18 seats.
This story has been updated to note that Democrats broke the Republican supermajority.