Mississippi voters in the 3rd Congressional District will choose a U.S. representative to represent them in Congress in the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. Use this guide to learn about candidates’ backgrounds and policy views.
U.S. Rep. Michael Guest, Republican
Background: Incumbent Republican Rep. Michael Guest faced no primary opposition in pursuing his fourth term as representative for Mississippi’s 3rd Congressional District. He lives in Rankin County and has degrees from Mississippi State University and the University of Mississippi School of Law. Before he began serving in the U.S. House, he was the district attorney for Madison and Rankin counties.
He unsuccessfully pushed for a national six-week abortion ban with no rape or incest exceptions in July 2022. After the Dobbs decision, Mississippi implemented a strict abortion ban that excludes exceptions for rape once cardiac activity is detectable, which is around six weeks.
Guest supports stricter voter identification requirements through the U.S. House’s Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE America) Act, which would require people registering to vote to show a passport or birth certificate to prove U.S. citizenship. The legislation would also require voters to provide a valid photo ID when voting, which is a law Mississippi already has in place.
The U.S. House passed the SAVE America Act by a 218-213 vote on Feb. 11. The bill stalled in the U.S. Senate and appears nowhere close to passage. Republicans attempted to pass the same legislation last year, with the House approving it, but the Senate killed it.
“We’ve got to find a way to make the SAVE America Act fit within the rules of the Senate so that we can get it passed. And look, the quicker we can get it passed, the better,” Guest said when speaking to SuperTalk on July 8. “You know, it needs to be the law of the land, but we really need to see that it’s the law of the land going into the elections this November.”
The congressman supported a May 2021 bill that would have created a bipartisan commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attacks on the U.S. Capitol but later opposed establishing the House select committee that investigated the attacks. He voted against a $1.7 trillion government funding bill in 2022 that included $600 million to alleviate the Jackson water crisis. Guest endorsed President Donald Trump during his 2024 campaign for re-election and has accepted an endorsement from him.
As chairman of the House Ethics Committee, Guest introduced a resolution to impeach Republican U.S. House Rep. George Santos of New York from Congress in November 2023. The House voted to expel Santos, who later pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges. President Donald Trump commuted Santos’ sentence last year.
Guest wanted to amend the Bank Secrecy Act to call the Secretary of the Treasury to exempt banks and saving associations from the reporting requirements of “a transaction between the depository institution and a nonprofit organization if the transaction is in connection with the nonprofit organization providing a cash reward in exchange for information about a crime,” an unsuccessful resolution he filed in 2025 says.
Policy Views:
- Says he wants to lower taxes
- Supports a six-week abortion ban
- Opposes gun-control laws
- Says he is pro-law enforcement
- Supports a “strong national defense” through the U.S. military
- Supports stricter voter identification requirements through the SAVE America Act
Website: michaelguest.ms
Social Media: X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube
Michael A. Chiaradio, Democrat
Background: Originally from New Jersey, Michael A. Chiaradio holds a master’s degree from Felician University and previously worked as a supervisor for Maximus, a government contractor that helped states implement the Affordable Care Act. He moved to Shubuta, Mississippi, in 2023 to own and work on a regenerative farm with sheep, pigs and cows.
If elected, Chiaradio wants to work to end homelessness in the U.S. by expanding housing assistance, assisting people with mental health issues and addiction and adding more inclusive housing options. He says he hopes to revitalize crumbling infrastructure and create new towns for people to live in. The candidate aims to make it easier for Americans to build their homes and small businesses by expanding the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s homebuilding programs, prioritizing modern infrastructure and helping small farmers in the agricultural value chain.
“I just wanted to do something that mattered. I feel like this community could really use somebody like me,” Chiaradio told the Mississippi Free Press on Oct. 1, 2025. “I feel like Washington, D.C. could use people like me, period, you know, just an independent thinker, somebody who’s going to work hard, somebody who’s going to think about the people. And I think the district is underinvested. You know, politically in a money sense, but (also) … in a time sense.”
With out-of-pocket healthcare expenses growing, the Democratic candidate hopes to slash the cost of healthcare, while training more healthcare workers and modernizing medical facilities.
Chiaradio promises to focus on the needs of American communities by supporting and investing in local farms, factories and infrastructure. He also wants to help reduce the U.S.’s debt by focusing on sustainable production of goods and services in the country.
Chiaradio says he is “pro-immigration,” but he also wants to reduce “mass migration,” improve the immigration system and strengthen security at U.S. borders. Protecting the U.S.’s energy grid to reduce power outages and improving cybersecurity are other priorities Chiaradio is highlighting.
Policy Views:
- Says he supports access to abortion
- Says he supports LGBTQ+ people, including transgender people
- Aims to reduce “mass migration,” improve the immigration system and strengthen security at U.S. borders
- Proposes investing more money in rural economies
- Wants to expand loan programs for small farmers
- Hopes to reduce healthcare costs and improve healthcare facilities
Website: https://michaelachiaradio.com/
Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | Bluesky | TikTok | YouTube
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