The Winner

If you live in Mississippi’s 4th Congressional District, Rep. Mike Ezell (R-MS) will keep representing you after winning a third term, though by a much slimmer margin than last time. The Associated Press called the race for Ezell at 8:45 p.m. on election night, Tuesday, Nov. 3. ​

Ezell has 131,243 votes (61.1%) to 76,969 (35.8%) for state Rep. Jeffrey Hulum III (D-Gulfport), a margin of about 25 points, with an estimated 98% of votes counted. Independent Carl Boyanton took 6,596 votes (3.1%). In 2024, Ezell beat Democrat Craig Raybon by about 48 points, 73.9% to 26.1%.

The Race

Hulum, a 22-year Army veteran who retired as a sergeant major, would have been the first Black person to represent the district, according to Mississippi Today. He won the March 10 Democratic primary with 57.7% over Paul Blackman and D. Ryan Grover, while Ezell beat Sawyer Walters with 84.1%, according to Ballotpedia’s race page. Boyanton is a produce business owner from Diamondhead.

Cook Political Report and Inside Elections rated the race Solid Republican, and Sabato’s Crystal Ball rated it Safe Republican. The district covers the Mississippi Gulf Coast and reaches north to Hattiesburg, taking in Gulfport and Biloxi along the way. Ezell, a former Jackson County sheriff, chairs the House Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee.

About 748,400 people live in the district, and residents are 67.7% white, 21.8% Black, 5.6% Hispanic and 1.5% Asian. The median household income is $60,400, and the median age is 38.8. Of adults, 25.5% hold at least a bachelor’s degree, unemployment is 6.4% and 16.7% of residents live below the poverty line.

What’s Next

Ezell’s new term begins Sunday, Jan. 3, and he will return as a member of the House minority after Democrats won control of the chamber. He said he will look for common ground with Democrats on issues such as roads, bridges and schools, and keep seeking federal money for drawbridges on hurricane evacuation routes, WLOX reported.

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