Mississippi Congressional Races Updates

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – The Latest on congressional races in Mississippi (all times local):

4:08 p.m.

At least two Democrats and six Republicans are running for an open U.S. House seat in Mississippi.

Republican U.S. Rep. Gregg Harper announced in January that he won’t seek re-election this year in the 3rd District, which makes a diagonal across the central part of the state from Natchez to Starkville.

Democratic state Rep. Michael Ted Evans of Preston filed papers Thursday to run for the congressional seat. Michael Aycox, a Newton police officer, has also filed as a Democrat.

Six Republicans have filed in the district in recent weeks: state Sen. Sally Doty of Brookhaven, businesswoman Morgan Dunn of Magee, district attorney Michael Guest of Brandon, businessman Whit Hughes of Madison, businessman Perry Parker of Seminary and former school administrator Katherine Tate of Jackson

Candidates’ qualifying deadline is Thursday.

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3:22 p.m.

The top Democrat on the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee says he is “absolutely” remaining in his race for re-election.

U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi tells The Associated Press that he qualified early and is seeking another term. He was responding to questions about rumors that he would drop out just in time to let another Democrat qualify under a Thursday evening deadline.

Thompson was first elected in 1993 in Mississippi’s 2nd Congressional District, which stretches through the Delta and into Jackson.

One of Mississippi’s Republican congressmen, Gregg Harper, announced in January that he is not running.

Six Republicans and at least one Democrat have qualified in Harper’s 3rd District, which makes a diagonal across the central part of the state from Natchez to Starkville.

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1:50 p.m.

A Democratic state lawmaker in Mississippi says he is running for an open seat in the U.S. House.

State Rep. Michael Ted Evans of Preston filed papers Thursday to run in the 3rd Congressional District, which makes a diagonal across the central part of the state from Natchez to Starkville.

Republican U.S. Rep. Gregg Harper announced in January that he won’t seek re-election this year. Several Republicans have already filed to run.

Candidates’ qualifying deadline is Thursday.

The 45-year-old Evans is a retired firefighter and has been a legislator since 2012. He says he supports gun rights, the “sanctity of human life,” the military, law enforcement officers and emergency responders.

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