Fitch becomes first woman AG

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) –  Mississippi’s two-term state treasurer is earning a promotion to attorney general.

Republican Lynn Fitch beat Democrat Jennifer Riley Collins on Tuesday, making her the first woman to win the office. Democrat Jim Hood, who ran for governor, has been attorney general for 16 years.

Fitch says she wants to fight opioids and human trafficking and protect vulnerable Mississippians from harm. She has worked as a staff attorney for the Mississippi House Ways and Means Committee, was a special assistant attorney general and spent two years as director of the state Personnel Board before she was elected treasurer.

Collins, a retired Army colonel and former director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi, said she wanted to do more to make sure law enforcement officers receive life-saving equipment and training.

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