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United States Senate election in Mississippi, 2018

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General election

General election for U.S. Senate Mississippi

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Roger Wicker
Roger Wicker (R)
 
58.5
 
547,619
Image of David Baria
David Baria (D)
 
39.5
 
369,567
Image of Danny Bedwell
Danny Bedwell (L)
 
1.4
 
12,981
Image of Shawn O'Hara
Shawn O'Hara (Reform Party)
 
0.6
 
6,048

Total votes: 936,215
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2020
2014
U.S. Senate, Mississippi
Ballotpedia Election Coverage Badge.png
Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: March 1, 2018
Primary: June 5, 2018
Primary runoff: June 26, 2018 (if needed)
General: November 6, 2018

Pre-election incumbent:
Roger Wicker (Republican)
How to vote
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Voting in Mississippi
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Solid Republican
Inside Elections: Solid Republican
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Republican
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds
U.S. House battlegrounds
Federal and state primary competitiveness
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018
See also
U.S. Senate, Mississippi
U.S. Senate (regular)U.S. Senate (special)1st2nd3rd4th
Mississippi elections, 2018
U.S. Congress elections, 2018
U.S. Senate elections, 2018
U.S. House elections, 2018

There were two elections for the U.S. Senate in Mississippi in 2018. The first was the regularly scheduled election on November 6, 2018, to fill the state's Class I seat held by Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.). The Democratic and Republican primaries for that election were June 5, 2018. The second, a nonpartisan special election on November 6, 2018, filled the Class II seat left vacant by Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.). A runoff in this election was held on November 27, 2018. The winner of the special election served the remainder of Cochran's term until January 3, 2021.

Voters in Mississippi elected one member to the U.S. Senate in the election on November 6, 2018.

The election filled the Class 1 Senate seat held by Roger Wicker (R). He was first appointed in 2007.



Candidates and election results

See also: Statistics on U.S. Congress candidates, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. Senate Mississippi

Incumbent Roger Wicker defeated David Baria, Danny Bedwell, and Shawn O'Hara in the general election for U.S. Senate Mississippi on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Roger Wicker
Roger Wicker (R)
 
58.5
 
547,619
Image of David Baria
David Baria (D)
 
39.5
 
369,567
Image of Danny Bedwell
Danny Bedwell (L)
 
1.4
 
12,981
Image of Shawn O'Hara
Shawn O'Hara (Reform Party)
 
0.6
 
6,048

Total votes: 936,215
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary runoff election

Democratic primary runoff for U.S. Senate Mississippi

David Baria defeated Howard Sherman in the Democratic primary runoff for U.S. Senate Mississippi on June 26, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of David Baria
David Baria
 
58.6
 
44,156
Howard Sherman
 
41.4
 
31,149

Total votes: 75,305
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Mississippi

The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Mississippi on June 5, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Howard Sherman
 
31.8
 
27,957
Image of David Baria
David Baria
 
31.0
 
27,244
Image of Omeria Scott
Omeria Scott
 
24.2
 
21,278
Victor Maurice Jr.
 
5.0
 
4,361
Jerone Garland
 
4.9
 
4,266
Image of Jensen Bohren
Jensen Bohren
 
3.2
 
2,825

Total votes: 87,931
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. Senate Mississippi

Incumbent Roger Wicker defeated Richard Boyanton in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate Mississippi on June 5, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Roger Wicker
Roger Wicker
 
82.8
 
130,118
Image of Richard Boyanton
Richard Boyanton
 
17.2
 
27,052

Total votes: 157,170
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

Republican Party Roger Wicker

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
U.S. Senate election in Mississippi, 2018
Poll Wicker BariaO'HaraBedwellUndecided/OtherMargin of ErrorSample Size
Y'all Politics
July 30-31, 2018
53%32%2%1%12%+/-3.52,100
Note: A "0%" finding means the candidate was not a part of the poll. The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org

Noteworthy events

Brett Kavanaugh confirmation vote

See also: Supreme Court vacancy, 2018: An overview

On October 6, 2018, the U.S. Senate voted to confirm the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court. Fifty Senators voted to confirm Kavanaugh's nomination, 48 voted against, and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) voted present. A simple majority was required to confirm Kavanaugh.[2]

Wicker voted for Kavanaugh. After the vote, he said, "Judge Kavanaugh has been subjected to the most rigorous confirmation process in the history of the Supreme Court. This process revealed what we have known from the beginning: Judge Kavanaugh is highly-qualified, and Senate Democrats were willing to go to any lengths to prevent this nomination from moving forward. I am thankful their smear tactics were not successful and that the rule of law and due process have prevailed over obstruction and divisive political tactics."[3]

When asked what he thought of Kavanaugh, Baria said, "His behavior in front of the Senate panel was atrocious, his demeanor alone should be disqualifying. And then you have the overt partisanship he exhibited...you don't want a judge that behaves like he did."[4]

Campaign themes

Republican Party Roger Wicker

Stopping Illegal Immigration and Protecting the Border

I oppose amnesty for illegal immigrants, and I believe the first step toward solving the illegal immigration problem is securing our borders. I support President Trump’s efforts to secure our border, and I support hiring more border patrol agents and increased use of technology to help stop or catch illegal immigrants. I also support stiffening penalties on employers who knowingly employ illegals.

I strongly oppose so-called “sanctuary cities,” which seek to defy immigration law and provide harbor for illegals. During the past two Congresses, I have supported legislation to withhold federal funds from these sanctuary cities. Furthermore, I have supported legislation to detain those who engage in criminal activity while unlawfully residing in the United States.

Reducing Burdensome Taxes

Most Americans are now feeling the impact of this tax law with bigger paychecks. The new federal withholding guidelines based on the law’s lower tax rates took effect in February, and the Treasury Department has estimated 90 percent of U.S. workers will now bring home more money rather than sending it to Uncle Sam.

In fact, according to the Tax Foundation, an average family making the median income in Mississippi could keep hundreds of dollars more this year thanks to these tax reforms.

On the business side, we’ve seen more than 500 companies using the tax savings to benefit employees, with about four million Americans slated to receive bonuses. I will work with President Trump to seek even more ways to reduce America’s tax burden and put money back into the pockets of those who actually create jobs and economic growth, rather than the government.

Military Past and Present

As a former Lt. Colonel and retired Air Force Reservist, Roger has long been at the forefront of military and veterans’ issues. Roger vigorously supports the rebuilding of America’s military, and he led passage of a proposal, signed by President Trump this year, that ensures America’s Navy has no less than 355 ships. Roger is working to make sure Mississippi’s military communities and defense contractors continue playing a vital role in America’s defense. For our former service members, he is committed to making the VA more responsive and accessible giving our vets more healthcare choices that are closer to home.

Fighting Disease

Spurred by a Mississippi child’s battle with the disease, I authored the original “Muscular Dystrophy Community Assistance, Research and Education (MD-CARE) Act,” which was designed to focus more federal resources toward curing muscular dystrophy. Prior to this act, no legislation had specifically addressed Duchenne muscular dystrophy, which is the most common fatal genetic disorder diagnosed in childhood.

Since this act was signed, federal research has paved the way for groundbreaking therapies, extending lives of muscular dystrophy patients by an average of 12 years, and significantly improving their quality of life. Some of these children are now even going to college, getting married and having children of their own.

Furthermore, I believe curing Alzheimer’s disease is our charge for the 21st Century. I authored the “EUREKA Act,” which stands for “Ensuring Useful Research Expenditures is Key for Alzheimer’s.”

The legislation established prize competitions for major research breakthroughs, which demonstrate success. EUREKA runs parallel to federal research, encouraging public-private partnerships and putting together the best minds for research.

Protecting Gun Rights

During my time in Congress, I have cosponsored several bills designed to strengthen and preserve the 2nd Amendment. I support the sensible measures upholding the right of veterans to own firearms and to expand the reciprocity of concealed-carry gun laws across state lines. I oppose universal background checks, and I have voted against measures to expand background checks for firearm sales at gun shows and on the Internet. We should focus on strengthening our mental health services and the enforcement of existing laws before creating more regulatory burdens that would diminish our Constitutional rights.

Rebuilding our Military

Having served in the U.S. Air Force and being a retired Air Force Reserve Lt. Colonel, I am committed to America’s men and women in uniform, and to Mississippi’s numerous military communities and the bases and defense contractors who play such a vital role in securing America.

Preserving Social Security

Some people these days like to call Social Security an entitlement like Medicaid or other social welfare programs. Social Security is not an entitlement. Working Americans paid into the Social Security trust fund, with the expectation that they would receive their money back from that fund upon retirement.

Yet, over the years the federal government has raided the Social Security Trust Fund and used it as a piggy bank for all sorts of things unrelated to Americans’ retirement. As a result, the Social Security Program is now on a path leading to insolvency. Without action, Social Security may not be there for our children and grandchildren.

Current retirees and workers in their forties, fifties and sixties will receive 100% of promised benefits. However, reforms are needed to preserve the system for future generations.

We can do this. In 1981 President Reagan and Speaker “Tip” O’Neill came to a bipartisan solution that involved acceptable changes for younger workers that strengthened the Social Security system. A similar effort geared toward workers in their twenties and thirties must take place today, and I am committed to helping this conversation move forward.

Reforming Healthcare

Those of us who voted against Obamacare in 2010 have fought for years to find solutions that actually address the healthcare problems Americans face. That means lower costs, tax relief, more choices, competition and access to affordable care. Moving to a single-payer system, as many liberals would clearly like to see, would be a worst-case scenario, essentially a government-run healthcare system. Government administrated healthcare is NOT the solution.

I believe the solution lies in allowing states to experiment with their own plans giving each state an opportunity to enact initiatives that work best within their markets. I have voted at every opportunity to repeal Obamacare and replace it with market-driven solutions, such as the Graham-Cassidy proposal, which would have been a step in the right direction. However, clearly, the fight to fully repeal and replace Obamacare with something much better is still unfolding. As your Senator, I will remain committed to securing a healthcare solution that puts more power in the hands of patients and providers, not the government.

Fighting Terrorism

Radical Islamic terrorism continues to pose a direct threat to America and global stability. Under President Trump, our military and security forces have made great strides eliminating threats from the Islamic State. Yet, we must continue fighting and remain vigilant until these threats are defeated and eliminated.

To achieve this, America must remain committed to confronting and defeating terrorists in their backyard. We must also fight them by dismantling their financial networks and denying them safe harbor.

Supporting Economic Growth and Jobs

Throughout my public service, I have consistently voted for market-driven policies aimed at growing the economy and creating jobs, like the historic “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” which has provided Americans with tax reform not seen since the days of President Reagan. I fully support President Trump’s efforts to eliminate burdensome regulations, cut taxes and simplify our tax laws. In addition to tax reform, the Republican-led Congress has overturned no less than 16 Obama-era regulations though the “Congressional Review Act.”

America’s economy is virtually unbeatable during times when we empower businesses and taxpayers by allowing them to keep more of their hard-earned money. After years of weak economic growth, particularly under President Obama, we’re seeing a dramatic resurgence of the American economy under President Trump.

To keep America’s economy growing, I believe we must continue seeking ways to further simplify our tax code and look for ways to get more money out of Washington and into the hands of the people and businesses who actually create jobs.

We must also expand educational offerings, primarily through workforce development programs. This will ensure our nation, and our state, maintains a workforce that is best suited for the job market’s ever-changing demands and opportunities.

Workers in Mississippi, and throughout America, have proven time and again that they are among the world’s best, more than capable of keeping America the global economic leader. As more and more companies at home and abroad look to expand, I will work to ensure our nation and our state remains a destination for new jobs and economic growth.

Putting America First

Like President Trump, I believe we can confront difficult global challenges without losing sight of our need to put America’s interests first. Whether regarding issues of potential military threats or economic ones, we must clearly define and declare America’s interests and ensure they are protected.

Opposing Abortion

As an elected official, I have a 30-year record of staunchly upholding the sanctity of life and the idea that life begins at conception. My 100% pro-life record in the Senate, U.S. House and State Legislature speaks for itself.

Protecting Faith and Religious Freedom

Since third grade, when I made my profession of faith in Jesus Christ, I have been a Christian. As a Baptist, I have remained active in various Baptist churches in the communities where I have lived throughout my life, including First Baptist Church of Tupelo, Mississippi. Here I have served as a Sunday School teacher, Chairman of Deacons and member of our church choir.

I know most Mississippians share a strong and similar commitment to their faith, family and the sanctity of life. For me, it was a great honor last year to be a recipient of the “True Blue” award from the Family Research Council for my efforts in support of pro-family and pro-life causes. I will continue practicing and promoting values that the overwhelming majority of Mississippians cherish.

Yet, in Washington faith and religious freedom are often under assault. I have worked to counter this by sponsoring legislation to preserve and promote religious expression, including a measure protecting military chaplains from being forced to perform same-sex marriages. I’ve also worked to keep so-called “atheist” ministers out of the Chaplain Corps. Most recently, I’ve led successful efforts to ensure our national motto “In God We Trust,” remains prominently displayed on our coinage.[5]

—Roger Wicker’s campaign website (2018)[6]

Democratic Party David Baria

Consumer Protection

During my time in the Mississippi legislature, I have been one of the leading advocates for Mississippi consumers. While in the Senate, I authored an amendment to prevent power companies from charging ratepayers for projects before those projects go online. Although the amendment failed and the bill passed, my concerns proved well founded as the Kemper County project has cost the state and ratepayers millions of dollars with no appreciable benefit.

I also sponsored the Insurance Policyholders Bill of Rights, a series of policyholder protections that were ultimately adopted by the Mississippi Insurance Department. I worked to institute a hurricane wind loss mitigation program intended to reduce insurance premiums for homeowners and business owners who rebuilt their homes and offices in a way that was more wind resistant than before. While insurance issues remain, these efforts have helped attract more companies to Mississippi and today, more companies write policies on the Coast than when I took office.

If elected to the United States Senate, I will oppose any effort to weaken the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the watchdog agency established in the aftermath of the 2007 financial crisis.

Whether it’s making sure that the mortgage industry follows the rules or protecting Mississippians from unfair business practices, I am committed to fighting for consumers.

Economy

Real Tax Relief for Working Families

During this campaign, I have spent a lot of time talking about real tax relief for working families. That’s because the recent tax overhaul passed by Congress has failed on its promise to put money in the pockets of American workers. Unfortunately, most of that money has instead gone towards tax cuts for the wealthiest 1% and large corporations. To make matters worse, the new tax plan will likely be paid for by cuts to essential programs like Social Security and Medicare and additional strain on our national debt. In the United States Senate, I will work for real tax relief for working families not "trickle down" proposals that sound nice but don’t offer any real help.

Equal Pay for Equal Work

I am fortunate to be married to one of the most talented lawyers I have ever known. We are blessed with two amazingly talented daughters. I know the worth of these women. In the workplace, they deserve to be treated fairly. That is why every year since 2013, I have sponsored a bill that would make equal pay for equal work mandatory in Mississippi. I am committed to extending the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to make sure people doing the same work with the same qualifications are paid equally regardless of gender.

Education

We must prepare our children to compete in the 21st Century economy. This means investing in programs, tools and innovations to help all students get ahead. In Mississippi and elsewhere, we have far too many children who are slipping through the cracks because their public school is poorly funded or because their school house has slipped into such a state of disrepair as to be dangerous. We must do better.

We must also make sure we have adequately invested in programs that prepare employees for the jobs today’s employers are looking to fill.

I believe that we can do more to ensure our students and workers have the tools they need to succeed and that our federal dollars make it to the places where resources are most needed. This means making education a budget priority in Washington.

Health Care

With the passage of the Affordable Care Act, millions of Americans received health coverage for the first time. We need to improve this plan not weaken it.

I will support efforts to deliver better health care to underserved Americans including better options and facilities in rural Mississippi and protection for those with preexisting conditions. I will also look for opportunities to provide affordable plans to working families who don’t have coverage and make too much to qualify for Medicaid.

I will oppose any effort that does not drive down medical costs, including insurance premiums and co-pays for Mississippi families.

Roads and Bridges

Our crumbling infrastructure is a quality of life and safety issue for Mississippians.

In April, the Mississippi Department of Transportation, announced the closure of more than 100 roads and bridges. This is unacceptable.

Congress needs to pass a comprehensive infrastructure package that revitalizes our national infrastructure. I will be focused on this issue from day one.

Transparency

We should expect our government to shoot straight with us. That includes disclosure of lobbyist and special interest involvement in the law-making process. I have consistently authored bills for increased openness in government including measures to make it easier for citizens to access government records, bills calling for more robust open meetings laws and proposals to require more complete campaign money disclosures from lobbyists and candidates. I also cosponsored a bipartisan law that requires government contracts to be posted for public review.

I believe when Washington does its work in secret, people suffer. That’s why I will support efforts to make government more transparent and accessible.[5]

—David Baria's campaign website (2018)[7]

Libertarian Party Danny Bedwell

Balancing Our Nation’s Budget

Reckless levels of spending in Washington have been occurring for far too long. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the size of government has grown by more than 49 percent in the last decade. To put this in perspective, the federal government spends more than $11,530 per person, over $3,700 more per individual than what we were spending in 2005. The fiscal crisis we face as a nation needs to be taken seriously and addressed with immediate action.

According to the CBO, the budget deficit this year will be $414 billion. Meanwhile, the federal debt held by the public is 74 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP). If spending continues at the current rate, the CBO projects this will reach 100 percent of GDP by 2038. However, that figure does not include our obligation to trust funds like Social Security which Congress has been raiding for decades. Counting what we owe to these trust funds, our total (gross) debt profile is over $18 trillion and is already over 100 percent of GDP.

The three largest drivers of spending, not including interest payments, are Medicare, Social Security, and Medicaid. The combined outlays for these programs have nearly doubled in the past forty years. Medicare and Medicaid alone have grown to such levels that after adjusting for inflation – the amount spent on these two programs is more than the entire federal budget in 1960. With the aging population of baby-boomers and the expansion of Medicaid under Obamacare, all three of these programs will continue to grow.

Making matters worse, we continue to send foreign aid to countries abroad rather than prioritizing spending here at home. The United States spends roughly 35 percent of the $1.7 trillion spent worldwide on militaries and national defense. To put this into perspective, U.S. spending amounts to nearly 3.5 times what is spent in the entire Middle East; 2.8 times that of China; and 7 times what is spent in Russia.

We have seen currencies and countries fall under their unsustainable debt. Interest on the debt this year alone is $261 billion, more than we spend on the Departments of Commerce, Energy, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Justice, State, the EPA, NASA, NSF, and the Small Business Administration, combined. While our national debt continues to grow, investors will become uncertain of the government’s willingness or ability to pay U.S. debt obligations. It is time that we get our fiscal house in order to prevent potential catastrophe and keep this outrageous national debt from falling on our children and grandchildren. The solution to the government’s fiscal crisis must begin by cutting spending in all areas, particularly in those areas that can be better run at the state or local level. As your senator I would work with anyone in Washington willing to achieve this goal.

Protecting the 2nd Amendment

The only legitimate use of force is in defense of individual rights—life, liberty, and justly acquired property—against aggression. This right inheres in the individual, who may agree to be aided by any other individual or group. As your Senator I would affirm the individual right recognized by the Second Amendment to keep and bear arms and oppose the prosecution of individuals for exercising their rights of self-defense.

Private property owners should be free to establish their own conditions regarding the presence of personal defense weapons on their own property. I firmly oppose all laws at any level of government restricting, registering, or monitoring the ownership, manufacture, or transfer of firearms or ammunition.

Economic Liberty

All members of society should have abundant opportunities to achieve economic success. A free and competitive market allocates resources in the most efficient manner. Each person has the right to offer goods and services to others on the free market. The only proper role of government in the economic realm is to protect property rights, adjudicate disputes, and provide a legal framework in which voluntary trade is protected. All efforts by government to redistribute wealth, or to control or manage trade, are improper in a free society.

As respect for property rights is fundamental to maintaining a free and prosperous society, it follows that the freedom to contract to obtain, retain, profit from, manage, or dispose of one’s property must also be upheld. As your Senator I would work to free property owners from government restrictions on their rights to control and enjoy their property, as long as their choices do not harm or infringe on the rights of others. Eminent domain, civil asset forfeiture, governmental limits on profits, governmental production mandates, and governmental controls on prices of goods and services (including wages, rents, and interest) are abridgments of such fundamental rights. For voluntary dealings among private entities, parties should be free to choose with whom they trade and set whatever trade terms are mutually agreeable.

Simply put, I support free markets. I will defend the right of individuals to form corporations, cooperatives and other types of entities based on voluntary association. As a Senator, I would oppose all forms of government subsidies and bailouts to business, labor, or any other special interest. Government should not be in the business of choosing winners and losers in the marketplace. Employment and compensation agreements between private employers and employees are outside the scope of government, and these contracts should not be encumbered by government-mandated benefits or social engineering. I would support the right of private employers and employees to choose whether or not to bargain with each other through a labor union. Bargaining should be free of government interference, such as compulsory arbitration or imposing an obligation to bargain.

Criminal Justice Reform

The prescribed role of government is to protect the rights of every individual including the right to life, liberty and property. Criminal laws should be limited in their application to violations of the rights of others through force, fraud, or engaging in acts of gross negligence.

As your Senator, I would favor the repeal of all laws creating “crimes” without victims, such as the use of drugs for medicinal or recreational purposes. I support restitution to the victim to the fullest degree possible at the expense of the criminal or the negligent wrongdoer.

Civil Asset Forfeiture is the government process of confiscating an individual’s property or money on the grounds of only suspicion of breaking the law. This process is done with total disregard to our American right to due process. I would immediately move to cease such practices in all levels possible. The constitutional rights of the criminally accused, including due process, a speedy trial, legal counsel, trial by jury, and the legal presumption of innocence until proven guilty, must be preserved.

Ending the War on Drugs

Ending the war on drugs is extremely important. People who suffer from addiction should have their problem treated as a medical issue instead of as a criminal one. Nearly one third of all people in jails and prisons are nonviolent drug offenders, who only made a choice to affect their own bodies. More than half of those incarcerated for nonviolent drug offenses was for the use or possession of marijuana. Legalization of marijuana would eliminate 1/6 of jail residency. Then we could shift the focus and resources to treating addiction. With the freed up resources, we can help rehabilitate those who suffer from addiction. Then our neighbors once afflicted by addiction can rejoin society and help contribute to their communities once again.

Legalization of Marijuana

It is my belief that marijuana should not only be legal for medicinal purposes, but it should also be legal for recreational use. Obviously, I believe that similar restrictions like impaired driving and age limits should be in effect. It is time for the stigma of marijuana use to fall to the wayside.

Ending the Drug War on marijuana will take away the cash flow crop from the cartels in Mexico. In turn, we will see a decrease in violence at the border. Legalization also has the potential to create thousands of jobs in the United States. This will improve the economy drastically. The money being spent will no longer be spent underground in a violent black market. Instead, the sale of marijuana products will be treated no differently than the sale of alcohol.

Drug Users Are Not Criminals

Most drug users are not criminals. They are people who unfortunately started using a substance that is addictive and harmful. One thing we need to look at is rehabilitation for people who want to break the cycle and become whole again. We spend approximately $33,000 per year to just lock someone up for engaging in drug use. This takes care of a temporary symptom but does nothing to cure the disease. Putting peaceful individuals in prison for drug can only make their life worse. Once these people are released from jail, their criminal record makes it much harder to become a productive member of society again. When you have drug charges on your record, it is difficult, at best, to find gainful employment. We should focus on helping those afflicted by addiction with the money normally spent on incarceration. The current system we have ruins lives of otherwise peaceful individuals. All Americans have the desire to improve their quality of life. Let’s better use our resources to help those who are struggling with addiction, instead of locking someone up in a cage. We can offer hope of a real future to those who want to break away from the bonds of addiction. Let’s treat our struggling neighbors like humans instead of like a stain on society.[5]

—Danny Bedwell's campaign website (2018)[8]

Grey.png Shawn O'Hara

Note: Ballotpedia did not find campaign themes information on Shawn O'Hara's campaign website on October 19, 2018.

Key votes

Key votes cast by Wicker

Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) cast the following key votes—votes that help citizens understand where their legislators stand on major policy issues—during the 115th Congress, which convened on January 3, 2017, and adjourned on January 3, 2019.

2016 Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties and Congressional districts intersecting with Pivot Counties

Mississippi features two congressional districts that, based on boundaries adopted after the 2010 census, intersected with one or more Pivot Counties. These 206 Pivot Counties voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012.

The 206 Pivot Counties are located in 34 states. Iowa, with 31, had the most such counties. Heading into the 2018 elections, the partisan makeup of the 108 congressional districts intersecting with Pivot Counties was more Republican than the partisan breakdown of the U.S. House. Of the 108 congressional districts that had at least one Pivot County, 63 percent were held by a Republican incumbent, while 55.4 percent of U.S. House seats were won by a Republican in the 2016 elections.[49]

Campaign finance

The chart below contains data from financial reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission.

Name Party Receipts* Disbursements** Cash on hand Date
Roger Wicker Republican Party $6,622,480 $7,069,901 $1,852,578 As of December 31, 2018
David Baria Democratic Party $904,539 $876,607 $28,932 As of December 31, 2018
Danny Bedwell Libertarian Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***
Shawn O'Hara Reform Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***

Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2018. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee."
** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election.
*** Candidate either did not report any receipts or disbursements to the FEC, or Ballotpedia did not find an FEC candidate ID.


Wave election analysis

See also: Wave elections (1918-2016)

The term wave election is frequently used to describe an election cycle in which one party makes significant electoral gains. How many seats would Republicans have had to lose for the 2018 midterm election to be considered a wave election?

Ballotpedia examined the results of the 50 election cycles that occurred between 1918 and 2016—spanning from President Woodrow Wilson's (D) second midterm in 1918 to Donald Trump's (R) first presidential election in 2016. We define wave elections as the 20 percent of elections in that period resulting in the greatest seat swings against the president's party.

Applying this definition to U.S. Senate elections, we found that Republicans needed to lose seven seats for 2018 to qualify as a wave election.

The chart below shows the number of seats the president's party lost in the 10 U.S. Senate waves from 1918 to 2016. Click here to read the full report.

U.S. Senate wave elections
Year President Party Election type Senate seats change Senate majority[50]
1932 Hoover R Presidential -13 D (flipped)
1958 Eisenhower R Second midterm -12 D
1946 Truman D First midterm -10 R (flipped)
1980 Carter D Presidential -9 R (flipped)
2014 Obama D Second midterm -9 R (flipped)
1942 Roosevelt D Third midterm -8 D
2008 George W. Bush D Presidential -8 D
1926 Coolidge R First midterm[51] -7 R
1930 Hoover R First midterm -7 R
1986 Reagan R Second midterm -7 D (flipped)

Election history

2014

U.S. Senate, Mississippi General Election, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngThad Cochran Incumbent 59.9% 378,481
     Democratic Travis Childers 37.9% 239,439
     Reform Shawn O'Hara 2.2% 13,938
Total Votes 631,858
Source: Mississippi Secretary of State Official Results

2012

U.S. Senate, Mississippi General Election, 2012
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngRoger Wicker 57.2% 709,626
     Democratic Albert N. Gore, Jr. 40.6% 503,467
     Constitution Thomas Cramer 1.2% 15,281
     Reform Shawn O'Hara 1.1% 13,194
Total Votes 1,241,568
Source: Mississippi Secretary of State "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election"

Wave election analysis

See also: Wave elections (1918-2016)

The term wave election is frequently used to describe an election cycle in which one party makes significant electoral gains. How many seats would Republicans have had to lose for the 2018 midterm election to be considered a wave election?

Ballotpedia examined the results of the 50 election cycles that occurred between 1918 and 2016—spanning from President Woodrow Wilson's (D) second midterm in 1918 to Donald Trump's (R) first presidential election in 2016. We define wave elections as the 20 percent of elections in that period resulting in the greatest seat swings against the president's party.

Applying this definition to U.S. Senate elections, we found that Republicans needed to lose seven seats for 2018 to qualify as a wave election.

The chart below shows the number of seats the president's party lost in the 10 U.S. Senate waves from 1918 to 2016. Click here to read the full report.

U.S. Senate wave elections
Year President Party Election type Senate seats change Senate majority[52]
1932 Hoover R Presidential -13 D (flipped)
1958 Eisenhower R Second midterm -12 D
1946 Truman D First midterm -10 R (flipped)
1980 Carter D Presidential -9 R (flipped)
2014 Obama D Second midterm -9 R (flipped)
1942 Roosevelt D Third midterm -8 D
2008 George W. Bush D Presidential -8 D
1926 Coolidge R First midterm[51] -7 R
1930 Hoover R First midterm -7 R
1986 Reagan R Second midterm -7 D (flipped)

State overview

Partisan control

This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in Mississippi heading into the 2018 elections.

Congressional delegation

State executives

  • As of September 2018, Republicans held eight of 11 state executive positions, with the remaining three held by Democrats.
  • The governor of Mississippi was Republican Phil Bryant. Bryant won election in 2011 and was re-elected in 2015.

State legislature

Trifecta status

  • Mississippi was a Republican trifecta, meaning that the Republican Party held the governorship and both chambers of the state legislature.

2018 elections

See also: Mississippi elections, 2018

Mississippi held elections for the following positions in 2018:

Demographics

Demographic data for Mississippi
 MississippiU.S.
Total population:2,989,390316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):46,9233,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:59.2%73.6%
Black/African American:37.4%12.6%
Asian:1%5.1%
Native American:0.4%0.8%
Pacific Islander:0%0.2%
Two or more:1.2%3%
Hispanic/Latino:2.9%17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:82.3%86.7%
College graduation rate:20.7%29.8%
Income
Median household income:$39,665$53,889
Persons below poverty level:27%11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Mississippi.
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

As of July 2016, Mississippi's three largest cities were Jackson (pop. est. 170,000), Gulfport (pop. est. 72,000), and Southaven (pop. est. 54,000).[53]

State election history

This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in Mississippi from 2000 to 2016. Data comes from the Mississippi Secretary of State.

Historical elections

Presidential elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of the presidential election in Mississippi every year from 2000 to 2016.

Election results (President of the United States), Mississippi 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2016 Republican Party Donald Trump 57.9% Democratic Party Hillary Clinton 40.1% 17.8%
2012 Republican Party Mitt Romney 55.3% Democratic Party Barack Obama 43.8% 11.5%
2008 Republican Party John McCain 56.2% Democratic Party Barack Obama 43.0% 13.2%
2004 Republican Party George W. Bush 59.5% Democratic Party John Kerry 39.8% 19.7%
2000 Republican Party George W. Bush 57.6% Democratic Party Al Gore 40.7% 16.9%

U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in Mississippi from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the two seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.

Election results (U.S. Senator), Mississippi 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2014 Republican Party Thad Cochran 59.9% Democratic Party Travis Childers 37.9% 22.0%
2012 Republican Party Roger Wicker 57.2% Democratic Party Albert Gore 40.6% 16.6%
2008 Republican Party Thad Cochran 61.4% Democratic Party Erik Fleming 38.6% 22.8%
2008 (special) Republican Party Roger Wicker 55.0% Democratic Party Ronnie Musgrove 45.0% 10.0%
2006 Republican Party Trent Lott 63.6% Democratic Party Erik Fleming 34.9% 28.7%
2002 Republican Party Thad Cochran 84.6% Reform Party Shawn O'Hara 15.4% 69.2%
2000 Republican Party Trent Lott 65.9% Democratic Party Troy Brown 31.6% 34.3%

Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of the gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in Mississippi.

Election results (Governor), Mississippi 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2015 Republican Party Phil Bryant 66.6% Democratic Party Robert Gray 32.1% 34.5%
2011 Republican Party Phil Bryant 61.0% Democratic Party Johnny DuPree 39.0% 22.0%
2007 Republican Party Haley Barbour 57.9% Democratic Party John Eaves 42.1% 15.8%
2003 Republican Party Haley Barbour 52.6% Democratic Party Ronnie Musgrove 45.8% 6.8%

Congressional delegation, 2000-2016

This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent Mississippi in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.

Congressional delegation, Mississippi 2000-2016
Year Republicans Republicans (%) Democrats Democrats (%) Balance of power
2016 Republican Party 4 75.0% Democratic Party 1 25.0% R+2
2014 Republican Party 4 75.0% Democratic Party 1 25.0% R+2
2012 Republican Party 4 75.0% Democratic Party 1 25.0% R+2
2010 Republican Party 4 75.0% Democratic Party 1 25.0% R+2
2008 Republican Party 1 25.0% Democratic Party 3 75.0% D+2
2006 Republican Party 2 50.0% Democratic Party 2 50.0% Even
2004 Republican Party 2 50.0% Democratic Party 2 50.0% Even
2002 Republican Party 2 50.0% Democratic Party 2 50.0% Even
2008 Republican Party 2 40.0% Democratic Party 3 60.0% D+1

Trifectas, 1992-2017

A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.

Mississippi Party Control: 1992-2025
Four years of Democratic trifectas  •  Fourteen years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Governor R R R R R R R R D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
Senate D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D R[54] D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
House D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R


See also

Footnotes

  1. Politico, "Trump backs Wicker as primary challenge looms," February 27, 2018
  2. New York Times, "Kavanaugh Is Sworn In After Close Confirmation Vote in Senate Video," October 6, 2018
  3. U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, "Wicker Votes to Confirm Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court," October 6, 2018
  4. Twitter, "David Baria on October 4, 2018"
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  6. Roger Wicker's campaign website, "Issues," accessed October 19, 2018
  7. David Baria's campaign website, "Priorities," accessed October 19, 2018
  8. Danny Bedwell's campaign website, "The Issues," accessed October 19, 2018
  9. Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment with an Amendment)," December 18, 2018
  10. Senate.gov, "On the Conference Report (Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 2)," December 11, 2018
  11. Senate.gov, "On the Nomination (Confirmation Brett M. Kavanaugh, of Maryland, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States)," October 6, 2018
  12. Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture Re: Brett M. Kavanaugh to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States)," October 5, 2018
  13. Senate.gov, "On Passage of the Bill (H.R. 2, As Amended)," June 28, 2018
  14. Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on Amdt. No. 1959)," February 15, 2018
  15. Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on Amdt. No. 1958 As Modified)," February 15, 2018
  16. Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on Amdt. No. 1948)," February 15, 2018
  17. Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on Amdt. No. 1955)," February 15, 2018
  18. Senate.gov, "On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed (Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to the Consideration of S. 2311)," January 29, 2018
  19. Senate.gov, "On the Amendment (McConnell Amdt. No. 667)," July 28, 2017
  20. Senate.gov, "On the Amendment (Paul Amdt. No. 271 )," July 26, 2017
  21. Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Waive All Applicable Budgetary Discipline Re: Amdt. No. 270)," July 25, 2017
  22. Senate.gov, "On the Motion to Proceed (Motion to Proceed to H.R. 1628)," July 25, 2017
  23. U.S. Senate, "On the Nomination (Confirmation: Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States)," April 7, 2017
  24. U.S. Senate, "On the Cloture Motion (Upon Reconsideration, Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Nomination of Neil M. Gorsuch of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States)," April 6, 2017
  25. U.S. Senate, "On the Decision of the Chair (Shall the Decision of the Chair Stand as the Judgment of the Senate?)," April 6, 2017
  26. U.S. Senate, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Nomination of Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States)," April 6, 2017
  27. Senate.gov, "On the Conference Report (Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 6157)," September 18, 2018
  28. Senate.gov, "On the Conference Report (Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 5895)," September 12, 2018
  29. Senate.gov, "On Passage of the Bill (H. R. 6157 As Amended)," August 23, 2018
  30. Senate.gov, "On Passage of the Bill (H.R. 5895 As Amended)," June 25, 2018
  31. Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1625)," March 23, 2018
  32. Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1892 with an Amendment (SA 1930))," February 9, 2018
  33. Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 695)," February 8, 2018
  34. Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment with Further Amendment)," January 22, 2018
  35. Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 195)," January 22, 2018
  36. Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture: House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 195)," January 19, 2018
  37. Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1370)," December 21, 2017
  38. Senate.gov, "On the Motion to Recede from the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1 and Concur with Further Amendment ," December 20, 2017
  39. Senate.gov, "On the Joint Resolution (H.J. Res. 123)," December 7, 2017
  40. Senate.gov, "On Passage of the Bill (H.R. 1 As Amended )," December 2, 2017
  41. Senate.gov, "On the Concurrent Resolution (H. Con. Res. 71 As Amended)," October 19, 2017
  42. Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amdt. to the Senate Amdt. with an Amdt. No. 808 to H.R. 601)," September 7, 2017
  43. U.S. Senate, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 244)," May 4, 2017
  44. Senate.gov, "On the Joint Resolution (S.J. Res. 54, As Amended), December 13, 2018
  45. Senate.gov, "On Passage of the Bill (H.R. 2810 As Amended)," September 18, 2017
  46. The Hill, "Senate sends $692B defense policy bill to Trump's desk," November 15, 2017
  47. Senate.gov, "On Passage of the Bill (H.R. 3364)," July 27, 2017
  48. Senate.gov, "On Passage of the Bill (S. 722 As Amended)," June 15, 2017
  49. The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip of Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
  50. Denotes the party that had more seats in the U.S. House following the election.
  51. 51.0 51.1 Calvin Coolidge's (R) first term began in August 1923 after the death of President Warren Harding (R), who was first elected in 1920. Before he had his first midterm in 1926, Coolidge was re-elected as president in 1924.
  52. Denotes the party that had more seats in the U.S. House following the election.
  53. Mississippi Demographics by Cubit, "Mississippi Cities by Population," accessed September 10, 2018
  54. Republicans gained a majority in 2007 when two Democratic state senators switched their party affiliation. Democrats regained the majority as a result of the 2007 elections.



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Republican Party (5)
Democratic Party (1)