# Mississippi's 2nd congressional district

Mississippi's 2nd congressional district (MS-2) covers much of Western Mississippi. It includes most of Jackson, the riverfront cities of Greenville, Natchez and Vicksburg and the interior market cities of Clarksdale, Greenwood and Clinton. The district is approximately 275 miles (443 km) long, 180 miles (290 km) wide and borders the Mississippi River; it encompasses much of the Mississippi Delta, for a total of 28 counties plus parts of Hinds and Madison. It is the only majority-black district in the state. With a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of D+11, it is also the only Democratic district in Mississippi.
The district is home to five of Mississippi's eight public four-year colleges and universities: Alcorn State University in Lorman; Delta State University in Cleveland; Jackson State University in Jackson; Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Wesson; and Mississippi Valley State University in Itta Bena, a few miles west of Greenwood. All except Delta State are HBCUs and are members of the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
The district is one of the poorest in Mississippi and the nation, with 26.2% of people in poverty as of 2017.
The district's current Representative is Democrat Bennie Thompson.

## Recent election results from statewide races

| Year | Office | Results |
| 2008 | President | Obama 63% - 36% |
| 2008 | Senate (Reg.) | Fleming 58% - 42% |
| 2008 | Senate (Spec.) | Musgrove 62% - 38% |
| 2012 | President | Obama 66% - 34% |
| 2016 | President | Clinton 62% - 36% |
| 2018 | Senate (Reg.) | Baria 60% - 39% |
| 2018 | Senate (Spec.) | Espy 67% - 33% |
| 2019 | Governor | Hood 66% - 33% |
| 2019 | Lt. Governor | Hughes 58% - 42% |
| 2019 | Attorney General | Riley Collins 63% - 37% |
| 2020 | President | Biden 62% - 36% |
| 2020 | Senate | Espy 65% - 34% |
| 2023 | Governor | Presley 67% - 31% |
| 2023 | Lt. Governor | Grover 58% - 42% |
| 2023 | Attorney General | Kemp Martin 62% - 38% |
| 2023 | Secretary of State | Pinkins 60% - 40% |
| 2023 | State Treasurer | Lee Green 62% - 38% |
| 2023 | State Auditor | Bradford 61% - 39% |
| 2024 | President | Harris 60% - 39% |

## Composition

The 2nd district includes the entirety of the following counties, with the exception of Hinds and Madison, which it shares with the 3rd district. The 2nd district takes in all of Hinds County with the exception of a portion of eastern Jackson, while Madison County communities in the district include Kearney Park and most of Canton, part of Gluckstadt, and part of Flora (all of which are shared with the third district).
| # | County | Seat | Population |
| 1 | Adams | Natchez | 28,746 |
| 5 | Amite | Liberty | 12,442 |
| 7 | Attala | Kosciusko | 17,359 |
| 11 | Bolivar | Cleveland, Rosedale | 28,968 |
| 15 | Carroll | Carrollton, Vaiden | 9,535 |
| 21 | Claiborne | Port Gibson | 8,617 |
| 27 | Coahoma | Clarksdale | 20,077 |
| 29 | Copiah | Hazlehurst | 27,664 |
| 37 | Franklin | Meadville | 7,610 |
| 43 | Grenada | Grenada | 21,065 |
| 49 | Hinds | Jackson, Raymond | 214,870 |
| 51 | Holmes | Lexington | 15,777 |
| 53 | Humphreys | Belzoni | 7,216 |
| 55 | Issaquena | Mayersville | 1,256 |
| 63 | Jefferson | Fayette | 6,941 |
| 79 | Leake | Carthage | 21,258 |
| 83 | Leflore | Greenwood | 26,378 |
| 89 | Madison | Canton | 112,511 |
| 97 | Montgomery | Winona | 9,600 |
| 107 | Panola | Batesville, Sardis | 32,669 |
| 119 | Quitman | Marks | 5,546 |
| 125 | Sharkey | Rolling Fork | 3,336 |
| 133 | Sunflower | Indianola | 24,468 |
| 135 | Tallahatchie | Charleston, Sumner | 11,837 |
| 143 | Tunica | Tunica | 9,234 |
| 149 | Warren | Vicksburg | 42,298 |
| 151 | Washington | Greenville | 41,946 |
| 157 | Wilkinson | Woodville | 8,058 |
| 161 | Yalobusha | Water Valley, Coffeeville | 12,386 |
| 163 | Yazoo | Yazoo City | 25,796 |

## Recent election results
### 2000

2000 United States House of Representatives elections in Mississippi: District 2 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Bennie Thompson (Incumbent) | 112,777 | 65.07 |
| | Republican | Hardy Caraway | 54,090 | 31.21 |
| | Libertarian | William G. Chipman | 4,305 | 2.48 |
| | Reform | Lee F. Dilworth | 2,135 | 1.23 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 173,307 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 58,687 | 33.86 |

### 2002

2002 United States House of Representatives elections in Mississippi: District 2 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Bennie Thompson (Incumbent) | 89,913 | 55.14 | −9.93 |
| | Republican | Clinton B. LeSueur | 69,711 | 42.75 | +11.54 |
| | Reform | Lee F. Dilworth | 3,426 | 2.10 | +0.87 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 163,050 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 20,202 | 12.39 | |

### 2004

2004 United States House of Representatives elections in Mississippi: District 2 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Bennie Thompson (Incumbent) | 154,626 | 58.38 | +3.24 |
| | Republican | Clinton B. LeSueur | 107,647 | 40.64 | −2.11 |
| | Reform | Shawn O'Hara | 2,596 | 0.98 | −1.12 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 264,869 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 46,979 | 17.74 | |

### 2006

2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Mississippi: District 2 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Bennie Thompson (Incumbent) | 100,168 | 64.27 | +5.89 |
| | Republican | Yvonne R. Brown | 55,672 | 35.73 | −4.91 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 155,832 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 44,496 | 28.55 | |

### 2008

2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Mississippi: District 2 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Bennie Thompson (Incumbent) | 201,606 | 69.05 | +4.78 |
| | Republican | Richard Cook | 90,364 | 30.95 | −4.78 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 291,970 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 111,242 | 38.10 | |

### 2010

2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Mississippi: District 2 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Bennie Thompson (Incumbent) | 105,327 | 61.47 | −7.58 |
| | Republican | Bill Marcy | 64,499 | 37.64 | +6.69 |
| | Reform | Ashley Norwood | 1,530 | 0.89 | N/A |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 171,356 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2012

2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Mississippi: District 2 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Bennie Thompson (Incumbent) | 214,978 | 67.13 | +5.66 |
| | Republican | Bill Marcy | 99,160 | 30.96 | −6.68 |
| | Independent | Cobby Williams | 4,605 | 1.44 | N/A |
| | Reform | Lajena Williams | 1,501 | 0.47 | −0.42 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 320,244 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2014

2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Mississippi: District 2 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Bennie Thompson (Incumbent) | 100,688 | 67.7 |
| | Independent | Troy Ray | 36,465 | 24.5 |
| | Reform | Shelley Shoemake | 11,493 | 7.7 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 148,646 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2016

2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Mississippi: District 2 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Bennie Thompson (Incumbent) | 192,343 | 67.1 |
| | Republican | John Bouie II | 83,542 | 29.1 |
| | Independent | Troy Ray | 6,918 | 2.4 |
| | Reform | Johnny McLeod | 3,823 | 1.3 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 286,626 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2018

2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Mississippi: District 2 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Bennie Thompson (Incumbent) | 158,921 | 71.8 |
| | Independent | Troy Ray | 48,104 | 21.7 |
| | Reform | Irving Harris | 14,354 | 6.5 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 221,379 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2020

2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Mississippi: District 2 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Bennie Thompson (Incumbent) | 196,331 | 66.2 |
| | Republican | Brian Flowers | 101,037 | 33.9 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 297,368 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2022

2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Mississippi: District 2 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Bennie Thompson (incumbent) | 108,285 | 60.10 |
| | Republican | Brian Flowers | 71,884 | 39.90 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 180,169 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2024

2024 United States House of Representatives elections in Mississippi: District 2 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Bennie Thompson (incumbent) | 177,885 | 62.02 |
| | Republican | Ron Eller | 108,956 | 37.98 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 286,841 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

## List of members representing the district

| Name | Party | Years of Service | Cong ress | Electoral history | District location and map |
| District created March 4, 1847 ||||||
| Winfield S. Featherston (Houston) | Democratic | March 4, 1847 – March 3, 1851 | 30th 31st | Elected in 1846. Re-elected in 1848. Lost re-election as a Southern Rights candidate. | |
| John A. Wilcox (Aberdeen) | Union | March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1853 | 32nd | Elected in 1851. Lost re-election as a Whig. | |
| William T. S. Barry (Greenwood) | Democratic | March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1855 | 33rd | Elected in 1853. Retired to run for state representative. | |
| Hendley S. Bennett (Grenada) | Democratic | March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1857 | 34th | Elected in 1855. Lost renomination. | |
| Reuben Davis (Aberdeen) | Democratic | March 4, 1857 – January 12, 1861 | 35th 36th | Elected in 1857. Re-elected in 1859. Withdrew due to Civil War. | |
| Vacant | Vacant | January 12, 1861 – February 23, 1870 | 36th 37th 38th 39th 40th 41st | Civil War and Reconstruction | Civil War and Reconstruction |
| Joseph L. Morphis (Pontotoc) | Republican | February 23, 1870 – March 3, 1873 | 41st 42nd | Elected in 1869 to finish the term and to the next term. Lost renomination. | |
| Albert R. Howe (Sardis) | Republican | March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1875 | 43rd | Elected in 1872. Lost re-election. | |
| G. Wiley Wells (Holly Springs) | Independent Republican | March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1877 | 44th | Elected in 1874. Retired. | |
| Van H. Manning (Holly Springs) | Democratic | March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1883 | 45th 46th 47th | Elected in 1876. Re-elected in 1878. Re-elected in 1880. Re-elected in 1882 but lost contested election. | |
| Vacant | Vacant | March 4, 1883 – June 25, 1884 | 48th | | |
| James R. Chalmers (Sardis) | Independent | June 25, 1884 – March 3, 1885 | 48th | Seated after contested election with Van H. Manning. Lost re-election. | |
| James B. Morgan (Hernando) | Democratic | March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1891 | 49th 50th 51st | Elected in 1884. Re-elected in 1886. Re-elected in 1888. Retired. | |
| John C. Kyle (Sardis) | Democratic | March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1897 | 52nd 53rd 54th | Elected in 1890. Re-elected in 1892. Re-elected in 1894. Retired. | |
| William V. Sullivan (Oxford) | Democratic | March 4, 1897 – May 31, 1898 | 55th | Elected in 1896. Resigned when appointed U.S. senator. | |
| Vacant | Vacant | May 31, 1898 – July 5, 1898 | 55th | | |
| Thomas Spight (Ripley) | Democratic | July 5, 1898 – March 3, 1911 | 55th 56th 57th 58th 59th 60th 61st | Elected to finish Sullivan's term. Re-elected in 1898. Re-elected in 1900. Re-elected in 1902. Re-elected in 1904. Re-elected in 1906. Re-elected in 1908. Lost renomination. | |
| Hubert D. Stephens (New Albany) | Democratic | March 4, 1911 – March 3, 1921 | 62nd 63rd 64th 65th 66th | Elected in 1910. Re-elected in 1912. Re-elected in 1914. Re-elected in 1916. Re-elected in 1918. Retired. | |
| Bill G. Lowrey (Blue Mountain) | Democratic | March 4, 1921 – March 3, 1929 | 67th 68th 69th 70th | Elected in 1920. Re-elected in 1922. Re-elected in 1924. Re-elected in 1926. Lost renomination. | |
| Wall Doxey (Holly Springs) | Democratic | March 4, 1929 – September 28, 1941 | 71st 72nd 73rd 74th 75th 76th 77th | Elected in 1928. Re-elected in 1930. Re-elected in 1932. Re-elected in 1934. Re-elected in 1936. Re-elected in 1938. Re-elected in 1940. Resigned when elected U.S. senator. | |
| Vacant | Vacant | September 28, 1941 – November 4, 1941 | 77th | | |
| Jamie Whitten (Charleston) | Democratic | November 4, 1941 – January 3, 1973 | 77th 78th 79th 80th 81st 82nd 83rd 84th 85th 86th 87th 88th 89th 90th 91st 92nd | Elected to finish Doxey's term. Re-elected in 1942. Re-elected in 1944. Re-elected in 1946. Re-elected in 1948. Re-elected in 1950. Re-elected in 1952. Re-elected in 1954. Re-elected in 1956. Re-elected in 1958. Re-elected in 1960. Re-elected in 1962. Re-elected in 1964. Re-elected in 1966. Re-elected in 1968. Re-elected in 1970. Redistricted to the 1st district. | |
| David R. Bowen (Cleveland) | Democratic | January 3, 1973 – January 3, 1983 | 93rd 94th 95th 96th 97th | Elected in 1972. Re-elected in 1974. Re-elected in 1976. Re-elected in 1978. Re-elected in 1980. Retired. | |
| Webb Franklin (Greenwood) | Republican | January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1987 | 98th 99th | Elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1984. Lost re-election. | |
| Mike Espy (Yazoo City) | Democratic | January 3, 1987 – January 22, 1993 | 100th 101st 102nd 103rd | Elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Re-elected in 1990. Re-elected in 1992. Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. | |
| Vacant | Vacant | January 22, 1993 – April 13, 1993 | 103rd | | |
| Bennie Thompson (Bolton) | Democratic | April 13, 1993 – present | 103rd 104th 105th 106th 107th 108th 109th 110th 111th 112th 113th 114th 115th 116th 117th 118th 119th | Elected to finish Espy's term. Re-elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Re-elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. Re-elected in 2024. | |
| Bennie Thompson (Bolton) | Democratic | April 13, 1993 – present | 103rd 104th 105th 106th 107th 108th 109th 110th 111th 112th 113th 114th 115th 116th 117th 118th 119th | Elected to finish Espy's term. Re-elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Re-elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. Re-elected in 2024. | 2003–2013 |
| Bennie Thompson (Bolton) | Democratic | April 13, 1993 – present | 103rd 104th 105th 106th 107th 108th 109th 110th 111th 112th 113th 114th 115th 116th 117th 118th 119th | Elected to finish Espy's term. Re-elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Re-elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. Re-elected in 2024. | 2013–2023 |
| Bennie Thompson (Bolton) | Democratic | April 13, 1993 – present | 103rd 104th 105th 106th 107th 108th 109th 110th 111th 112th 113th 114th 115th 116th 117th 118th 119th | Elected to finish Espy's term. Re-elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Re-elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. Re-elected in 2024. | 2023–present |