Keating wins Gulfport mayor’s race; Williams Barnes hails ‘historic’ turnout
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- Hugh Keating won Gulfport mayoral race with 53.19% of total 13,000 votes cast.
- Voter turnout surged from 4,200 in 2021 to over 13,000 in this year's election.
- Mississippi officials launched probes into voter incentive and intimidation claims.
Attorney Hugh Keating has defeated former state Rep. Sonya Williams Barnes in a contentious and high-profile race for Gulfport mayor that saw what she described early Wednesday as “a historic level of voter participation.”
“While we didn’t win the election, what we accomplished together was nothing short of extraordinary,” Williams Barnes said in a news release. “In past elections, about 2,000 voters would determine who leads our city. But this time, over 13,000 citizens made their voices heard.
“That kind of turnout is not only historic — it’s transformative.”
Keating greeted supporters Tuesday night at Centennial Plaza after his initial reports showed him edging Sonya Williams Barnes by a little more than 1,100 votes with all precincts counted. While 1,404 absentee ballots remained to be counted, he felt confident that he would be victorious.
“I want to be the mayor for all of Gulfport, and that means every persuasion,” he said during a speech Tuesday night.
Later, the city released unofficial returns, including absentee ballots, that showed Keating with 6,902 votes, or 53.19%, to 6,073 votes, or 46.81%, for Williams Barnes. Keating’s campaign shared vote totals early in the evening that did not include absentee votes cast ahead of the election. Willilams Barnes was unwilling to concede the race at around 10 p.m.
Instead, she headed to city hall to check on the vote.
City officials did not release vote totals until around midnight Tuesday. At 1 a.m., city officials confirmed there were 491 affidavit votes to count and officials were waiting to see how many of 109 ballots mailed out would be returned within the required five business days from the election. Even if all 600 votes were for Williams Barnes, it would not be enough to catch Keating.
After receiving the initial results, Keating told the Sun Herald from his packed campaign party: “It’s been a learning experience, to say the least. It’s been a wonderful experience with the opportunity to meet the citizens of Gulfport as I traveled the neighborhoods and learned what the needs and concerns are.”
Turnout was high, compared to the 2021 mayor’s race, when 4,204 residents cast ballots. In 2021, Mayor Billy Hewes won the mayor’s race with 2,680 votes, or 63.27% of the total. Williams Barnes received more votes in the 2025 Democratic primary: 3,316, or 84.3%. Both primary races featured one challenger.
Williams Barnes’ high primary vote total galvanized Keating supporters, including state Sen. Joel Carter, who urged Gulfport residents on social media to avoid assuming that Keating was a “shoo-in,” saying they needed to get out and vote.
Supporters on both sides hurled allegations of wrongdoing in the campaign’s waning days, while both candidates welcomed well-known politicians to boost their chances.
Election probes and candidate endorsements
The Mississippi Attorney General’s Office said last week that it is investigating accusations that Williams Barnes’ campaign handed out meal vouchers in exchange for votes. Williams Barnes denied any affiliation with illegal voter activity, while a pastor said he came up with the voucher idea as a way to increase voter turnout, adding that he is not a member of either campaign.
The Mississippi Democratic Party on Monday called for a state investigation into voter intimidation, or an attempt to influence the election, over a letter Island View Casino managing partner Rick Carter, Joel Carter’s father, sent out about the race. In the letter, Carter told employees that he supported Keating and thought he was best for the job.
Nationally known politicians visited Gulfport to lend their support, with Republican U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina campaigning for Keating, while Democrat Stacey Abrams of Georgia returned to Gulfport, her childhood home, to support Williams Barnes.
Campaign pledges
During her campaign, Williams Barnes emphasized inclusiveness, saying she would work for “one Gulfport.” She feels that past administrations have favored “pet projects” rather than funding improvements for all wards. She said that she would work across party lines and wanted to see collaboration on city issues such as economic opportunities, housing and health care.
Keating, the city’s outside general counsel from 2013 until he resigned to run for mayor, also said he would work on improvements citywide. He further noted the city’s need for more police officers, and said he would continue to develop the city’s “blue economy” of business affiliated with the coastal environment.
Keating said after his vote totals came in that he knew absentee ballots still needed to be counted. But he felt he would still win the race.
“The reason why we are confident is because we’ve analyzed the absentee vote and the voting records of those who have voted absentee,” he told the Sun Herald. We are confident that we are going to have plenty of votes to carry the day.”
Williams Barnes released her statement after dawn Wednesday.
“This campaign was about more than just one seat — it was about the people of Gulfport standing up for themselves and their future,” she said. “Because of what we’ve built, no mayor will ever again be able to ignore the voices of thousands who are now awake, engaged, and paying attention.”
Visual journalist Hannah Ruhoff contributed to this report.
This story was originally published June 3, 2025 at 9:57 PM.
