Live updates: Palazzo will likely meet a sheriff in GOP runoff after MS primary
Follow along here all night for live election results in the primary election.
11:30 p.m.
With nearly 98% of precincts reporting, it’s likely that Cong. Steven Palazzo will face a runoff with Jackson County Sheriff Mike Ezell before the general election for the Congressional seat in U.S. House District 4.
Close behind Ezell is Clay Wagner, who surged in Hancock and Harrison Counties.
The Associated Press had not named Palazzo’s challenger at 11:15, but with the way vote totals stand, it’s likely Ezell will claim the nomination unless Wagner gets a large surge in votes in the few remaining ballot boxes.
9:45 p.m.
Johnny DuPree, a former Hattiesburg mayor, has won the Democratic nomination in U.S. House District 4’s Congressional primary race.
Things are neck and neck in the Republican primary, with incumbent Steven Palazzo still in the lead. Jackson County Sheriff Mike Ezell trails behind him after picking up steam in Jackson, Greene and Forrest Counties. Clay Wagner, however, is just behind Ezell with 94% of precincts reporting.
The Associated Press has called Palazzo as one candidate in a runoff, but it’s too close to call for the second candidate.
9 p.m.
With 94% of precincts reporting in Harrison County, Palazzo only has about a 50-vote lead over businessman Clay Wagner of Pass Christian.
With about 50% of votes counted across U.S. House District 4, Palazzo leads the GOP Congressional primary with 31% of the vote. Wagner trails with 26.2%.
There are still several factors and counties at play that could determine who will be Palazzo’s challenger in a runoff, which appears likely unless Palazzo receives large numbers of votes in the Pine Belt region.
Forrest County (Hattiesburg) and Jackson County (home to Jackson County Sheriff Mike Ezell and State Sen. Brice Wiggins) still have not reported votes.
Ezell will likely win Greene County.
Johnny DuPree is soaring above David Sellers in the Democratic primary, with 34% of votes counted in that race.
Election results map for the Mississippi Coast
Here are the election result maps that will update in real time as votes are counted across Mississippi. See how Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties voted in the Congressional race in the primary.
Get to know the candidates in the District 4 race here.
8:30 p.m.
Pass Christian businessman Clay Wagner surged to trail incumbent Cong. Steven Palazzo in the Republican Primary for the U.S. House District 4 seat after votes starting coming in from Harrison County, proving it’s still anyone’s race to win. Palazzo is from Gulfport and Wagner is from Pass Christian.
Jackson County Sheriff Mike Ezell is close behind Wagner — and results from Jackson and George County aren’t in yet. Both counties could be strongholds for Ezell, while Hancock County could be strong hold for Palazzo or Wagner.
Palazzo won Stone County and still has a slight lead in Harrison County. Ezell leads in Greene County.
With about 22% of votes counted in Southern Mississippi, Palazzo leads with 31.6%, and Wagner trails with 24.6%.
8 p.m.
Vote totals are starting to trickle in from U.S. House District 4 in South Mississippi, and Cong. Steven Palazzo — the incumbent — is taking an early lead in the Republican primary. Jackson County Sheriff Mike Ezell is right on his tail, however.
With 2.5% of precincts reporting in South Mississippi, Palazzo leads with 373 votes to Ezell’s 280. The person with the most votes would have to secure 50% plus one to avoid a runoff.
With about 2% of precincts reporting in the Democratic primary, Johnny DuPree has taken an early strong lead against David Sellers. DuPree currently has 95.4% of the vote.
Palazzo voted with his son and mother on the Coast Tuesday morning, then flew back to Washington, D.C.
7:30 p.m.
Votes are starting to be counted across the state, with results coming in from District 1, which covers North Mississippi, and District 3 that covers part of Central Mississippi.
In District 3, which includes Rankin County outside of Jackson proper, Democrat Shuwaski Young will face a Republican opponent in the general election.
Young ran unopposed. Republican incumbent Michael Guest faces Michael Cassidy and Thomas Griffin.
Votes from Districts 2 and 4 have yet to start updating on the Associated Press election map.
7 p.m.
Polls have closed after low voter turnout across the Coast. Hancock, Harrison and Jackson County residents will help decide who makes it to a runoff or the general election in November in the District 4 U.S. Congress race.
Photos from Election Day on the Coast
Here are photos from polling stations on the Coast.
This story was originally published June 7, 2022 at 7:00 PM.
