Hosemann defeats McDaniel in MS lt. gov. primary, then calls for campaign finance reform

Each of Mississippi's statewide incumbent office holders won their Republican primaries, including Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, who held a roughly 9% lead over challenger Chris McDaniel Wednesday with about 97% of the estimated vote reporting.

Hosemann said the negativity of the race took a toll on him, his family and his staff, but that he would have more to say on that, signaling that his scrutiny on McDaniel's personal and campaign practices is likely to outlast the primary. Hosemann said his mood would stay celebratory and thankful.

"I will temper my remarks on the tone of this campaign," Hosemann said. "All of us went through a lot. There were individual attacks on me and my staff and some people that work with our senators, and anybody that worked on the campaign was subjected to this really unbelievable venom by individuals, and we'll talk about that tomorrow when things settle a little bit. I have my own opinions about that."

After thanking his supporters and staff, Hosemann used his victory speech at the River Hills Club in Jackson to call for "campaign finance reform," referencing the "dark money" that poured into the race in its final weeks from out-of-state political action committees.

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"It screams for reform. We are going to listen to those screams," Hosemann said.

The campaign had turned especially dark in its final weeks, as McDaniel's campaign and pro-McDaniel PACs ran ads against the lieutenant governor that Hosemann and his staff said contained falsehoods. One McDaniel-aligned PAC in particular, called Invest in Mississippi, is under investigation from Attorney General Lynn Fitch for possible campaign finance violations. Invest in Mississippi appears to have received far more than the limit in corporate donations for a campaign or campaign affiliated PAC, according to its campaign finance reports. While independent PACs can receive more than the $1,000 limit, Invest in Mississippi's creator is also the treasurer of the McDaniel campaign, and it only ran ads on the lieutenant governor's race.

McDaniel himself spoke before the race had been called from his election night event Tuesday in Biloxi. The right-wing state senator did not concede but acknowledged that the math appeared to be difficult. Earlier in the night, McDaniel said on Facebook that it had been a "tough night so far."

At 10:39 p.m., about an hour before the race was called by Clarion Ledger partner Decision Desk HQ, McDaniel posted again on Facebook, saying "I love y’all. Always." Then, early Wednesday morning, McDaniel posted his concession on Twitter, through a news release.

"Sen. McDaniel extended his congratulations to Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann following his victory and encouraged supporters to join in supporting Gov. Reeves and the Republican ticket ahead of November’s general elections," the release said.

McDaniel notably contested, rather than concede, his 2014 primary challenge of the late U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran.

The firebrand state senator will now step away from public office for the first time since 2008, when he was first seated in the Senate.

“After 16 years in public office, it’s now my turn to join the ranks of hardworking Republican activists across our great state to re-elect Governor Tate Reeves and support every Republican on our ballot this November. I hope you’ll join me," McDaniel said in a statement.

Hosemann will advance to the general election where he will face Democrat Ryan Grover, who ran unopposed.

Though Hosemann promised to keep his remarks positive, he did take a few jabs, including at one of the longest serving public officials in the state. Madison Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler, who was first elected in 1981, issued a late endorsement of McDaniel just two days before the election. Hawkins Butler criticized Hosemann for not attending a candidate forum she hosted and said McDaniel had promised to not split Madison and Rankin counties during upcoming judicial redistricting.

"I cannot vote for Delbert Hosemann after I know what was planned for our county. A move to split our district would be devastating for our growth, our future and what we call lawful in our city," Hawkins Butler said in an endorsement video. "Delbert Hosemann has always been a friend of mine, but Delbert was meeting with others in Madison County and conspiring to split the district of Madison and Rankin county."

These rumors of a planned split were denied by the Hosemann campaign in no uncertain terms, in part because the judicial redistricting process has not yet begun.

Much of the criticism from Hawkins Butler and others in Madison County has focused on the possible combining of Madison County with counties such as Yazoo and Holmes, which are more Democratic, poorer and have higher Black populations. Although some, like Hawkins Butler, have worried that would bring "soft on crime" judges to a new Madison district, in reality the circuit judge in the existing Yazoo-Holmes-Humphreys district has some of the highest sentencing rates in the state.

Even without Hawkins Butler's support, Hosemann won Madison County with nearly 67% of the vote.

As Hosemann thanked roughly two dozen elected officials who attended his party, including state senators and mayors, he seemingly referenced Hawkins Butler's endorsement.

"I see many mayors here, except one," Hosemann said to laughs and cheers. "We still love you."

In the state's Republican primary for governor, incumbent Gov. Tate Reeves had received about 75% of the vote as of late Wednesday afternoon, with an estimated 97% of the vote reporting. Reeves faced challenges from anti-vaccine medical doctor John Witcher and military veteran David Hardigree. Witcher and Hardigree, seen by many as longshot candidates against an established incumbent with a considerable financial advantage, managed to combine for more than a quarter of the reported vote.

Reeves will advance to face Democrat Brandon Presley, who ran unopposed.

In the only other contested Republican primary, incumbent Commissioner of Insurance Mike Chaney had received about 80% of the vote, compared to about 20% for challenger Mitch Young.

Chaney, the longest tenured sitting statewide elected official, will advance to face Democrat Bruce Burton, who ran unopposed.

Each of the Republican primaries were called for the incumbent by Decision Desk HQ as of midnight Wednesday. Attorney General Lynn Fitch, Auditor Shad White, Secretary of State Michael Watson, Treasurer David McRae and Commissioner of Agriculture Andy Gipson all ran unopposed.

The state's only contested Democratic primary, a three-way race for the nomination for agriculture commissioner, saw Robert Bradford avoid a runoff with nearly 52%% of the vote when the race was called by Decision Desk HQ Wednesday afternoon. Meanwhile Bethany Hill held about 26% and Terry Rogers held about 22%.

Bradford will advance from the primary to face Gipson.

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The rest of the Democratic races were uncontested.

A number of legislative and local races across the state will also be advancing to Aug. 29 runoff elections. For the other races, the next election day will be for the general election, on Nov. 7.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Delbert Hosemann wins lieutenant governor primary over Chris McDaniel