In her last election in 2020, she defeated Democrat Mike Espy 54% to 44%. When the pair ran against each other in a special election in 2018 months after Hyde-Smith had been appointed to temporarily fill the Senate seat, Espy garnered 46.4% of the vote.

January 2, 2026, is the first day for candidates to file petitions and/or qualifying statements for the offices of Court of Appeals, Chancery Court Judge, Circuit Court Judge, County Court Judge, and Mississippi Levee Commission.

As Mississippi approaches its pivotal 2026 mid-term elections, the national spotlight is already trained on our U.S. Senate race and potential kitchen-table issues in the state’s congressional districts.

Judge Paula Drongole-Ellis of Starkville has qualified with the Mississippi Secretary of State's office for re-election as Chancery Court Judge.