AP news guide: Benford wins Democratic primary in 3rd

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi was holding party primaries Tuesday to choose nominees for a U.S. Senate seat and four congressional seats:

U.S. SENATE

Mike Espy won the Democratic nomination Tuesday, easily defeating two challengers to face Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith and Libertarian candidate Jimmy Edwards in November.

Hyde-Smith is an ally of President Donald Trump. She was appointed to serve temporarily when Republican Thad Cochran retired in early 2018. In November 2018, Hyde-Smith defeated Espy in a hard-fought special election to occupy Cochran's seat for the remaining two years of the six-year term. Espy is a former congressman who served as U.S. agriculture secretary in the 1990s. Espy defeated two candidates in the Democratic primary: Tobey Bernard Bartee and Jensen Bohren.

Bartee is a former military intelligence officer who was eliminated in the first round of voting in the 2018 special election for Senate.

Bohren is a former teacher who unsuccessfully challenged Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker in 2018.

U.S. HOUSE — 1ST DISTRICT

Republican U.S. Rep. Trent Kelly is unopposed for his party's nomination. He has been in the House since winning a 2015 special election in north Mississippi's 1st District.

Antonia Eliason, a University of Mississippi law professor, is unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

U.S. HOUSE — 2ND DISTRICT

The chairman of the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee easily won the Democratic primary.

Rep. Bennie Thompson defeated Sonia Rathburn, who owns a chiropractic business.

The two competed in the state's 2nd Congressional District, which stretches along the Mississippi River, through the Delta and into Jackson.

Thompson has been in Washington since winning a special election in 1993. He is the longest-serving member of Mississippi's current congressional delegation. He is also the only Democrat and the only African American representing the state on Capitol Hill. Thompson will face a Republican in November.

Three candidates are running in the Republican primary. Thomas L. Carey is a retired real estate agent who ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate in 2014. Brian Flowers is a military veteran who works at Grand Gulf Nuclear Station. B.C. Hammond is a volunteer firefighter and has run unsuccessfully for state legislative seats.

U.S. HOUSE — 3RD DISTRICT

Republican U.S. Rep. Michael Guest won his party primary in central Mississippi's 3rd Congressional District.

He defeated radio talk show host James Tulp. Guest is a former district attorney who was first elected to the House in 2018.

He will face Dorothy “Dot” Benford, who won the Democratic primary after defeating first-time candidate Katelyn Lee. Benford has run unsuccessfully for several offices.

U.S. HOUSE — 4TH DISTRICT

Republican U.S. Rep. Steven Palazzo faces three challengers in his party's primary: Carl Boyanton, Robert L. Deming III and Samuel Hickman.

Palazzo was first elected to the House in 2010 in south Mississippi's 4th District. Boyanton is a former owner of a produce business. Deming is a Biloxi City Council member. Hickman has worked for U.S. Rep. Trent Kelly.

No Democrats are running in the 4th District.