AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis
This combination image of Oct. 10, 2019, file photos shows Democratic State Attorney General Jim Hood, left, and Republican Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves during the first televised gubernatorial debate at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Miss. The Democratic nominee for governor, Hood, is in his fourth as attorney general. The Republican nominee for governor, Reeves, is in his second term as lieutenant governor. They are on the ballot Tuesday, Nov. 5, along with two lesser-known candidates. The winner will succeed Republican Gov. Phil Bryant, who is limited by state law to two terms.
- Mississippi elects its governor today, in a contest that is the first competitive statewide race in well over a decade.
- This page will have live, constantly updated results all night until the race is finally called.
- Republican Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves is favored in this race, but Democratic Attorney General Jim Hood has been a stronger contender in polling than Mississippi's red state reputation would lead you to believe.
- Hood was first elected attorney general in 2003 and has been in office for four consecutive terms. He is an unconventional Democrat as a pro-life pro-firearm public official.
- Polls close at 9pm. This interactive will update in real time once results start pouring in.
- Pay special attention to Hinds County, the most populous in the state where Jackson is located.
- In 2016, Hillary Clinton won 71% of the vote there. Harrison County on the Gulf is a large population center where Trump outcompeted Clinton 2-to-1.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
Tonight one of the most consequential races is in Mississippi, where Democratic Attorney General Jim Hood is running against Lieutenant Gov. Tate Reeves to win the governorship.
We'll have live, up-to-the-minute data on the results of the election streaming in thanks to our partner DDHQ.
Among the reddest-of-the-red states, this Mississippi election has proven surprisingly close. Hood was first elected attorney general in 2003 and has been in office for four consecutive terms, and is an unconventional Democrat as a pro-life pro-firearm public official.
Despite being traditionally safe GOP territory, the state has merited visits from Vice President Mike Pence and President Donald Trump. Though polling is scant, one reason for the national attention is a Mason-Dixon poll conducted October 17-19 that put support for Jim Hood at 43% and Tate Reeves at 46%.
The geography of the state is unique in that while in the U.S. overall just one in five people live in rural areas, in Mississippi 51% do.
As far as larger population centers, three counties are worth keeping an eye on:
- Hinds County in the West, where Jackson is;
- Harrison County on the gulf, where Gulfport and Biloxi are;
- DeSoto County in the Northwest, which contains suburbs of Memphis, Tennessee.
The latter two counties broke for Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton by 2-to-1 margins last year and should be large sources of support for Reeves, while Hinds county will be Hood's nexus of support.
Polls close at 9 pm. We'll expect updates through the evening.