Ahead of Mississippi’s municipal general elections, a contentious Gulfport mayoral campaign has been roiled in controversy. The latest barb is an accusation of election interference by supporters of Republican candidate Hugh Keating, who faces Democratic candidate Sonya Williams Barnes on Tuesday for the top political seat in the state’s second-largest city.
The race has commanded a national spotlight as Keating’s campaign has drawn support from heavy hitters like U.S. Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and a flurry of statewide leaders, while Barnes has attracted endorsements from former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), and others. Barnes aims to become the first Black woman to take the Gulfport mayor’s seat in city history.
