Mississippi Republicans hold runoff to pick challenger for longtime Democratic US congressman

By EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS
Associated Press

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi Republicans have voted in a primary runoff to decide who will challenge a longtime Democratic congressman for his U.S. House seat in the November general election. Tuesday’s 2nd District primary runoff is between Ron Eller and Andrew Scott Smith. The winner will face Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson on Nov. 5. Eller is a military veteran and physician assistant. Smith has worked in farming and commercial real estate. Thompson has held the seat since 1993 and is the top Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee. Polls closed at 7 p.m.