Mississippi Democrats improperly excluded candidate for governor, judge says

By EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS
Associated Press

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi could have a Democratic primary for governor in August. A judge ruled Friday that the party improperly excluded a candidate from the ballot. The state Democratic Party immediately filed notice that it will ask the Mississippi Supreme Court to overturn the judge’s ruling on the candidacy of Bob Hickingbottom. The state Democratic Executive Committee decided in February that Hickingbottom could not run as a Democrat. Hickingbottom ran for governor as a Constitution Party candidate in 2019. He reports raising no money to run for governor, while Democrat Brandon Presley has $1.6 million. Republican Gov. Tate Reeves has $9 million.