Incumbent
MS-02 Democratic nominee?
$8.8K
MAR 17, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleU.S. Representative
PartyDemocratic
Political ideologyLiberal Democrat
Age78 years old (Jan 28, 1948)
GenderMale
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LocationMississippi
BackgroundPolitician
EducationTougaloo College — B.A., 1968
Notable personal detailsBennie Gordon Thompson is a U.S. Representative for Mississippi's 2nd congressional district, first elected in a special election in 1993. He has served as chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security and later as ranking member. Before Congress, he served in local government in Mississippi and worked as an educator. He earned degrees from Tougaloo College and Jackson State University.
SourcesShowHide
Positions
Economy & Taxes
Bennie Thompson has voted against major Republican tax-cut legislation and has criticized such bills as benefiting the top 1 percent rather than working families. His official congressional materials and public statements emphasize protecting middle- and lower-income taxpayers and opposing tax measures that he says disproportionately help wealthy individuals and corporations.
Healthcare
Supports expanding access to affordable health care, protecting and building on the Affordable Care Act, and improving access for rural and low-income Mississippians through measures such as Medicaid support and outreach to enroll the uninsured. Emphasizes preserving coverage for people with pre-existing conditions and strengthening rural health services.
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Immigration & Border
Bennie Thompson has criticized restrictive immigration policies and treatment of migrants, advocated for oversight of DHS/ICE, and urged protections for asylum seekers while supporting measures to strengthen border security within a reform framework.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
Supports legal access to abortion and reproductive rights and opposes overturning Roe v. Wade; has voted for federal protections of abortion access and received high ratings from reproductive-rights groups.
Climate & Energy
Bennie Thompson has supported local clean-and-efficient energy projects and economic development tied to energy, while also opposing or criticizing some federal emissions rules seen as harmful to Mississippi’s energy economy. His congressional record includes pro-environment votes in past years alongside more recent roll-call items and public statements that reflect balancing regional economic and energy concerns.
Public Safety & Guns
Supports strengthened gun-safety laws including expanded/universal background checks, an assault-weapons ban, measures to address ghost guns, and federal steps to keep firearms from people judged dangerous. Has voted for bipartisan and Democratic gun-safety bills.
News
Bennie Thompson is in the news because he warned that Democrats could face a major fight after the Supreme Court narrowed a key Voting Rights Act tool in Louisiana v. Callais. He said the ruling could encourage Republican-led Southern states to redraw maps in ways that weaken Democratic and majority-Black districts. Mississippi is among the states considering redistricting, which could affect House seats in the next election cycles.
Fundraising
Latest report: Cycle 20262022
2024
2026
LatestCycle 2022
Cycle 2024
Cycle 2026
Source: FEC
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Polls
- Endorsements