JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The mayor of Mississippi’s capital city, who’s under indictment on federal bribery and conspiracy charges, trailed his opponent in Tuesday's Democratic primary runoff, according to unofficial vote totals released by the City Clerk's Office.
Preliminary results showed state Sen. John Horhn leading with 18,493 votes compared to two-term Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba ’s 6,246 votes. The results of absentee votes had not yet been announced.
Horhn declared victory in the race.
“People are ready for something different,” Horhn said in a recent interview. “They are ready for change; they’re ready for leadership; they’re ready for better streets; they’re ready for less crime; they’re ready for more opportunities.”
The winner of the race will advance to the June 3 general election and will be expected to win given the city’s political makeup.
Lumumba, Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens and Jackson City Council member Aaron B. Banks were indicted in November. The indictment alleges the three Democrats accepted payments, including $50,000 for the mayor’s reelection campaign, from two people they thought were real estate developers looking to build a hotel near the downtown convention center. It turns out they worked for the FBI.
All three have pleaded not guilty.
“Residents have been, you know, told a narrative that should — that should give them every reason for us not to be here, right? And we’re trying to make it clear that that’s not who we are,” Lumumba said Friday.
Lumumba and Horhn faced off in a Democratic mayoral primary once before in 2017. In that race, Lumumba defeated Horhn outright, earning 55% of the vote.
In the April 1 primary, Lumumba’s vote share dropped to 17%. Horhn secured 48%, but fell short of the majority needed to avoid a runoff.
Within in the past week, Horhn received and benefitted the endorsement of Mississippi U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, the top Democrat on the House Committee on Homeland Security, noted Eric R. Schmidt, an assistant professor of government and politics at Millsaps College.
“What’s different is that he came very close to winning the Democratic Party nomination outright; and what’s different as well is the cloud that the criminal indictment against the current mayor has cast over the race,” Schmidt said.
FILE - Mississippi State Sen. John Horhn, D-Jackson, expresses concerns regarding the state's handling of the Broadband Expansion and Accessibility of Mississippi (BEAM) initiative at a news conference at the Mississippi Capitol in Jackson, Miss., Feb. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
FILE - Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba voices his opposition to Mississippi House Bill 1020, Jan. 31, 2023, during a protest at the Mississippi Capitol in Jackson, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Jack Eichel and Mark Stone made clear they belong together, on a Vegas first line that can be one of the most potent in these NHL playoffs.
Eichel and Stone each had a goal and an assist and Adin Hill made 29 saves for the Golden Knights, who became the first Western Conference team to reach the second round with a 3-2 victory in Game 6 that ousted the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night.
“They gave us everything we could handle,” Eichel said. “They played so hard.”
Shea Theodore scored on a power play early in the first period, Eichel got his first goal of the series late in the second period and Stone had the critical late score for Vegas, which will face Edmonton in the second round. The Oilers beat Los Angeles in six games.
The Wild have lost nine consecutive series, tied for the third-longest streak in NHL history, according to Sportradar. Their skid of eight straight one-and-done appearances is tied for the second-longest in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The Wild, who last made it out of the first round 10 years ago, got two goals from Ryan Hartman, including a wraparound with 3:27 left that came 31 seconds after Stone had given the Golden Knights a two-goal lead.
Stone, who set up Eichel with a long pass out of the zone that was inches out of reach of the stick of Kirill Kaprizov after he dived to try to prevent the breakaway that beat goalie Filip Gustavsson, had four points in the last three games.
“Everyone stepped up at different parts of the series and found ways to contribute,” Eichel said. “That’s how you win this time of year.”
Neither Stone nor Eichel recorded a single point in the first three games, thanks in part to the bruising Wild who frequently took away the middle of the ice and most of the Golden Knights' opportunities to use their speed.
Coach Bruce Cassidy shuffled the lines for Game 4, which helped ignite more of an attack. The absence of Pavel Dorofeyev in Game 6 prompted Cassidy to reunite Eichel and Stone in the top trio alongside William Karlsson.
“They got better as the series went on,” Cassidy said.
Hartman tied the game for the Wild with 4 seconds left in the first period, a goal safe from replay review unlike his go-ahead score in Game 5 with 1:15 remaining in regulation that was revoked for an offside call after Vegas challenged.
The Golden Knights went on to win their second straight overtime decision, before finishing off the Wild with a third consecutive one-goal win.
“We hear the noise of getting by the first round. We understand it,” Wild left wing Marcus Foligno said. “We really felt like we could’ve done it this year, and that’s the disappointing part, right?”
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL
Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone (61) skates with the puck while Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson defends the net during the second period of Game 6 of a first-round NHL hockey playoff series Thursday, May 1, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Bailey Hillesheim)
Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (9) is congratulated by teammates after scoring during the second period of Game 6 of a first-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Minnesota Wild, Thursday, May 1, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Bailey Hillesheim)
Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone (61) celebrates after scoring against Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson during the third period of Game 6 of a first-round NHL hockey playoff series Thursday, May 1, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Bailey Hillesheim)
Minnesota Wild left wing Matt Boldy (12) and Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore (27) battle for the puck during the first period of Game 6 of a first-round NHL hockey playoff series Thursday, May 1, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Bailey Hillesheim)
Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore (27) celebrates with teammates after scoring a power play goal during the first period of Game 6 of a first-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Minnesota Wild, Thursday, May 1, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Bailey Hillesheim)
Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Adin Hill watches the play during the first period of Game 6 of a first-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Minnesota Wild, Thursday, May 1, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Bailey Hillesheim)
Minnesota Wild left wing Matt Boldy (12) and Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore (27) battle for the puck during the first period of Game 6 of a first-round NHL hockey playoff series Thursday, May 1, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Bailey Hillesheim)
Minnesota Wild right wing Ryan Hartman, right, celebrates with teammates after scoring during the first period of Game 6 of a first-round NHL hockey playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights, Thursday, May 1, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Bailey Hillesheim)
