JACKSON, Miss. — A 33-year-old antitrust lawyer with ties to major Democratic politicians is challenging U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson to represent Mississippi’s 2nd congressional district.
Evan Turnage is the latest in a trend of young Democrats looking to oust the party’s old guard and rebrand the party after the 2024 election.
“The same old playbook from the ’90s isn’t going to work anymore,” Turnage said. “We are dealing with Big Tech firms and social media and AI, and we need members of Congress who know how to navigate that terrain.”
The Morehouse College valedictorian and Yale-educated attorney has served as chief counsel to then-Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and senior counsel to Sen. Elizabeth Warren,
where he helped craft major legislative proposals, including the No Kings Act, which argued that presidents do not have immunity for criminal actions, and the Price Gouging Prevention Act, later adopted as part of Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential platform.
He currently leads the Southern Justice Project at the Open Markets Institute, an initiative aimed at strengthening economic and political power in Black Belt communities.
If elected, Turnage said he would focus on creating economic opportunity and political reform.
He drew attention to the persistent economic hardship in the 2nd district, saying it was the poorest in the poorest state when he was born and remains so more than three decades later. He argues that generational economic stagnation has forced families to watch loved ones leave the state in search of opportunity.
“I’ve dedicated my life to leveling the playing field so people can not only get by, but get ahead, and raise a family right here,” Turnage said, adding that he is seeking to make it easier for Mississippians to return home and build lasting opportunity in the district.
Thompson, a civil-rights leader and stalwart in Mississippi politics, has represented the district for more than 30 years. He formerly chaired the House Jan. 6 committee and is a ranking member on the House Committee on Homeland Security.
The last time Thompson faced a meaningful primary challenge was in 2012 against former Greenville Mayor Heather McTeer Toney.
In a statement, Thompson said he is confident his record will speak for itself.
“Elections were created to give people the ability to make a choice,” Thompson said. “I trust the voters of the district.”
The district is a Democratic stronghold in a state led mainly by Republicans. It stretches along the Mississippi River, covering the Delta and much of the capital of Jackson.
Thompson is facing several other challengers, including Republican Ron Eller, who lost to Thompson in 2024.
Voters will choose the party’s Democratic nominee in a primary on March 10, 2026.
— Stacy M. Brown of Black Press USA contributed to this report.
