In the summer and autumn of 2019, almost everyone in northeast Jackson or southern Madison County received a knock at their doors. They were greeted by a white 37-year-old woman, who introduced herself as Shanda Yates. To serve you in the state House of Representatives, I am running as a Democrat. “I’d like you to know why.” House District 64 includes most of Jackson’s white neighborhoods and some Madison County Reservoir area neighborhoods. These district lines were drawn long ago to guarantee a white, Republican slice of the state capital, which is America’s largest and most Black city. Rep. Bill Denny was the 31-year incumbent in the district. He is the chairman of the Apportionment and Elections Committee which oversees the redrawing legislative districts. Denny was a Republican Party elder, and one of the most powerful legislators at the Capitol. Yates, who was a former law partner to Republican Speaker of House Philip Gunn wanted to see change in her district. She sold the house, sharing her unabashedly Democratic platform and with voters. Most prognosticators believed she stood no chance. She received financial and political support from a variety of in-state Democrats, including individual donors and candidates. She was invited to speak at state and local Democratic Party meetings. Former U.S. Former U.S. Congressman Mike Espy canvassed in northeast Jackson as a Democrat for the U.S. Senate in 2018. and 2020. Several progressive groups based outside Mississippi took notice. These groups invested in House District 64 districts across America for a few cycles. They were aware of the left-moving trend among middle-aged white women living in suburban areas and had begun to invest in them. Yates’ campaign received independent expenditures totalling tens of thousand dollars from networks outside of state that only support Democrats. Some of these groups publicly endorsed her. Although the bet was risky, all of the Dems involved felt that Yates could win. They were correct. Yates defeated Denny by just 168 votes when the results were announced on November 5, 2019. Every vote and dollar spent had been counted. Her victory was seen by Democrats as more than a D on the House roster or the rare defeat of GOP. Her victory had instilled hope in Democrats, not just the state party, which has been in disarray for a long time, but the group and individuals that support progressive causes in the state. It was possible to change ruby red Mississippi. A white Democratic woman had defeated a Republican icon from Jackson and many people who supported her campaign in 2019 were already planning to use it as a template for success in 2023 and beyond. All of that hope was abruptly ended last week, in an astonishing blow to all involved. Yates declared on Jan. 13 she was leaving the Democratic Party to serve as an independent in the Legislature. Before it was public, she did not notify the Democratic Party leadership. Many Democratic lawmakers who consider Yates to be close friends were not notified. Mississippi Today spoke to a number of Democrats who were disappointed Yates did not give their colleagues an opportunity to address their concerns. “Not mad. Not angry. Yates was not angry. Many progressives who supported Yates’ election reached out to express their dismay and anger. “We are Democrats in Mississippi. “We’re used to being disappointed and frustrated, but this is different,” stated a Democratic operative who was close to Yates during her 2019 campaign. “Shanda encouraged us to believe that we could win at state legislative-level with the right candidate in the right district in spite of the state party’s brokenness. We won because we worked outside of the party structure. We won. But, here we are, two sessions later. It didn’t matter that we lost. It has been one of the most difficult pills for Democrats to swallow, and it has led to speculation about Yates’ decision to leave the party. Yates cited the Democratic Party’s “toxic atmosphere” as the reason for her decision in a series tweets posted over the weekend. She also mentioned the backlash she received regarding her vote to approve Republican-drawn congressional district — the only House Democrat to do this. She didn’t give any further details beyond that. Yates spoke to Mississippi Today by text message on Sunday and provided few details. Yates stated that “Following (congressional redistricting), members of the Democratic Party as well as my legislative caucus made clear to me that they were not happy with me being in the party anymore.” “I don’t plan to publically elaborate on the content of the statements made to relay this message because doing so would serve no other purpose than further dividing the Democratic Party. This is not my intention,” Yates said to Mississippi Today. She added: “I am saddened by some who assume I have lost my beliefs and ideals, but have no desire to examine the underlying issues that led me to this decision.” My constituents and all those who supported me need to know that I am still the same person as I was. That doesn’t change despite the letter that is behind my name. I will continue to represent District64 to the best of me.” Yates stated that she wouldn’t caucus anymore with Democrats. However, “(House Democratic Leader Rep. Robert Johnson] and I have a great working relationship and he knows that I can come to him anytime it may be necessary.” Yates refused to provide details about her party switch. Mississippi Today interviewed 10 House Democrats to find out what they had heard about Yates’ departure. Robert Johnson, the House Democratic Leader, was the only Democratic to contact Yates about her concerns. This concern was first expressed by Yates just a few days before she made her announcement that she would be switching parties. Johnson stated that it all happened in just a few days. Shanda, who has been a great Democrat since childhood, has always voted for us whenever we asked. Two or three Hinds County members expressed concern that Shanda voted for the Republicans after the redistricting vote on Jan. 11. They didn’t have to worry, I explained to them that she had co-authored our amendment, voted with us there and that it was exactly what they wanted. That was it. The couple apparently shared their sadness with their friends, who spoke at the Hinds County Democratic Executive Committee meeting about Shanda. Shanda was the one to hear it. On Wednesday, Jan. 12, she first shared all of this with me. She told me that her law office was being called and her staff were being criticized for her vote. Although I was angry to hear it, I explained that it was only two members. I informed her that she has the support of the majority of the Democratic Caucus members and that there were no problems with the Hinds County residents. We gathered a small number of Democrats and told the Hinds County members that they had misunderstood. She knew that she had the support and backing of the House Democratic Caucus. It would have been much easier if she had just gotten through it. While I don’t necessarily defend her, it’s difficult enough to be a white Democrat in Congress for any member of the House of Representatives to beat up on someone like this. Except in Hinds County, we don’t do this. Hinds County delegation is sometimes rough. It’s part of the process. It’s a shame she didn’t stay, because she would have had the most support. She has been a good member and a good Democrat. It is false to suggest that she did not have the support of the majority of the caucus. “If two or three loud Hinds County Democrats made her miserable, I hate that.” Mississippi Today was told by several Democrats that Rep. Earle Banks (a Jackson Democrat) led the charge against Yates over her redistricting vote. Banks, a long-standing provocateur among his fellow Democrats, didn’t return multiple messages asking for comment before the publication of this story. Banks sent a text message stating that “that is not true” just minutes after the publication of the story. “I never stirred up anything against her after that election,” Banks said. Every Mississippi Today Democrat spoke out saying they were not informed about Yates’ concerns or her decision to switch. Many of them had not heard she was having trouble finding a place within the party. This has caused confusion among Democrats and opened the doors for wild speculation between Republicans and Democrats at the Capitol. Now, Democrats, already in the super-minority of both the House and Senate, are down another member. Yates is the latest in a long line of white Democrats to defect. There are only three white Democrats remaining in the House and two in Senate. Gunn and other Republican leaders have rewarded those who defect in recent years. Yates dismissed the Y’all Politics speculation as a coincidence. She said she sent the press release simultaneously to the blog, the Northside Sun, a weekly newspaper covering her district, and to the blog. She claimed she hadn’t spoken to Gunn about her party change before she made it public, and that he didn’t know. Yates stated that he didn’t know she had left the party. “If that was the case, I would be naming people and saying many things. I’m not. I tried to keep it quiet with a very mildly written press release.” She said, “I care enough for the party to not provide details about comments or statements made to me by other members of my party. This would only harm the party. If the fact that I don’t want to harm the party (which I was told wasn’t my place in) doesn’t prove enough that I care about its underlying good and the people who elected it, then I’m sorry.” The Mississippi Democratic Party is still a mess. Most people were baffled Friday by a bizarre, cryptic tweet from the party about Yates’ decision not to change parties. Even if Yates had given her colleagues the chance to correct any wrongs, there isn’t much that the party could offer her in terms of political or financial support. Although Yates was respected by many Democrats at Capitol, it was not enough to show respect when Republicans can pass any bill without one Democratic vote. 2. Yates was supported by legislative Democrats. Her colleagues elected her vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus in her first term. Although Yates was criticized for her decision to quit, all legislative Democrats spoke highly of Yates and expressed regret that she had left the party. Will Democrats extend an olive branch or welcome Yates back to the party? Any Democratic leader will work to find out the reason for this in order to prevent it happening again. 3. Yates was elected by non-state party affiliated progressives in 2019. These groups are responsible for Mississippi’s only semblance effective Democratic politics. They are currently discussing whether to support Yates in a potential re-election campaign in 2023. Mississippi Today was informed by Yates that she plans to run for reelection. They will likely add another question to the decision of whether or not they support Yates. “Will your flip if elected?” Legislative redistricting is imminent. Two of Jackson’s major-Black House districts might need to be consolidated due to population changes as a result of the 2020 Census. Gunn and other powerful Republicans could reward Yates for voting for a redder Democratic Party district. Some progressives who feel burned by Yates might work together to find a Democratic challenger for her 2023 election. Her fate at Capitol could depend on how her district is redrawn within the next few months. Correction: An earlier version incorrectly stated that Rep. Jon Lancaster’s party was being flipped by a conservative political website. This news was reported by Taylor Vance of The Daily Journal.