To win the Mississippi statewide office under the constitutional provisions of 1890, which were enacted to protect African Americans from being elected to statewide office, the candidate must win the majority of the popular vote, and the most votes in the majority of the 122 House district. The election is thrown to the House for decision if no candidate achieves these electoral mandates. The election results between Hood and Republican Lieutenant Gov Tate Reeves seem to have reinforced the contention of a group from Mississippi who filed a federal suit challenging the electoral provisions. They were challenged on several grounds including the claim that they dilute African American voters. Jonathan Rodden, a political science professor and director of Stanford Spatial Social Science Lab, was quoted as saying that the Democratic candidate, or black-preferred candidate, “would need more then 55 percent of the state vote to secure a majority (House) electoral votes.” “Candidates preferred by white voters would, however, be able win the electoral vote without winning the majority of popular vote.” A federal lawsuit is currently pending before Judge Daniel Jordan of Southern District of Mississippi. According to the Secretary of State’s Office, Reeves received the most votes in 74 House Districts, compared with 48 for Hood. Reeves won popular votes by beating Hood 459,396 – 414,368 (52 percent to 47%) The new four-year term will begin on January 7. Republicans will continue to have a 75-46 edge in the House, with one independent. Hood won all House districts that were represented by Democrats, except District 75 which includes parts of Scott and Rankin county. Democrat Tom Miles represents that district. Hood won 42 of the 42 black majority districts, all of which were won by Democrats. District 96 was represented by Angela Cockerham from Magnolia, who was re-elected as an independent. Hood also won two districts, District 12 in Lafayette County, and District 102 In Forrest County. Other Democrats running for state office didn’t fare so well in terms either of winning popular votes or receiving the most votes from the House districts. In terms of winning popular vote, Jennifer Riley Collins was the top performer outside Hood. In losing the race to be attorney general, she received 42 percent of the vote or 370,068 votes. Jay Hughes, Democratic State Representative from Oxford, lost to Republican Secretary Delbert Hosemann in a race for lieutenant governor. He is the only other statewide Democrat who won the most votes in a House District that will be occupied in 2016 by a Republican. He was elected to District 12 in Lafayette County, which he then resigned to run for lieutenant governor. The seat was won by Clay Deweese, a Republican. All the Democrats in DeSoto County won District 40, except Addie LeeGreen who was unsuccessful in her bid for treasurer. Hester Jackson McCray, the Democratic challenger, defeated Ashley Henley, Republican incumbent, by 14 votes to win House district 40. Henley now wants the House to reverse that election, alleging voting irregularities. According to the 2010 census, District forty is 33% African American. This makes it the only district with a white majority that any Democratic candidate other than Hood or Hughes won. However, it seems the demographics have changed significantly over the past decade. Statewide Democrats won all the districts with a majority black population, except House District 91 which is represented in Monticello by Democrat Bob Evans. This district has a black voter-age population at 53 percent according to the 2010 census. Hood was the only statewide Democrat who won District 91. On Jan 7, 2020, the House will receive the election results. The House members will present the election results to the House on the opening day of the 2020 session, Jan 7. Hood’s performance as governor was better than any Democrat since Ronnie Musgrove’s 1999 victory at the Governor’s Mansion. Hood’s race for governor was closely followed by Mike Espy in the United States Senate special elections to Republican Cindy Hyde Smith in 2018. Hood won 414,368 votes, while Espy won 420.819, while Hood received 46.8 percent. Espy got 46.4 percent. Espy, who supported Hood in the election for governor in 2000, will challenge Hyde-Smith in 2020 for a full term of six years for the U.S. Senate position.