We know that we can change Mississippi if we put in the effort now. Abrams spoke of Mississippi’s Democratic candidate to the U.S. Senate. As campaigns around the country struggle to generate enthusiasm and engage voters during the pandemic, the Abrams fundraising was just one of over 40 virtual events that the Espy campaign hosted in 2020. Espy, who has worked tirelessly to share his vision with Mississippians and achieve this goal, has created the largest campaign organization of any statewide Democrat in Mississippi’s history. The campaign has 15 full-time staffers, more than his Republican opponent, Sen. Cindy Hyde Smith. READ MORE: Sen. Cindy Hyde Smith’s campaign is low in the polls during the pandemic. Joe O’Hern is the campaign’s manager. He has extensive experience in both local and presidential politics. O’Hern hired a mix national and local strategists. 60% of the campaign staff are people of color, 66% of them women. Separately from the campaign, Espy’s campaign’s coordinated campaign of the state Democratic Party — a team primarily made up of field staffers who use funds from the national party for state candidates’ support — has created an even larger staff. More than 12 full-time staffers have been hired by the coordinated campaign. Espy plans to have 30 staffers total before Election Day. They will be focusing on voter outreach and registering Democratic voters. Jared Turner is the team’s leader. Turner has worked on dozens of high-profile Mississippi elections and is an experienced strategist. Turner stated, “Electing history-making politicians up and down the ballot requires a history making effort.” “The Campaign for Mississippi is building a Mississippians organization to turn out the votes in all 82 county across our state,” Turner said. The Espy campaign’s strategy during the pandemic was centered around virtual events and conference calls such as the one with Abrams. His campaign hosted events such as the “Mississippi Moving Forward Tour” kickoff. It had 200 participants who listened to a Zoom call lasting one-and-a half hours. It hosted a roundtable discussion with young Black leaders and education experts about school reopenings in Mississippi. A healthcare town hall attracted 3,000 participants. Espy is a regular visitor to the event when he is able. Espy was accompanied by his wife and children to the June Black Lives Matter demonstration in downtown Jackson. He has helped healthcare workers distribute free masks and other protective equipment to patients waiting in long lines in Greenwood or Meridian. Fundraising for the Espy camp has been a hit in Mississippi and across the country. Espy has raised over $1.9 million to date. Two years ago, Espy had raised less than $700,000. As the incumbent struggles to raise funds, Hyde-Smith has outraised him in every campaign finance reporting period except 2020. Campaign aides report that Mississippians are giving more money to Espy, which could indicate enthusiasm for his candidacy. This cycle, Espy has received almost 10 times the amount of contributions from Mississippi donors than he received in 2018. According to the campaign, Espy already has contributions from nearly 7,000 Mississippi donors this cycle. He received support from approximately 5,000 Mississippi donors during the 2018 cycle. Espy still has a lot of work ahead of him, despite the fundraising and staffing advantages that Hyde-Smith enjoys. Espy is running in one the most red states in the country, where any Democrat, even one with moderate platforms, will be strategically paired with national progressives who have high disapproval ratings from conservatives and independents. In modern times, a Democrat from Mississippi has never been elected to U.S. Senate. Espy lost by seven points to the same opponent two years ago. Marvin King, an associate professor of political science at University of Mississippi, said, “Espy does everything he can, but there is something to be said about the fact that there are many voters who vote against people more than they’re voting in their favor.” For Cindy Hyde Smith, as long you’re polling ahead despite not raising as many funds recently and as long Trump is polling ahead of you, she can simply say, “I’m a Trump Republican.” Espy would be the 11th Black U.S. Senator in America’s history if she is elected. Blanche K. Bruce and Hiram Revels were both Mississippians. However, they were elected during Reconstruction by the majority-Black Legislature, not by popular vote. Although a win in ruby-red Mississippi is still elusive for Democrats in the state, Espy’s 2020 Senate election looks increasingly attractive as Black Lives Matter protests and other campaigns demand attention. Espy has the opportunity to challenge a white incumbent with a questionable past on race. READ MORE: Espy puts race at the center of Senate campaign. What will Hyde Smith’s response be? D’Andra Orey from Jackson State University, professor of political science, said, “Given America’s current racial climate, the candidates enter this contest where race has already been a salient issue. Therefore, neither candidate will be forced to use such language while on stump.” I expect each candidate to use this language when speaking with their base. Espy will not be able to address his base without mentioning race-specific topics like the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Hyde-Smith will, however, be expected to mention “the protests as a necessity for law and order”. Despite these odds, Espy campaign leaders believe that the money they have raised, along with America’s hyper-focus of race in politics, will ignite a fire in Mississippi. Many campaign staffers believe that the infrastructure they are building will benefit Democratic candidates for years to come. Jacquie Abos, an ex-staffer of the Mississippi Democratic Party who was also the Espy campaign outreach director, stated that Mike Espy and his Espy for Senate campaign “are committed to building an organisation that can serve as a model for other statewide or local campaigns.” “This campaign is about an investment in the future for Mississippians.”