The 2023 Mississippi lieutenant gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 2023, to elect the lieutenant governor of Mississippi. Incumbent Republican Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann won re-election to a second term in office, significantly outperforming Republican Governor Tate Reeves in the concurrent gubernatorial election.

Hosemann faced a competitive primary challenge from far-right state senator Chris McDaniel but ultimately defeated him in the August 8 primary. Marketing executive Ryan Grover was the only Democrat who filed to run.

Republican primary Delbert Hosemann entered in the primary as the incumbent Lieuteant Governor. He drew a primary challenge from state senator Chris McDaniel, a far-right lawmaker who nearly unseated U.S. Senator Thad Cochran in his 2014 primary. McDaniel accused Hosemann of being a "liberal" and criticized him for allowing Democrats to chair committees in the state senate, labeling him "Delbert 'the Democrat' Hosemann." In response, Hosemann defended his conservative credentials and called McDaniel "the least effective politician in the state with the largest ego."

Throughout the campaign, McDaniel tied Hosemann to the South Jackson Women's Clinic, in attempts to attack Hosemann's record on the issue of abortion. However, the physician who runs the clinic clarified that Hosemann provided periodic legal services from 1977 to 1981, which was before the clinic began performing abortions. In response, Hosemann called McDaniel a "pathological liar" and accused him of defamation.

Hosemann accused McDaniel of not living in the district where he votes, saying that "it appears doubtful that he lived in his district, which means he voted illegally." McDaniel claimed that the allegations are "just [Hosemann] being desperate." Hosemann also claimed that McDaniel had violated campaign finance and ethics laws. Days before the election, Attorney General Lynn Fitch said she would investigate a PAC run by McDaniel's campaign treasurer, who has a track record of violating Federal Election Commission rules. Despite the allegations, Hosemann consistently out-raised McDaniel throughout the campaign.

Governor Tate Reeves declined to endorse in the Republican primary for Lieutenant Governor, however, he provided a tacit endorsement of McDaniel by implying to reporters that there is only one "conservative candidate running." Mississippi Republican Party chairman Frank Bordeaux reportedly got involved behind the scenes to quell any tensions between Hosemann and Reeves. Hosemann was endorsed by both Mississippi U.S. Senators, Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith, while Texas U.S. Senator Ted Cruz backed McDaniel.

On August 8, Hosemann defeated McDaniel, securing 52% of the vote to his 43%. Following his election victory, Hosemann said he would pursue campaign finance reform.

Candidates Nominee Delbert Hosemann, incumbent lieutenant governor

Eliminated in primary Tiffany Longino, college professor Chris McDaniel, state senator and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2014 and 2018

Withdrawn Shane Quick, music promoter and candidate for lieutenant governor in 2019

Endorsements

Fundraising Primary campaign finance activity as of June 9, 2023 Candidate Raised Spent Cash on hand Delbert Hosemann $2,500,307 $1,363,092 $3,704,915 Chris McDaniel $785,135 $646,604 $386,490

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error DelbertHosemann TiffanyLongino ChrisMcDaniel ShaneQuick UndecidedMississippi Today/Siena CollegeMississippi Today/Siena CollegeJune 4–7, 2023646 (LV)± 4.8%47% —32% —21%American StrategiesAmerican StrategiesMay 22–24, 2023646 (LV)± 3.9%40%1%45%1%13%

Results

Democratic primary Candidates D. Ryan Grover, marketing consultant and graphic designer

Results

General election Endorsements

Results

By county CountyDelbert HosemannRepublicanRyan GroverDemocraticMarginTotal#%#%#%Adams4,10144.52%5,11155.48%-1,010-10.96%9,212Alcorn6,82282.30%1,46717.70%5,35564.60%8,289Amite3,10262.21%1,88437.79%1,21824.43%4,986Attala3,59961.54%2,24938.46%1,35023.08%5,848Benton1,74262.82%1,03137.18%71125.64%2,773Bolivar2,92936.46%5,10463.54%-2,175-27.08%8,033Calhoun3,29173.69%1,17526.31%2,11647.38%4,466Carroll2,54167.98%1,19732.02%1,34435.96%3,738Chickasaw3,05354.93%2,50545.07%5489.86%5,558Choctaw1,99872.37%76327.63%1,23544.73%2,761Claiborne79426.15%2,24273.85%-1,448-47.69%3,036Clarke3,87266.00%1,99534.00%1,87731.99%5,867Clay3,17345.16%3,85354.84%-680-9.68%7,026Coahoma1,57030.96%3,50169.04%-1,931-38.08%5,071Copiah4,88752.87%4,35747.13%5305.73%9,244Covington3,93663.41%2,27136.59%1,66526.82%6,207DeSoto22,85262.49%13,71937.51%9,13324.97%36,571Forrest11,02360.46%7,20839.54%3,81520.93%18,231Franklin2,01164.50%1,10735.50%90428.99%3,118George4,09587.46%58712.54%3,50874.93%4,682Greene2,71379.00%72121.00%1,99258.01%3,434Grenada4,34554.99%3,55745.01%7889.97%7,902Hancock8,17378.30%2,26521.70%5,90856.60%10,438Harrison28,06965.95%14,49534.05%13,57431.89%42,564Hinds24,92836.95%42,54263.05%-17,614-26.11%67,470Holmes1,51926.57%4,19973.43%-2,680-46.87%5,718Humphreys99933.44%1,98866.56%-989-33.11%2,987Issaquena22853.77%19646.23%327.55%424Itawamba6,06788.63%77811.37%5,28977.27%6,845Jackson19,97070.74%8,25929.26%11,71141.49%28,229Jasper2,86648.94%2,99051.06%-124-2.12%5,856Jefferson61423.02%2,05376.98%-1,439-53.96%2,667Jefferson Davis1,79942.69%2,41557.31%-616-14.62%4,214Jones13,98570.82%5,76129.18%8,22441.65%19,746Kemper1,57443.15%2,07456.85%-500-13.71%3,648Lafayette9,39563.74%5,34436.26%4,05127.48%14,739Lamar12,66876.49%3,89423.51%8,77452.98%16,562Lauderdale11,32163.16%6,60236.84%4,71926.33%17,923Lawrence2,90065.58%1,52234.42%1,37831.16%4,422Leake4,07762.79%2,41637.21%1,66125.58%6,493Lee15,98469.59%6,98430.41%9,00039.18%22,968Leflore2,30832.68%4,75567.32%-2,447-34.65%7,063Lincoln7,92370.72%3,28129.28%4,64241.43%11,204Lowndes9,67555.20%7,85344.80%1,82210.39%17,528Madison24,49363.65%13,99036.35%10,50327.29%38,483Marion4,90166.94%2,42133.06%2,48033.87%7,322Marshall4,56851.60%4,28548.40%2833.20%8,853Monroe7,26664.83%3,94135.17%3,32529.67%11,207Montgomery1,84557.64%1,35642.36%48915.28%3,201Neshoba5,02773.73%1,79126.27%3,23647.46%6,818Newton4,35369.67%1,89530.33%2,45839.34%6,248Noxubee93126.66%2,56173.34%-1,630-46.68%3,492Oktibbeha6,84654.45%5,72745.55%1,1198.90%12,573Panola6,00753.04%5,31846.96%6896.08%11,325Pearl River8,85680.95%2,08419.05%6,77261.90%10,940Perry2,91477.38%85222.62%2,06254.75%3,766Pike5,90550.30%5,83549.70%700.60%11,740Pontotoc7,39383.03%1,51116.97%5,88266.06%8,904Prentiss4,92480.37%1,20319.63%3,72160.73%6,127Quitman79736.31%1,39863.69%-601-27.38%2,195Rankin32,77075.14%10,84324.86%21,92750.28%43,613Scott4,69459.80%3,15640.20%1,53819.59%7,850Sharkey54736.59%94863.41%-401-26.82%1,495Simpson4,98366.36%2,52633.64%2,45732.72%7,509Smith3,76077.13%1,11522.87%2,64554.26%4,875Stone3,92277.34%1,14922.66%2,77354.68%5,071Sunflower1,86831.52%4,05868.48%-2,190-36.96%5,926Tallahatchie1,71344.93%2,10055.07%-387-10.15%3,813Tate5,65866.46%2,85633.54%2,80232.91%8,514Tippah4,52280.88%1,06919.12%3,45361.76%5,591Tishomingo4,84986.05%78613.95%4,06372.10%5,635Tunica62731.30%1,37668.70%-749-37.39%2,003Union6,25684.23%1,17115.77%5,08568.47%7,427Walthall3,01059.78%2,02540.22%98519.56%5,035Warren7,82858.63%5,52341.37%2,30517.26%13,351Washington3,20531.53%6,95968.47%-3,754-36.93%10,164Wayne4,66662.60%2,78837.40%1,87825.19%7,454Webster2,72179.75%69120.25%2,03059.50%3,412Wilkinson1,03935.21%1,91264.79%-873-29.58%2,951Winston3,62756.97%2,74043.03%88713.93%6,367Yalobusha2,54458.89%1,77641.11%76817.78%4,320Yazoo3,63052.07%3,34247.93%2884.13%6,972Totals490,95660.74%317,34739.26%173,60921.48%808,303 Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Lafayette (largest city: Oxford)

By congressional district Hosemann won three of four congressional districts.https://davesredistricting.org/maps#viewmap::2a63d0b3-58db-4e59-9b3b-436b221e078a

District Hosemann Grover Representative 68% 32%Trent Kelly 42% 58%Bennie Thompson 65% 35%Michael Guest 71% 29%Mike Ezell

Notes

Partisan clients

References

External links Official campaign websites D. Ryan Grover (D) for Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann (R) for Lieutenant Governor