Ezell the odds-on favorite to win re-election in Mississippi’s 4th Congressional District over Hulum, Boyanton

October 30, 2026

The Republican incumbent Congressman, a former Jackson County Sheriff, is being challenged by a Democrat State Representative and a former Republican turned Independent who has run unsuccessfully for Congress every two years since 2020.

(Magnolia Tribune) - Mississippi’s 4th District Congressman Mike Ezell (R) is running for his 3rd term to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives after besting incumbent Congressman Steven Palazzo (R) in a primary runoff in 2022.


Ezell, who previously served as Sheriff of Jackson County, has been endorsed by President Donald Trump (R).


“As the former Sheriff of Jackson County, and now, Highly Respected U.S. Congressman, Mike strongly supports our incredible Law Enforcement, Military, and Veterans, and knows the Wisdom and Courage it takes to Ensure LAW AND ORDER,” Trump wrote on Truth Social in October 2025. “In Congress, he is working tirelessly to Keep our now very Secure Border, SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Grow our Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Promote MADE IN THE U.S.A., Champion American Energy DOMINANCE, and Defend our always under siege Second Amendment.”


Trump added that Ezell “has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election — HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!”


Ezell defeated newcomer Sawyer Walters in the GOP Primary in March, pulling in 84% of the vote.


On the Democrat side, State Rep. Jeffrey Hulum III of Gulfport defeated two others in the party primary in March, winning 58% of the vote. Hulum is a veteran and founder of a nonprofit food bank who has served in the Mississippi Legislature since 2022.


Ezell and Hulum are joined on the ballot by independent candidate Carl Boyanton, a self-described “conservative” veteran and business owner, who has run unsuccessfully for the 4th District seat every two years since 2020.


Boyanton previously ran as a Republican in 2020, 2022, and 2024. Boyanton lost to former Congressman Palazzo in a four-man GOP primary in 2020, coming in last with just over 9% of the vote. In 2022, Palazzo faced six challengers in the Republican Primary, of which Boyanton was one. Boyanton finished fifth with nearly 5% of the vote. He went on to endorse Ezell in the runoff against Palazzo, which Ezell won. Boyanton then ran against Ezell in 2024, coming in second in a three-man GOP primary and pulling in nearly 19% of the vote.


Congressman Ezell is currently the heavy favorite to win his re-election bid. The Cook Political Report rates the race as “Solid R.” In his last two General Election contests, Ezell has pulled in over 73% of the vote.


Ezell also has the advantage in fundraising, showing $89,000 cash on hand in his pre-election reporting, while Boyanton has $20,000 and Hulum has $11,000, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission. Ezell has raised nearly $1.1 million this cycle compared to Hulum’s $58,000 and Boyanton’s $5,000.


Candidate Platforms

Magnolia Tribune was able to discuss with Ezell his policy platform, what he hopes to accomplish in the next Congress, and what sets him apart from the other candidates. Multiple similar requests were made to the Hulum and Boyanton campaigns, but neither responded.


Congressman Ezell said his policy platform is “delivering results for Mississippians.”


“That means investing in infrastructure and public safety, improving disaster recovery, addressing flood insurance costs, and supporting research and workforce development at the University of Southern Mississippi and other higher education institutions across the district,” Ezell said. “I’ve also worked to strengthen our agricultural and transportation industries, including leading the House-passed Cormorant Relief Act to help catfish farmers protect their operations and supporting a pilot program to improve freight efficiency for American producers and businesses.” 


He believes “there’s still more work to do” in the next Congress. 


“I want to continue reforming FEMA so communities aren’t waiting years for disaster assistance, ensuring flood insurance costs accurately reflect risk, and securing critical infrastructure investments,” Ezell said. “I’ll also keep working to strengthen our Coast Guard and maritime industrial base, support farmers and the timber industry, expand research opportunities at USM and our local colleges, and advance policies that help Mississippi businesses compete and create good-paying jobs.” 


On what separates him from other candidates, Ezell pointed to his record of “turning Mississippi’s priorities into tangible results.” 


“Whether it’s fighting for Gulf Coast industries, helping Pine Belt catfish farmers through the House-passed Cormorant Relief Act, or supporting research and workforce development at our local colleges and universities, my focus has been on delivering for the entire Fourth District,” Ezell said.


According to Hulum’s campaign website, if elected he plans to focus on the economy, healthcare, education, criminal justice reform, social justice, and national security.


Hulum’s website says South Mississippi deserves an economy that works for working people, not just for corporations and the wealthy, and that every child deserves a quality education, no matter their ZIP code. As for healthcare, Hulum contends that access to healthcare “is a basic necessity especially in a state where rural hospitals are closing, costs keep rising, and current policies continue to decrease funding for Mississippi’s fragile healthcare system.”


On the social justice front, Hulum’s website reads, “A fair and free society requires treating every person with dignity and equality. We must ensure that civil rights, voting rights, and basic freedoms are protected for all Mississippians. Every citizen of Mississippi deserves the right and access to participate in the democratic process.”


As for Boyanton, the Republican turned Independent says on his campaign website that “the American voter has been sold a false choice between two private clubs that wear different colors but cash the same checks.” He says he is outraged by the rampant fraud, waste, and abuse plaguing every corner of the federal government. 


Of the national debt, Boyanton’s website says he is “deeply concerned about the federal budget and the runaway spending that threatens our nation’s future,” adding that the national debt now exceeds $38.5 trillion and arguing that the trend is unsustainable.


Boyanton calls himself a pro-life advocate and notes that he is committed to securing the nation’s borders and reforming the immigration system. He also strongly supports implementing term limit for Congress and says he is “committed to restoring excellence in American education by returning to the fundamentals that built our nation’s strength.”


The General Election for Mississippi’s 2nd Congressional District is on Tuesday, November 3.


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BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) — U.S. Rep. Mike Ezell joined WLOX’s Bill Snyder and Hugh Keeton to discuss recent congressional issues ahead of the Republican primary for the 4th Congressional District. Supreme Court blocks tariffs Over the weekend, it was revealed that the Supreme Court blocked President Donald Trump’s tariffs. The vote was 6-3, with Justices Thomas, Alito and Kavanaugh dissenting. While he does not necessarily agree with the decision, as someone from a law enforcement background, Ezell said the Supreme Court’s decision is final and should be respected. “Sometimes we don’t always agree with the court, but it’s still the law of the land,” he said. “And that’s what we’re going to abide by, you know, may not like it, but that’s the law of the land. And the Supreme Court is the final answer.” President Trump wants to impose 15% tariff, up from 10% he announced after Supreme Court decision Flood insurance remains a major concern amid government shutdown Flood insurance reform is a major concern for Ezell. Ezell said it has been difficult trying to work with FEMA to implement new floodplain maps. “I have, since day one, I’ve been in Congress, I have been struggling and fighting with FEMA and these floodplain maps. We have the maps. We need to get them implemented. That’s been an ongoing issue. But again, FEMA has dragged their feet.” But with the current government shutdown, that fight has become even more difficult. “Now that FEMA is not being funded right now, that’s even more of a feet-dragging deal or a boat anchor,” he said. “It’ll make such a big difference for our people and our home builders and our businesses. I’m not going to let up on this flood insurance until we get it done.” Ezell said the work FEMA does is vital, but it should be reorganized. “Oh yeah, absolutely. I mean, FEMA is very vital to the country and we all know that. But I’ll tell you, it needs to be reorganized. The president has talked about that continually and I’m part of the solution. I’m going to keep working with that so that we can get that done, so we can be more efficient about what we’re doing.” Trump says he plans to phase out FEMA after 2025 hurricane season Coast community still affected by Bonnet Carré Spillway opening Ezell has been very vocal against the Corps of Engineers opening the Bonnet Carré Spillway. Since the spillway was opened in 2019, the Mississippi Sound Coalition has been formed to advocate for the Mississippi Gulf Coast when it comes to concerns about the Bonnet Carré. Mississippi Sound Coalition calls for reform to spillway openings as river levels rise “We still work with the Army Corps. We still work with the Coalition. You know, there’s so many things. We have been getting some good response lately from the Corps, and I feel like we’re going to continue to move forward,” he said. “But again, it’s like the old saying, the squeaky wheel gets the oil, and I’ve been the squeaky wheel dealing with the Army Corps, flood insurance, and so many other issues dealing with the government, EPA being one of them as well.” Ezell said he has had bipartisan support for the work he has done on both flood and environmental protection. “You know, and I’ll tell you this, we work real well with Troy Carter over in New Orleans, one of our people that we work with on the other side of the aisle. They have just as many problems over there with flooding. New Orleans, we all know that. So I’ve got help with him, and I’m going to continue to fight for us so we can get this done.” Beyond the spillway, Ezell said transportation infrastructure is another concern. After nearly four years, the Highway 90 bridge from Pearlington to Louisiana is still out. While the Coast did not experience any major tropical systems during the 2025 hurricane season, had there been a hurricane, the closure means the people of Hancock County would have had one less evacuation route. Pearl River Bridge on U.S. 90 could be closed until 2028 Hurricane season ends with quiet year for Mississippi Gulf Coast “I had some conversation with the Louisiana governor. He was in Washington a while back, and we talked about it. I’m serving on transportation and infrastructure, and that’s certainly something we’re trying to start working on and try to get some sort of agreement and understanding, and we could get that done,” Ezell said. “I mean, there’s so many things that we need to get done for South Mississippi that are so important. 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