John Horhn, a longtime state senator, is the next mayor of Mississippi’s capital and will inherit a city with crumbling infrastructure, declining population, low economic mobility among residents and untold promise.
The Democratic nominee received 67% of the unofficial vote Tuesday against five opponents, including a police officer who ran as a Republican and four independents – a businessman with ties to south Jackson anti-violence efforts, a 27-year old musician and frequent city council public commenter, a child care development specialist and a conservative talk radio host who publicly dropped out of the race but still appeared on the ballot.
The general election held June 3 did not come with a possibility of a runoff, meaning whoever secured the most votes won, even if they lacked a majority of votes – a requirement only in primaries.
With an 82% Black population that votes heavily Democratic, Jackson’s general elections aren’t typically competitive. Despite chatter that a white businessman named Rodney DePriest was on Horhn’s heels, Tuesday was no exception. Horhn would have avoided a runoff anyway. Political newcomer DePriest had won 28% of the counted ballots Tuesday night.
About 21% of registered voters visited the polls Tuesday, roughly on par with turnout in the primary.
Mayoral candidate John Horhn is greeted by supporters as he arrives at his election night watch party at The Plant Venue, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Jackson, Miss. Horhn won the race for mayor. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayThe senator was favored in the race after he claimed victory over incumbent Mayor Chokwe Lumumba in the April primary, winning almost 50% of votes in a field of 12 Democratic candidates and then besting Lumumba nearly 3-to-1 in a head-to-head runoff.
During the primary, Horhn faced accusations that he was a pawn for white business interests and buoyed by northeast Jackson Republicans, a sliver of the electorate, switching sides to vote in the Democratic primary. But it wasn’t convincing to the majority of Jacksonians across the city who continued to support him in the runoff and general.
The 2025 municipal election marked Horhn’s fourth attempt at the mayor’s seat after he ran unsuccessfully in 2009, 2012 and 2017. His campaign slogan was “Jackson is ready.”
The lifelong Jacksonian, now 70 years old with more than three decades of legislative experience, argued during his campaign that he was the best man to both secure outside resources for Jackson’s poorly maintained infrastructure and fight state efforts to strip the city of local control.
“I’ve been the go-to guy in the Senate when it comes to fighting that stuff,” Horhn told Mississippi Today in April. “I’m not all of a sudden going to change my stripes and hand over the city.”
Horhn, son of a labor organizer and public school cafeteria worker, served the state as a program manager at the Mississippi Arts Commission, State Film Commissioner, federal state programs director for the Governor’s Office and State Tourism Director before becoming a state senator in 1993. Among the legislative accomplishments he’s touted during this race are securing $85 million for the downtown convention center, $20 million for the Westin Hotel, and $20 million for the JSU Metro Parkway.
Horhn has focused his campaign on the need to restore basic services and functionality back to the city.
“I’ve chaired the Senate Economic Development Committee in the past. I’ve worked on economic development for the past 32 years as a member of the Senate,” Horhn said during a candidate forum in northwest Jackson last week. “But let me tell you something, we’re not going to have economic development if we don’t clean the city up. We’re not going to have economic development if we don’t restore trust in our city government. We’re not going to have economic development if we don’t have a plan. And so those are going to be the things that I’m going to focus on.”
During his victory speech at The Plant venue in west Fondren, Horhn said that his team is working on a comprehensive plan that lays the groundwork for goals his administration hopes to accomplish in the next three, five and even 10 years.
“Talk is cheap,” he said. “It is now time for action.”
Reporters Maya Miller and Molly Minta contributed to this report.
John Horhn stands on stage with family members as supporters cheer during his election night watch party at The Plant Venue, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Jackson, Miss. Horhn won the mayoral race. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodaySupporters and members of the media listen as John Horhn speaks after winning the mayoral election during his watch party at The Plant Venue, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Jackson, Miss. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayJohn Horhn speaks to supporters after winning the mayoral election during his watch party at The Plant Venue, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Jackson, Miss. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayJohn Horhn speaks to supporters after winning the mayoral election during his watch party at The Plant Venue, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Jackson, Miss. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayJohn Horhn speaks to supporters after winning the mayoral election during his watch party at The Plant Venue, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Jackson, Miss. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayJohn Horhn speaks to supporters after winning the mayoral election during his watch party at The Plant Venue, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Jackson, Miss. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayJohn Horhn speaks to supporters after winning the mayoral election during his watch party at The Plant Venue, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Jackson, Miss. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayJohn Horhn prays with family members after winning the mayoral election during his watch party at The Plant Venue, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Jackson, Miss. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayJohn Horhn stands on stage with family members as he celebrates his victory in the mayoral election during his watch party at The Plant Venue, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Jackson, Miss. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayMayoral candidate John Horhn is greeted by supporters as he arrives at his election night watch party at The Plant Venue, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Jackson, Miss. Horhn won the race for mayor. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayMayoral candidate John Horhn is greeted by supporters as he arrives at his election night watch party at The Plant Venue, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Jackson, Miss. Horhn won the race for mayor. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayMayoral candidate John Horhn is greeted by supporters as he arrives at his election night watch party at The Plant Venue, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Jackson, Miss. Horhn won the race for mayor. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodayMayoral candidate John Horhn is greeted by supporters as he arrives at his election night watch party at The Plant Venue, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Jackson, Miss. Horhn won the race for mayor. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi TodaySupporters of mayoral candidate John Horhn wait for election results during his watch party at The Plant Venue, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Jackson, Miss. Horhn won the race for mayor. Credit: Eric Shelton/Mississippi Today Read More Details
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