Limited Voter Choice in Mississippi Legislature Elections

More than four-fifths of Mississippi's legislative candidates will have no major-party opposition in the upcoming general election, highlighting a national decline in competition for state legislative seats. Factors such as political gerrymandering, overwhelming party majorities, low lawmaker salaries, and the unpopularity of the incumbent president contribute to the lack of challengers. This raises concerns about the ability of American voters to hold their elected representatives accountable. In contrast, Virginia has seen a decline in the percentage of candidates facing no major-party opposition, with both parties investing heavily in legislative races.