U.S. House, Mississippi 2nd Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in Mississippi's 2nd Congressional District?
Bennie Thompson has the strongest record in Mississippi's 2nd Congressional District. Bennie Thompson scores 59 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Ron Eller at 53, as of October 6, 2026. Bennie Thompson's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Ron Eller's highest marks are communication. Bennie Foster (7 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Republican
Ron Eller
53 / 100
Public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 55
- Performance
- NR
Independent
Bennie Foster
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 7 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 55
- Performance
- NR
Democratic · incumbent
Strongest record
Bennie Thompson
On the ballot as Bennie G. Thompson
59 / 100
Public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 80
- Performance
- 44
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
Ron Eller
- Credit1979 to 1999
Served 20 years in the U.S. Army and later worked more than two decades as a cardiothoracic physician assistant in Mississippi.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Ron Eller, Mississippi Today, Sept. 17, 2026
Bennie Foster
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Bennie Thompson
- Mark against2016-09-15
The FEC closed administrative fine case AF 3053 against Friends of Bennie Thompson with a $3,300 fine over its 2016 pre-primary report.
Source: FEC administrative fines search, committee C00279851
- On the record2026-09
Publicly faulted Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and the DSCC for not investing in Scott Colom's Senate campaign.
- On the record2025-12
At a December 2025 hearing called the shooting of two National Guard members in Washington an unfortunate accident; the next day he said he had misspoken.
Source: Magnolia Tribune, Dec. 12, 2025
- On the record2021 to 2022
Chaired the House select committee that investigated the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.
- On the record2021-01-06 to 2021-01-07
Voted Nay on the objections to Arizona's and Pennsylvania's certified electors.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, Jan. 7, 2021
- Credit2022
Was a leading advocate for a $600 million federal aid package for Jackson's water system.
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Ron Eller. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, coverage dates, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00781468
Bennie Foster. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC for April to June 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, coverage dates, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00902874
Bennie Thompson. Annual financial disclosure for 2025 filed with the House Clerk on May 15, 2026; the Clerk index lists no periodic transaction reports for him from 2019 to 2026. No House Ethics Committee matter found.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10075892, House Committee on Ethics site search
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Ron Eller. No public record found.
Bennie Foster. No public record found.
Bennie Thompson. In September 2026 publicly faulted Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and the party's Senate campaign committee for not investing in Colom's Senate race.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Ron Eller. No public record found.
Bennie Foster. No public record found.
Bennie Thompson. Took part in an Aug. 1, 2026 public voting-rights town hall in Jackson; his office site says he has held and joined town halls across the district.
Sources: Mississippi Today, Aug. 3, 2026, Office site, Town Hall Information
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Ron Eller. Served in the U.S. Army from 1979 to 1999 and has worked for more than two decades as a cardiothoracic physician assistant. No formal conduct finding found.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Ron Eller, Mississippi Today, Sept. 17, 2026
Bennie Foster. Has worked as an educator and business owner. No formal conduct finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Bennie Foster
Bennie Thompson. Mayor of Bolton from 1973 to 1979, Hinds County supervisor from 1980 to 1993 and in Congress since 1993. No censure, reprimand or House Ethics Committee matter found.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Bennie Thompson, House Committee on Ethics site search
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Ron Eller. U.S. Army service from 1979 to 1999. No official finding of misuse found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Ron Eller
Bennie Foster. No public record found.
Bennie Thompson. Voted Nay on the Jan. 6, 2021 objection to Arizona's electors and the Jan. 7, 2021 objection to Pennsylvania's electors. No official finding of misuse of office found.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, Jan. 6, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, Jan. 7, 2021
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Ron Eller. Twenty years of Army service, a career as a cardiothoracic physician assistant and perfusionist, and ownership of a small manufacturing business. Has not held public office.
Source: Ballotpedia, Ron Eller
Bennie Foster. Career as an educator and business owner; says he built youth, violence intervention and business programs. Has not held public office.
Source: Ballotpedia, Bennie Foster
Bennie Thompson. In the U.S. House since April 1993, the longest-serving member of the state delegation, after local elected office as mayor and county supervisor.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Bennie Thompson, Mississippi Today, Sept. 17, 2026
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Ron Eller. Publishes positions in general terms: economic growth, lower taxes, border security, support for law enforcement and congressional term limits.
Bennie Foster. Proposes in general terms shifting federal spending from overseas conflicts to the Jackson water system, rural health and Delta infrastructure, and AI job training.
Bennie Thompson. Ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, which he previously chaired; chaired the House select committee on the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.
Sources: GovTrack, committee membership, Mississippi Today, Sept. 17, 2026
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Ron Eller. Completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022, 2024 and 2026 and gave statements to Mississippi Today on his platform.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Ron Eller, Mississippi Today, Sept. 17, 2026
Bennie Foster. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey, publishes platform and policy pages on his campaign site and gave statements to Mississippi Today.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Bennie Foster, Campaign site, Mississippi Today, Sept. 17, 2026
Bennie Thompson. Offers an email newsletter, holds town halls and publishes issue pages on his office site. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Office site, home page, Office site, Town Hall Information, Ballotpedia, Bennie Thompson
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Ron Eller. Has worked in Mississippi for more than two decades, per his own survey; raised in West Virginia. Residence inside the district not confirmed. About 40 percent of itemized individual contributions by state for 2025 to 2026 came from Mississippi (FEC by-state totals, $14,500 of $36,200).
Sources: Ballotpedia, Ron Eller, 2026 survey, FEC contribution totals by state
Bennie Foster. Raised in Jackson; says he returned to Jackson about five years ago after living in Florida.
Bennie Thompson. Born in 1948 in Bolton, in the district, where he was mayor; his campaign committee lists a Bolton post office box. About 15 percent of itemized individual contributions by state for 2025 to 2026 came from Mississippi (FEC by-state totals, $30,351 of $196,549).
Sources: Ballotpedia, Bennie Thompson, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00279851, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Ron Eller. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, with $2,500 in debts and no administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00781468
Bennie Foster. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, with no debts and no administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00902874
Bennie Thompson. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, with no debts. One FEC administrative fine ($3,300, closed Sept. 15, 2016) is more than ten years old and not scored under E1.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00279851
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Ron Eller. No public record found.
Bennie Foster. No public record found.
Bennie Thompson. Legislative Effectiveness Score of 0.218 in the 118th Congress against a benchmark of 0.585, below expectations. Raised to 2 under E14: his DHS MORALE Act was enacted in the FY2022 defense authorization, signed Dec. 27, 2021.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress (Thompson MS row, 118th), GovTrack, H.R. 490 (117th Congress), GovTrack, enacted legislation
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Ron Eller. No public record found.
Bennie Foster. No public record found.
Bennie Thompson. Missed 807 of 20,903 roll call votes, 3.9 percent, from April 1993 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Ron Eller. No public record found.
Bennie Foster. No public record found.
Bennie Thompson. Lists district offices in Bolton, Greenville, Jackson, Marks, Mound Bayou and Natchez. No published casework totals found.
Source: Office site, office directory
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Ron Eller. No public record found.
Bennie Foster. No public record found.
Bennie Thompson. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of -1.51423 in the latest posted House scores (118th Congress, 2023), ranked 404 of 436, in the bottom quarter.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Ron Eller. No public record found.
Bennie Foster. No public record found.
Bennie Thompson. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 6, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in Mississippi's 2nd Congressional District?
Bennie Thompson has the strongest record in Mississippi's 2nd Congressional District. Bennie Thompson scores 59 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Ron Eller at 53, as of October 6, 2026. Bennie Thompson's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Ron Eller's highest marks are communication. Bennie Foster (7 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in Mississippi's 2nd Congressional District in 2026?
Ron Eller (Republican), Bennie Foster (Independent), Bennie Thompson (Democratic, incumbent). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Ron Eller a good candidate for Congress?
Ron Eller scores 53 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 8 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 55 of 100, performance no record. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Bennie Foster a good candidate for Congress?
Bennie Foster has public evidence on 7 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
Is Bennie Thompson a good candidate for Congress?
Bennie Thompson scores 59 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 14 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 80 of 100, performance 44 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every Mississippi race scored, and the Mississippi 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.