U.S. House, Mississippi 4th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in Mississippi's 4th Congressional District?
Mike Ezell has the strongest record in Mississippi's 4th Congressional District. Mike Ezell scores 63 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Jeffrey Hulum III at 58, as of October 6, 2026. Mike Ezell's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Jeffrey Hulum III's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Carl Boyanton (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.
Independent
Carl Boyanton
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 7 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 50
- Performance
- NR
Republican · incumbent
Strongest record
Mike Ezell
63 / 100
Public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 56
- Qualifications
- 80
- Performance
- 50
Democratic
Jeffrey Hulum III
58 / 100
Public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 65
- Performance
- 50
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.
Carl Boyanton
- On the record2026-09 to 2026-10
The Ezell campaign told the FEC Inspector General that Boyanton knowingly filed a false campaign finance complaint; Boyanton says he stands by his complaint.
Where it stands: Filed with the FEC Office of Inspector General in late September 2026; no action reported.
Sources: Mississippi Today, Oct. 1, 2026, Magnolia Tribune, Sept. 30, 2026
Mike Ezell
- On the record2026-06 to 2026-10
Opponent Carl Boyanton filed an FEC complaint in June 2026 alleging the campaign took over-limit Chouest family contributions through a joint fundraising committee; the campaign denies it and asked the FEC to close it.
Where it stands: Complaint pending at the FEC as of Oct. 1, 2026; no FEC action reported.
Sources: Mississippi Today, Sept. 23, 2026, Mississippi Today, Oct. 1, 2026, Magnolia Tribune, Sept. 22, 2026
- Credit2025 to 2026
Chairs the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.
Sources: GovTrack, committee membership, Magnolia Tribune, Sept. 22, 2026
- Credit2024-12-17
His Improving Federal Building Security Act was enacted through its identical Senate bill, S. 3613.
- Credit2014 to 2022
Rose from jailer to chief of detectives in Pascagoula, served as Ocean Springs police chief and was elected Jackson County sheriff in 2014.
Source: Mississippi Today, June 23, 2022
Jeffrey Hulum III
- On the record2022-07
Won a July 2022 special election for House District 119 with 68 percent of the vote and was sworn in Aug. 5, 2022.
Source: Magnolia Tribune, Aug. 5, 2022
- Credit2024-05-14
As principal author passed a bill restoring the right to vote to a Jackson County man; it became law without the governor's signature.
- Creditbefore 2022
Served 22 years in the U.S. Army, retiring as a sergeant major.
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Carl Boyanton. 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 C00937136
Mike Ezell. Annual financial disclosure for 2025 filed with the House Clerk on July 22, 2026 after an extension; the Clerk index lists no periodic transaction reports for him. No House Ethics Committee matter or FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10075579, House Committee on Ethics site search, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00776393
Jeffrey Hulum III. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, and a House candidate financial disclosure was filed Sept. 15, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, coverage dates, House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10082867, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00931386
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Carl Boyanton. No public record found.
Mike Ezell. In 2024 voted against Speaker Johnson, Majority Leader Scalise and Whip Emmer on the March 2024 appropriations package, the Ukraine supplemental and the September 2024 continuing resolution.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 102, 2024, House Clerk Roll Call 151, 2024 (Ukraine supplemental), House Clerk Roll Call 450, 2024
Jeffrey Hulum III. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Carl Boyanton. No public record found.
Mike Ezell. No public record found.
Jeffrey Hulum III. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Carl Boyanton. Founded and runs Farmer Fresh Produce, a produce business. No formal conduct finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Carl Boyanton
Mike Ezell. Career in law enforcement from jailer to chief of detectives in Pascagoula, Ocean Springs police chief, Jackson County sheriff from 2014, and in Congress since 2023. No censure or conduct finding found.
Sources: Mississippi Today, June 23, 2022, House Committee on Ethics site search
Jeffrey Hulum III. Served 22 years in the Army, retiring as a sergeant major, and has been a state representative since 2022. No formal conduct finding found.
Sources: Mississippi Today, Sept. 19, 2026, Ballotpedia, Jeffrey Hulum III
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Carl Boyanton. No public record found.
Mike Ezell. Held sworn law enforcement posts, including Jackson County sheriff, and has served in Congress since January 2023, after the 2021 electoral count. No official finding of misuse of office found.
Sources: Mississippi Today, June 23, 2022, Ballotpedia, Mike Ezell
Jeffrey Hulum III. Sworn in as a state representative on Aug. 5, 2022, after 22 years of Army service. No official finding of misuse of office found.
Sources: Magnolia Tribune, Aug. 5, 2022, Mississippi Today, Sept. 19, 2026
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Carl Boyanton. Business owner who founded Farmer Fresh Produce. Has not held public office.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Carl Boyanton, Magnolia Tribune, Sept. 22, 2026
Mike Ezell. In the U.S. House since January 2023, with one full term completed and seeking a third; earlier eight years as Jackson County sheriff.
Jeffrey Hulum III. State representative for Gulfport's House District 119 since a 2022 special election, after a 22-year Army career ending as a sergeant major.
Sources: Magnolia Tribune, Aug. 5, 2022, Ballotpedia, Jeffrey Hulum III
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Carl Boyanton. Publishes general positions on fighting inflation by reining in federal spending and debt, combating waste and congressional term limits.
Mike Ezell. Chairs the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation and is vice chair of a Natural Resources subcommittee.
Source: GovTrack, committee membership
Jeffrey Hulum III. Vice chairman of the state House Marine Resources Committee and a member of the Ports, Harbors and Airports and Military Affairs committees.
Source: Ballotpedia, Jeffrey Hulum III
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Carl Boyanton. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey and gives statements to news outlets.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Carl Boyanton, Magnolia Tribune, Sept. 22, 2026
Mike Ezell. Offers an e-newsletter through his office site and explained his reelection plans in a Mississippi Today interview. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Office site, home page, Mississippi Today, Sept. 19, 2026, Ballotpedia, Mike Ezell
Jeffrey Hulum III. Explained his candidacy and priorities on Mississippi Today's podcast. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Mississippi Today, Sept. 19, 2026, Ballotpedia, Jeffrey Hulum III
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Carl Boyanton. Lives in Diamondhead, in the district.
Mike Ezell. A Pascagoula native who graduated from Pascagoula High School in 1977 and served as Jackson County sheriff. About 64 percent of itemized individual contributions by state for 2025 to 2026 came from Mississippi (FEC by-state totals, $312,569 of $489,175).
Sources: Mississippi Today, Sept. 19, 2026, Ballotpedia, Mike Ezell, FEC contribution totals by state
Jeffrey Hulum III. Born in Gulfport, which he represents in the state House. About 73 percent of itemized individual contributions by state for 2025 to 2026 came from Mississippi (FEC by-state totals, $14,005 of $19,055).
Sources: Ballotpedia, Jeffrey Hulum III, Mississippi Today, Sept. 19, 2026, FEC contribution totals by state
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Carl Boyanton. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, with $25,000 in debts reported and no administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00937136
Mike Ezell. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, with no debts and no administrative fine found. An opponent's pending FEC complaint is unresolved and not scored.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00776393
Jeffrey Hulum III. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, with $3,500 in debts reported and no administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search, committee C00931386
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Carl Boyanton. No public record found.
Mike Ezell. Legislative Effectiveness Score of 0.550 in the 118th Congress against a benchmark of 1.190, below expectations. Raised to 2 under E14: his Improving Federal Building Security Act was enacted Dec. 17, 2024.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress (Ezell MS row, 118th), GovTrack, H.R. 8530 (118th Congress), GovTrack, enacted legislation
Jeffrey Hulum III. Principal author of two 2024 bills that became law: a suffrage restoration for a Jackson County resident and a Tuskegee Airmen Day designation.
Sources: Mississippi Legislature bill status, HB 4111 (2024), Mississippi Legislature bill status, HB 124 (2024)
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Carl Boyanton. No public record found.
Mike Ezell. Missed 57 of 1,917 roll call votes, 3.0 percent, from January 2023 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Jeffrey Hulum III. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Carl Boyanton. No public record found.
Mike Ezell. Lists district offices in Gulfport, Hattiesburg, Pascagoula and Laurel. No published casework totals found.
Source: Office site, office locations
Jeffrey Hulum III. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Carl Boyanton. No public record found.
Mike Ezell. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of -0.62420 in the latest posted House scores (118th Congress, 2023), ranked 247 of 436.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
Jeffrey Hulum III. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Carl Boyanton. No public record found.
Mike Ezell. No public record found.
Jeffrey Hulum III. 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 4th Congressional District?
Mike Ezell has the strongest record in Mississippi's 4th Congressional District. Mike Ezell scores 63 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Jeffrey Hulum III at 58, as of October 6, 2026. Mike Ezell's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Jeffrey Hulum III's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Carl Boyanton (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 4th Congressional District in 2026?
Carl Boyanton (Independent), Mike Ezell (Republican, incumbent), Jeffrey Hulum III (Democratic). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Carl Boyanton a good candidate for Congress?
Carl Boyanton 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 Mike Ezell a good candidate for Congress?
Mike Ezell scores 63 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria: character 56 of 100, qualifications 80 of 100, performance 50 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Jeffrey Hulum III a good candidate for Congress?
Jeffrey Hulum III scores 58 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 65 of 100, performance 50 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.