Republicans in Mississippi’s 2nd Congressional District will determine a nominee that will go head to head against a longtime Democratic incumbent in Tuesday’s runoff election.

Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) has served 16 terms in the House, representing a majority black district since 1993. Vying to unseat Thompson are Republicans Ron Eller and Andrew Scott Smith, who received the most and second-most votes in the March 12 Republican primary but did not meet the threshold to secure a definitive win.

In March, Eller garnered 46.5% of the votes cast, while Smith secured 35.9%. In order to win, a candidate must have 50% of the vote plus one, according to the Clarion Ledger.

Meanwhile, Thompson ran unopposed in the Democratic district’s primary.

Eller, a retired Army officer who lost the Republican nomination for the 2nd District in 2022, told the local outlet that his campaign is focused on matters surrounding education, jobs, and immigration.

“I feel good going into the runoff,” Eller said. “I won by 10.6%, and if we have a good fair turnout, we will be victorious tomorrow once again.”

Smith, his rival, works in commercial real estate and is a pumpkin farmer focused on agriculture, healthcare, and strengthening border policies according to his campaign website.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Smith took a jab at Eller when he spotlighted the veteran’s voting history, which showed he voted for Democratic candidates in 2016 and 2020. Eller has attempted to quash those concerns, telling the outlet he only voted for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) in 2016, because he thought GOP nominee Donald Trump would have an easier time defeating him than former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton.

In the 2020 election, 63% of voters in the 2nd District supported President Joe Biden, while 36% voted for Trump, per the Associated Press.