Kayla Sims
Staff Writer
It was a historical race for both candidates vying to serve as Mississippi’s next Attorney General.
Democratic candidate Jennifer Riley Collins and Republican candidate Lynn Fitch battled head-to-head in the race to fill the seat as the first woman elect.
Fitch who previously served as state treasurer won the primary election with 58 percent of the votes. Collins received 42 percent of the votes. Democrat Jim Hood held the seat as attorney general for 16 years.
In Collins’ speech, she credited her supporters for their consistent encouragement throughout a campaign that was a trying experience.
“I am thankful for each of you that has prayed for me first and foremost. This has been a journey, but I know that God has watched over me and kept me because you have kept me before him… this work in Mississippi is not easy because I don’t get to openly share my frustrations with some of the issues I had to deal with out in public,” Riley Collins stated.
Growing up, Riley-Collins noticed a discrepancy in the lives of Mississippians, which prompted her to make a change. In order to make a difference, she made the decision to run for attorney general to be the voice of the voiceless.
Alexis Henderson, a senior political science major from Jackson Miss., is passionate about the importance of voting.
“Everybody should vote because these are the elections that affect us directly, especially with us being college students in Mississippi. We need people in office that understand us and where we come from and our struggle,” Henderson stated.
Riley-Collins served in the military for 32 years before retiring. Her goals for Mississippi included serving and protecting, fighting for justice, safeguarding civil rights, and combating the opioid addiction crisis to name a few.
LaDeja Strong is a first-year law school student from Clarksdale, Miss., she talked about the impact Collins had on her life.
“Jennifer Riley-Collins inspires me so much. She defied all of the odds, being a black single mother who is running for Attorney General, who would’ve thought? Collins is really our ancestor’s wildest dreams,” Strong said excitedly.
Riley-Collins has relied heavily on her faith throughout this election. She stated that she feels as if she has no support from Democrat Jim Hood.
In an interview with Newsweek, Riley Collins said she is quickly discovering how difficult running in an election can be when you are not a ‘career politician’.
Even though Riley-Collins did not win the election, she still remains hopeful and optimistic about the future. She also has touched many lives while running the race.
“She came from a historical black college and she is part of the divine nine. She has already made history just by running for attorney general. She’s living out my goals and who knows? She might inspire the next black girl like me to be great,” said Strong.
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