Six-term GOP congressman loses Mississippi primary following House ethics report

Rep. Palazzo will not run for a seventh term after coming under scrutiny for abusing his power

Jackson County Sheriff Mike Ezell beat six-term Republican Rep. Steven Palazzo in the Mississippi Republican primary runoff on Tuesday.

Palazzo was considered a vulnerable member after a House ethics report last year accused him of improperly spending his member's allowance on campaign funds, performing special favors for his brother, and inappropriately using campaign funds.

Ezell won 54% to Palazzo's 46%, The Associated Press estimated with nearly 90% of ballots counted. Palazzo won the initial primary with 31% of the vote and Ezell coming in second.

The sheriff will face off against Democrat Shuwaski Young this November.

In Mississippi's 3rd District, Rep. Michael Guest won more than two-thirds of the GOP runoff vote, securing the nomination against challenger Michael Cassidy.

Guest was less than 1% behind Cassidy in the primary two weeks ago.

The congressman came under fire for his support of an independent commission to investigate the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

During the campaign, Guest called Cassidy a "carpetbagger" for moving to Mississippi from the East Coast and registering to vote in the state last year.