State Sen. Jenifer Branning has won a seat on the Mississippi Supreme Court, defeating Justice Jim Kitchens in a runoff election. The Associated Press declared Branning the winner after official results were reported from counties.
Branning, a self-proclaimed “constitutional conservative,” was endorsed by the state Republican Party and won support from Republican areas of the state. Kitchens, who is seeking a third term, received backing from the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Action Fund, which focuses on racial justice.
Kitchens faced criticism for siding with a man on death row in a high-profile murder case where a key witness recanted his testimony. In 2018, he also dissented in two death row cases involving the use of midazolam in state executions.
Source: https://www.mississippifreepress.org/state-sen-jenifer-branning-wins-mississippi-supreme-court-seat-defeats-incumbent-kitchens