Mississippi — 2nd District

Bennie Thompson

Opposes restrictive Republican immigration enforcement measures

Thompson opposes hardline Republican border and immigration enforcement legislation while highlighting his leadership as top Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee. In the 119th Congress, he voted against bills that mandate detention for noncitizens arrested for certain offenses or require proof of citizenship to register to vote.

• Voted Nay on the Laken Riley Act (S. 5) requiring DHS detention of noncitizens arrested for burglary, theft, or shoplifting
• Voted Nay on the Protect Our Communities from DUIs Act (H.R. 875)
• Voted Nay on the SAVE Act (H.R. 22) requiring proof of citizenship to register for federal elections

Ron Eller

Supports strict border controls and wall construction

Eller advocates for immediately finishing the border wall and denying federal aid to any sanctuary state or city. He also proposes ending birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants and permanently barring illegal immigrants from voting in federal elections.

• Build the national border wall immediately
• Ineligibility of sanctuary cities and states for federal funding and aid
• Prohibit illegal immigrants from voting in federal elections even if later granted citizenship
• End birthright citizenship for children born to undocumented parents in the U.S.

“Our National Borders must be secured! Build the wall now.”

“Any state, and/or local government that declares itself a sanctuary should be ineligible to receive any federal funding and aid.”

Bennie Thompson

Supports federal investment and safety net funding

Thompson focuses on securing federal funding to support local infrastructure, job growth, and safety net programs in the district. He co-sponsored legislation to maintain SNAP and WIC nutrition funding and opposed Republican spending cuts and debt limit restrictions.

• Secured over $4 million in federal funding in 2025 for district infrastructure, healthcare, and education
• Co-sponsored the Keep SNAP and WIC Funded Act of 2025
• Voted Nay on the 2025 Reconciliation Act (H.R. 1) and the Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023 (H.R. 2811)

“I was proud to co-sponsor the Keep SNAP and WIC Funded Act of 2025 and the Rural Health Clinic Location Modernization Act of 2025 to help families get the healthcare they need and to keep food on the table.”

“The American Recovery and Reinvestment act (“Recovery Act”) is creating jobs and strengthening the economy.”

Ron Eller

Supports free enterprise and tax cuts

Eller promotes free market principles, limited government, and fair taxation to drive economic growth. He strongly opposes the inheritance tax, describing it as generational theft on assets that have already been taxed.

• Eliminate the inheritance tax on family assets
• Reduce federal government spending, bureaucracy, and red tape
• Promote an 'America First' economic policy to restore domestic manufacturing

“Inheritance tax is nothing more than a generational theft on the assets that have already been taxed and paid for by a family.”

“Economics is and will remain a challenge going forward. We need fair taxation with good representation.”

Bennie Thompson

Supports expanding healthcare access and ACA

Thompson champions the Affordable Care Act to expand health insurance coverage across the 23 medically underserved counties in his district. He also co-sponsored federal legislation to modernize rural health clinic locations.

• Supported the Affordable Care Act of 2010 to extend coverage to uninsured residents and those with pre-existing conditions
• Co-sponsored the Rural Health Clinic Location Modernization Act of 2025

“Mississippi continues to face tremendous challenges as we confront our health care needs. In fact, all twenty-three counties in the Second District are medically under-served and many citizens are unable to afford health coverage.”

Ron Eller

Opposes mandates and supports medical choice

Eller opposes vaccine and treatment mandates, advocating that individuals retain the right to refuse medical procedures based on personal choice or religious beliefs. He also supports the Right to Try Act to give patients access to experimental treatments.

• Protect individual opt-out rights for vaccine mandates based on personal or religious beliefs
• Support the Right to Try Act (S. 204) for experimental medical options

“I believe in free will/choice. That an individual has the right to refuse a vaccine or treatment based on personal choice and/or religious beliefs.”

Bennie Thompson

Supports clean energy investment and emissions reduction

Thompson backs federal investments in clean energy technologies to create jobs, strengthen national security, and curb pollution causing global warming. He voted against Republican legislation aiming to boost fossil fuel production.

• Voted Nay on the Lower Energy Costs Act (H.R. 1)
• Supports federal clean energy funding to reduce global warming pollution

“To create the next generation of clean energy jobs, make our nation more secure and reduce the pollution that causes global warming, Congressman Thompson and Congressional Democrats are committed to investing in our nation’s clean energy future.”

Ron Eller

Supports all energy sources including fossil fuels

Eller supports an 'all-of-the-above' energy strategy that protects traditional fossil fuels alongside renewables. He opposes reducing fossil fuel usage, describing energy as essential to economic growth.

• Develop clean coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear, hydroelectric, hydrogen, wind, and solar energy
• Oppose federal cuts or restrictions on domestic fossil fuel production

“We need all forms of energy. Energy is the lifeblood of the American Economy. We can not and should not cut our use of fossil fuels.”

Bennie Thompson

Supports federal funding for public education

Thompson supports reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and increasing federal aid to public schools, particularly through Title I grants for disadvantaged students. He voted against Republican measures restricting transgender student participation in sports.

• Support reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
• Increase federal Title I funding to help close public school achievement gaps
• Voted Nay on the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act (H.R. 28)

“While Congressman Thompson supports the ideal of high standards for measuring students and teachers, he believes it is imperative that public school districts receive the necessary funding that would provide innovative and educational tools to teachers, parents and students in their efforts to close the achievement gaps and raise achievement for all children.”

Ron Eller

Supports educational reform and religious heritage

Eller emphasizes workforce training in schools and advocates for prison education reform to help inmates become productive citizens. He also highlights the Mississippi Constitution's protection of the Holy Bible in public schools.

• Train youth in vocational trades, entrepreneurship, and leadership skills
• Reform prison education to prepare inmates for re-entry into society
• Support state constitutional protections allowing the Holy Bible in public schools

“In order for our nation to compete and lead from the front, we must raise and train the next generation of leaders, inventors, scientists, and entrepreneurs.”

“Mississippi is unique, the state constitution mandates the Holy Bible is part of the public school system and cannot be removed.”

Bennie Thompson

Supports civil rights enforcement and anti-discrimination

Thompson has a long career as a civil rights advocate, acting as an original plaintiff in the Ayers desegregation suit and supporting Black farmers. Following the 2015 Charleston church shooting, he publicly called on Congress to remove all Confederate flags from the U.S. House.

• Original plaintiff in the Ayers Mississippi higher education desegregation lawsuit
• Supported the Black farmers consent decree litigation
• Advocated for the removal of Confederate flags from the U.S. House of Representatives

“Continuing to display a symbol of hatred, oppression, and insurrection that nearly tore our union apart and that is known to offend many groups throughout the country would irreparably damage the reputation of this august institution and offend the very dignity of the House of Representatives.”

Ron Eller

Supports traditional values and religious liberty

Eller advocates for preserving Judeo-Christian values and traditional principles in American public life. He emphasizes that the U.S. Constitution guarantees freedom of religion rather than freedom from religion in public settings.

• Defend traditional Judeo-Christian foundational values
• Protect freedom of religious expression in schools and public spaces

“There is no such clause as Freedom from religion; it is Freedom of religion. Our nation was founded on Judeo-Christian beliefs and values.”

Bennie Thompson

Opposes restrictive voter registration laws

Thompson opposes Republican measures requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register for federal elections. He voted Nay on the SAVE Act in the 119th Congress.

• Voted Nay on the SAVE Act (H.R. 22) requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections

Ron Eller

Supports mandatory photo voter ID and strict rules

Eller advocates requiring government-issued photo ID for all voters, mandatory paper ballot records, and an end to same-day voter registration. He also opposes extended voting periods, stating voting should occur on Election Day rather than an election season.

• Mandate government-issued photo ID for voting
• Prohibit same-day voter registration
• Require paper ballots for permanent audit records
• Restrict voting strictly to Election Day

“A Government-issued photo ID should be required to vote.”

“It is election day not election season.”

Bennie Thompson

Supports federal farm bills and agricultural policy

Thompson points to his long voting record in support of federal Farm Bills to assist Mississippi's agricultural sector. He emphasizes supporting commodity programs, conservation, trade, and rural development.

• Has never voted against a Farm Bill during his entire tenure in Congress
• Supports Farm Bill provisions covering commodity crops, conservation, trade, and rural development

“On Congressman Thompson‘s voting record, he has never voted against a Farm Bill during his nine terms in Congress.”

Ron Eller

Supports agriculture and infrastructure flood control

Eller identifies agriculture as Mississippi's main economic engine and advocates for completing local flood control infrastructure to prevent crop damage.

• Complete the Yazoo Pump Project to prevent routine farm flooding and crop losses

“Yazoo Pump Project needs to be completed there are hundreds of family house holds that are flooded out routinely. Additionally, the flooding effects the economy of Mississippi in the form of crop loss. Agriculture is the largest economic driver in Mississippi.”

Bennie Thompson

Supports federal funding and services for veterans

Thompson supports funding the Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure military veterans receive healthcare and quality-of-life benefits. He voted in favor of the FY2024 National Defense Authorization Act.

• Appropriate federal funds for VA operations to improve quality of life and healthcare for veterans
• Voted Yea on the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (H.R. 2670)

“Congressman Thompson is and has been a consistent supporter of our armed fighting forces and veterans, making sure that these 22.6 million heroes get the services they deserve.”

Ron Eller

Supports veterans through military background

Eller emphasizes his 20 years of active duty service as a U.S. Army Captain and combat medic as the foundation for his commitment to military personnel and veterans.

• Leverage 20 years of active military service as an Army Captain to advocate for military families and veterans

“I am a retired Military Officer (Mustang) with over 20 yrs of active federal service.”

Ron Eller

Opposes abortion and taxpayer funding for providers

Eller opposes federal, state, or local funding for abortion providers such as Planned Parenthood. He supports Mississippi's abortion restrictions, which permit the procedure only to save the life of the mother.

• Bar federal, state, and local taxpayer funds from going to Planned Parenthood and abortion providers
• Support Mississippi state law limiting abortion strictly to instances where it saves the life of the mother

“Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive funds from federal, state, or local governments.”

“I believe that the Mississippi Law that was upheld by the US Supreme Court, that abortion is to be done only to save the life of the mother, is a commonsense approach to abortion.”

Ron Eller

Supports Second Amendment and concealed carry reciprocity

Eller strongly defends Second Amendment gun rights as an NRA member. He proposes establishing nationwide concealed carry reciprocity so that concealed carry permits are valid across all jurisdictions.

• Establish national concealed carry license reciprocity across all states and jurisdictions
• Defend Second Amendment rights against new gun control restrictions

“Concealed carry licenses should be valid across all jurisdictions like an individual’s driver’s license.”

Ron Eller

Supports term limits and lobbying restrictions

Eller serves as the Mississippi Chairman for U.S. Term Limits and advocates for constitutional term limits for members of Congress. He also proposes a mandatory two-year ban on former elected officials working as lobbyists.

• Enact term limits for members of the U.S. House and U.S. Senate
• Impose a two-year lobbying prohibition on former members of Congress

“I believe we need Term Limits for the US House and Senate. I am the US Term Limits Chairman for Mississippi.”