Thompson wins Democratic nod in Miss. 2nd District

Bennie Thompson, Mississippi's longest-serving House member, defeated Heather McTeer Tuesday capturing 87 percent of the vote.

JACKSON – (AP) Incumbent U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson has won the Democratic nomination in Mississippi's 2nd Congressional District.

Thompson defeated challenger Heather McTeer, former mayor of Greenville.

With 468 of 537 (87%) of precincts reporting, Thompson captured 87 percent of the vote with 53,395 votes while McNeer received 13 percent or 8,033 votes.

The-64-year-old Thompson said he wanted to keep working to bring jobs and federal money to the district, which includes the Delta and most of the city of Jackson.

McTeer, 36, said he hadn't done enough to alleviate poverty.

Thompson is Mississippi's longest-serving House member.

He was mayor of Bolton and a Hinds County supervisor before first winning election to in Mississippi's only majority-black House district in 1993.

In the general election, Thompson will face three others.

Republican Bill Marcy of Vicksburg was not opposed in the Republican primary.

Also on the ballot are Reform Party member Lajena Williams and independent Cobby Mondale Williams of Canton.