Mike Chaney, the incumbent Republican insurance commissioner, speaks during Mississippi Economic Council's 2023 Hobnob at the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson, Miss., Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023. Credit: Eric J. Shelton/Mississippi Today

Republican Mike Chaney, seeking his fifth term as Mississippi insurance commissioner, is being challenged by Democrat Bruce Burton in Tuesday’s general election.

Burton, who has run unsuccessfully for both the Mississippi Court of Appeals and the Central District Public Service Commissioner, is a Jackson attorney. He was born in Shaw.

Burton was unopposed in the Democratic primary earlier this year. Chaney defeated Mitch Young in the August Republican primary, winning 80% of the vote.

Chaney previously served 15 years in the Legislature, first in the state House and later in the Senate.

“He is charged with providing Mississippians with the maximum amount of consumer protection possible,” Chaney’s campaign website says. “The aim is to create the highest degree of economic security, quality of life and public safety for citizens at the lowest possible cost.”

In earlier campaigns, Burton was described as someone who “believes in hard work and in helping others, and in truth, honesty, and integrity. Bruce is very down to earth, and he is authentically himself. With Bruce there is no pretentiousness. What you see is what you get. Bruce’s genuineness is easily observed from the moment you meet him. He never meets a stranger.”

Chaney, like most Republicans running for statewide office this year in Mississippi, is viewed as a heavy favorite.

According to the latest campaign finance report filed with the Secretary of State’s office, Chaney has $247,025 cash on hand. His campaign has spent $244,515 this year.

Burton has not raised nor spent any funds and has no cash on hand, according to his filings with the Mississippi Secretary of State.

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Bobby Harrison, Mississippi Today Ideas editor, previously served as Mississippi Today's senior capitol reporter covering politics, government and the Mississippi State Legislature. He writes a weekly column.

A native of Laurel, Bobby joined our team June 2018 after working for the North Mississippi Daily Journal in Tupelo since 1984. He also worked for his hometown Laurel Leader-Call.

Bobby has a bachelor’s in American Studies from the University of Southern Mississippi and has received multiple awards from the Mississippi Press Association, including the Bill Minor Best Investigative/In-depth Reporting and Best Commentary Column. He was recognized for two consecutive years as “Advocate of the Year” for the North Mississippi Special Needs Arc.

He is president of the Mississippi Capitol Press Corps Association and works with the Mississippi State University Stennis Institute to arrange luncheons for newsmakers.