GULFPORT, Miss. (WLOX) - Republican Hugh Keating, longtime Mississippi lawyer and community leader, has been elected as the next mayor of Gulfport.

Keating ran against Democrat Sonya Williams Barnes, a former Mississippi State Representative, in the high-profile race. Keating received 6,902 votes (53.2%), while Barnes received 6,073 (46.8%). These numbers include absentee ballots.

Election officials reported that 491 affidavit ballots were received. There were also 109 mail-in ballots requested. Even if Barnes recieved all the affidavit and absentee ballots, it would still not be enough to win.

Keating held a campaign party at Centennial Plaza Tuesday night. Around 11 p.m., no official results were in, but his campaign felt confident about the position he was in. Results were reported t

See Full Page