Theresa Gillespie Isom

Isom ran as the Democratic candidate for Mississippi State Senate District 2 in a special election held on November 4, 2025.^[2][3] The election was held after a federal court ordered Mississippi to create new, majority-Black legislative districts, ruling that the state's previous maps had diluted Black voting strength.^[2][3] The newly drawn District 2, which Isom sought, covers portions of DeSoto and Tunica counties.^[2][3][1] The seat was previously held by Republican David Parker, who retired following the redistricting.^[3][1]

Isom won the election, defeating Republican candidate Charlie Hoots by a margin of 63 percent to 37 percent.^[2][3] She’s both the first African American senator and the first female senator in DeSoto County's history.^[2] Isom's win, along with another Democratic victory the same night, broke the Republican supermajority in the Mississippi Senate for the first time in six years.^[2][3]

During her 2025 campaign, Isom's platform focused on healthcare and education. She advocated for the expansion of Medicaid in Mississippi and for the protection of rural hospitals.^[3][1] She also prioritized improving public schools, boosting public school funding, and making career and technical education more accessible.^[1] Other priorities included creating more jobs in underserved areas, hosting community job fairs, and helping families obtain affordable healthcare.^[1]

Isom is a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.^[4] She is a Baptist, and she has one child.^[4]