Cheikh Taylor fends off challenger, maintains MS Democratic Party chairmanship

Mississippi Democratic Party Interim Chairman Cheikh Taylor won by a landslide against Columbus attorney Wilbur Colom Saturday during the party's election, earning the position for four years.

Through his victory, the party avoided having three separate leaders within 11 months.

"I don't know what your definition of continuity is, but it’s hard to keep the train moving when you keep changing the conductor," Taylor said.

Taylor and Colom had been running against each other since early May when Colom contacted several executive committee members to announce his bid for the role.

Taylor, who had announced his interest in maintaining his position as party chair since 2023, told those in attendance Saturday he plans to move the party forward by garnering support from the LGBTQ community and minority groups in Mississippi.

"No matter who is chairman, let's be unified in the direction we are going because we need a good infrastructure and money to make it work," Taylor said.

Colom said he wanted to focus his energies on fund raising, increasing community outreach and working to identify viable candidates for upcoming elections.

"I would not say anything against Cheikh Taylor under any circumstances, but what we need now is someone who knows how to raise money," Colom said before the vote. "This is a critical time for the party. You have to decide what kind of leader you want."

Taylor, who has been the interim party chair since July 2023, when the party ousted former chair Tyree Irving, won with 51 votes, while Colom received only 14.

Read more about Colom's bid Could MS Democratic Party have third leader in 11 months? Columbus attorney now in race

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Before the voting started at the Mississippi State Capitol, U.S. Senate candidate Ty Pinkins spoke to the executive committee to support Taylor, and to call out Colom for not supporting his bid for Senate. Although, he said both candidates were great public servants.

"I said I'm running for the state for the United States Senate and unfortunately the response that I got was ‘you are a loser, you will lose and you will forever be seen as a loser. Therefore I am not supporting you nor your campaign’," Pinkins recalled of his conversation with Colom.

"When picking a candidate, what better way to measure how someone will be for the Democratic Party than how someone supports or does not support the Democratic nominee," Pinkins later said to the Clarion Ledger.

Colom in his address to the committee denied those claims and called out Pinkins for his remarks and creating division.

Once elected, Taylor thanked Colom for his many years of service to the party through various fundraising capacities on various state and federal campaigns. He plans to utilize Colom's fundraising skills in the near future.

"Mr. Wilbur Colom has been a long standing mentor of mine," Taylor said. "I appreciate his abilities and kindness along the way and i will never lose a step of admiration for this man."

Grant McLaughlin covers state government for the Clarion Ledger. He can be reached at gmclaughlin@gannett.com or 972-571-2335.

Chaya Tong is an Emory University senior and Clarion Ledger summer intern. She can be reached at ctong@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: MS Democratic Party elects Cheikh Taylor as party chair for next 4 years