, ▁who ▁still ▁twice ▁lost ▁the ▁elect oral ▁votes ▁of ▁Mississippi . ▁On ▁September ▁ 2 4 , ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁Republican ▁president ial ▁candidate ▁Richard ▁N ixon ▁campaign ed ▁in ▁the ▁state , ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁a ▁president ial ▁candidate ▁had ▁appeared ▁in ▁the ▁state ▁in ▁more ▁than ▁a ▁century . ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁Republican ▁National ▁Convention ▁Mississippi ▁deleg ates ▁would ▁help ▁nomin ate ▁Barry ▁Gold water ▁for ▁President . ▁ ▁Gold water ▁would ▁go ▁on ▁to ▁win ▁ 8 7 ▁percent ▁of ▁the ▁vote ▁in ▁Mississippi ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁president ial ▁election , ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁a ▁Republican ▁would ▁win ▁the ▁state ▁since ▁the ▁Re const ruction ▁Era . ▁ ▁Only ▁once ▁since ▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁has ▁a ▁non - Rep ublic an ▁president ial ▁candidate ▁won ▁the ▁state ▁of ▁Mississippi , ▁Jimmy ▁Carter ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁president ial ▁election . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁Republican ▁Congress man ▁Tr ent ▁L ott ▁would ▁defeat ▁Democratic ▁Congress man ▁Wayne ▁Dow dy ▁to ▁replace ▁ret iring ▁Senator ▁ ▁John ▁St ennis ▁( D - MS ). ▁ ▁G ubern atorial ▁elections ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 3 , ▁Rub el ▁Phill ips ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁Republican ▁nom ine e ▁for ▁governor ▁in ▁ 8 0 ▁years , ▁challeng ing ▁then - L t . ▁G ov . ▁Paul ▁Johnson , ▁Jr . ▁and ▁gar ner ing ▁ 3 8 ▁percent ▁of