Candidate: Priscilla Williams Till Party: Democrat Announcement: October 2, 2026 Background: Civil rights advocate, educator and founder of the Emmett Till Justice for Families Foundation. Previous campaign: She ran for the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination in 2026 but lost the primary to Scott Colom. Her stated priorities include: Civil rights protections. Medicaid and healthcare access. Education and workers' rights. Clean water access. Criminal justice reform. Police accountability and independent oversight. Who is she running against? The 2027 governor's race has several declared candidates, including Republicans Lynn Fitch, Andy Gipson, Philip Gunn and Shad White, as well as Democrat Ivana Willia Her connection goes beyond genealogy There are a few important details: Mamie Till-Mobley was her great-aunt by family connection. Priscilla attended Mamie's funeral in Chicago in January 2003. She has described being personally affected by Mamie's legacy and the family's continued fight for justice. The night after Mamie's funeral, Priscilla reportedly slept in her aunt's bed. She became involved in civil rights advocacy and founded the Emmett Till Justice for Families Foundation. She has advocated for accountability in racial violence cases and the release of Mississippi's unreleased Emmett Till case records. One particularly significant part of her story: At Mamie's funeral in 2003, Priscilla was contacted about the death of 23-year-old Nick Naylor, who had been found hanging from a tree in Kemper County, Mississippi. She says that incident prompted her to return to Mississippi and help the family seek answers. She has connected that experience to what she sees as an ongoing responsibility to fight racial injustice. So her connection to Emmett is both genealogical and part of a family legacy of civil rights advocacy. The family relationship is documented through her account of their shared ancestry, while her political and advocacy work is her own. - @jataviermrobinson