Jackson Free Press

Supporters did not seem too surprised tonight when Attorney General Jim Hood won this third term in office over his opponent Steve Simpson.

The attorney general's race has been one of the most contentious races this election season. Simpson repeatedly challenged Hood to public debates and attacked him for not filing a multi-state law suit against the federal healthcare act. And while Hood did not publicly spar with his opponent, he did send mail outs and aired commercials questioning Simpson's character.

The AP called the race fairly early on with Hood winning by a 40 to 60 percent margin.

Tonight, Hood thanked his supporters and campaign staff. Appearing on stage with his wife and two children, he also vowed to continue fighting cyber crimes and consumer fraud. He also seemed more at ease than past interviews--throwing a few colorful jokes at the audience. He paused after acknowledging his brother Tom Hood who is also the executive director of the Mississippi Ethics Commission.

"I thought that with being on the ethics commission, he wasn't suppose to be here tonight," Hood joked.

On a more serious note, however, Hood talked about the importance of his work and desire to keep families and children safe.

"I will continue to fight for those who can't fight for themselves," he said.