Howard Sherman

Howard Sherman, an entrepreneur from California married to actress Sela Ward, of Meridian, faces state house Rep. David Baria in the Democratic primary runoff and hopes to unseat U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker in November. 

Sherman and Ward have been full-time Lauderdale County residents since June of 2016, since the high school graduation of their daughter. 

“We are very engaged in the community,” Sherman said in a previous interview, citing his and Ward’s efforts with the MSU Riley Center, the Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience and Hope Village, “So this whole notion of birther-ism, that I wasn’t born here… we’ve impacted this community.”

Hope Village, an agency established by Sherman and Ward that provides services to neglected and abused children and their families, “is really an extension of our family,” Sherman said.

Sherman also discussed his businesses in the health industry, including tele-medicine and his proposal to make Mississippi a destination for medical tourism, or a place where others will travel for medical procedures for a reduced cost.

“If you lower the price, you’re going to get a lot more of it,” Sherman said. “A lot of what I do is bring technology to help lower costs in healthcare.”

For areas such as the Delta, which may not have the same healthcare infrastructure, Sherman suggested bringing corn manufacturers, such as corn chips, into the area.

“These are not party solutions, these are common sense solutions,” Sherman said. “I don’t doubt all three of us (candidates) would vote for whatever is best for Mississippi but would they be as creative?… No, because that’s where I live.”

Sherman said his experience in the private sector, unlike the other candidates, could be beneficial in the Democratic primary.

In the general election, moderate Republicans “who’ve had it with President Trump” and others could be attracted to Sherman’s candidacy.

“As an entrepreneur, you’re not afraid to have an impact,” Sherman said. “I have a lot of investment in this because I believe the state is ready to move forward.”