Ron Eller

Eller says in his Ballotpedia survey that he grew up in a working-class, single-parent household in West Virginia. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Oklahoma at Oklahoma City in 1991 and a master's degree from the University of Nebraska in 1998.[1][2] He served in the U.S. Army from 1979 to 1999 and describes himself as a retired captain who began as an Army combat medic and later served as a squad leader, platoon sergeant, and medical officer. The Mississippi Free Press reports that he moved to Mississippi after retiring from 20 years in the military.[1][2][3]

Eller works as a cardiothoracic physician assistant and perfusionist with St. Dominic Hospital and is CEO of Buck Warrior Enterprises, LLC; he says he helped establish the cardiac surgery program in Vicksburg. He served as director at large of the Mississippi Academy of Physician Assistants and says he chairs the Mississippi chapter of U.S. Term Limits.[1][2]

Eller ran for the Republican nomination in the 2nd District in 2022, losing to Brian Flowers, and was the Republican nominee in 2024, when he lost to Rep. Bennie Thompson 62% to 38%.[3] In 2026 he defeated Kevin Wilson in the March 10 Republican primary, 51.1% to 48.9%.[1] In his Ballotpedia survey he described his priorities as free enterprise, limited government, border security, and term limits.[1][2][3] Eller received 30.0% of the vote to Bennie Thompson's 67.6%, according to unofficial results reported by NBC News.[4]