Mississippi's 1st congressional district is in the northeast corner of the state. It includes much of the northern portion of the state including Columbus, Hernando, Horn Lake, Olive Branch, Oxford, Southaven, Tupelo, and West Point. The University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) is in the district.
The district includes Alcorn, Benton, Calhoun, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Clay, DeSoto, Itawamba, Lafayette, Lee, Lowndes, Marshall, Monroe, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Tate, Tippah, Tishomingo, Union, Webster, and a portion of Oktibbeha County.
From statehood to the election of 1846, Mississippi elected representatives at-large statewide on a general ticket.
The congressional seat has been held by Republican Trent Kelly who won a June, 2015 special election to fill the vacant seat previously held by Republican Alan Nunnelee who died February 6, 2015. In the November 2010 election, Nunnelee had defeated Democratic incumbent Travis Childers, Constitutionalist Gail Giaramita, Independent Conservative Party candidate Wally Pang of Batesville, Libertarian Harold Taylor, and Reformist Barbara Dale Washer.
The 1st district includes the entirety of the following counties with the exception of Oktibbeha, which it shares with the 3rd district. Oktibbeha County communities within the 1st district include Sturgis and Maben (which is partially located in Webster County).