JACKSON, Miss. — It’s 93 degrees with 99 percent humidity, and it’s the weekend. That means the streets of the state capital are empty as everyone escapes to a lake, their favorite watering hole, the Gulf of Mexico, or the ultimate in heat relief: air-conditioning.

Unless, of course, you are running for office. “Oh, it’s just a little humid,” says Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith laughing; she is running late from her last event, so we talk by phone.