Some may consider Howard Sherman an interloper into Mississippi politics and even a novice and question why he would want to become a U.S. Senator, but the reason why is much deeper. It is personal for Sherman, one of several running in a crowded field for the Democratic nominee to unseat incumbent Republican Sen. Roger Wicker.

Sherman, 63, will face David Baria, Jensen Bohren, Jerone Garland, Victor Maurice and Omeria Scott in the June 5 Democratic primary.

The husband of Mississippi native and actress Sela Ward, the couple has a home near Meridian where she was raised. They previously lived in Los Angeles, along with their two adult children, before making Mississippi their permanent home in 2016.

It was while visiting Mississippi in 1998 that the couple became heavily involved in the advocacy of children.

Visits to a Meridian emergency shelter for children who were separated from their siblings and taken into the custody of the state led the couple to create Hope Village for Children in 2000.

“We’ve taken care of over 3,000 kids,” Sherman said. “They’re supported with mental health, physical health and school.” The children are then matched with a family instead of placed into the foster-care system.

Changes within the Mississippi Department of Human Services, in particular the lack of matching federal funds after the department created its own child protective services agency, prevented Hope Village from receiving more vulnerable children to assist, which led to trips to the state capitol.

“No one thought to ask the question ‘does this jeopardize our DHS matching funds in Washington,’” Sherman said. “It did. You’re not a DHS agency; you’re another agency.”

It meant tens of millions of dollars were now gone and the federal government can now come in and take care of those vulnerable children.

“Can you imagine? They do such a great job with everything else,” Sherman said. “I was so distraught.”

He decided to fill out his political paperwork to run for the Senate seat, but waited to send it and the $1,000 filing fee.

“Because it’s a big decision,” Sherman said. “You have to think twice before you do that.”

In February, Wicker voted for the Families First Prevention Services Act, which Sherman says strips more money from DHS and raises the conditions that homes like Hope Village for Children must fulfill, such as a nurse on staff.

“There’s not a single home, including Hope Village, that satisfies those conditions,” Sherman said. 

Officials from Hope Village went to the office of Sen. Wicker in Washington D.C. seeking help. However, Sherman’s group couldn’t get an audience with Wicker, and as a result, he decided he wanted to be part of the change he says that is needed in D.C.

“I really believe that the purpose of learning is to put it to the greatest use,” Sherman said. “First with your kids, that’s your legacy. I’m just too young and exploding with ideas to just go out to pasture. So I sent the paperwork in.”

The former registered Republican and native Californian has been crisscrossing the state to get his message across to voters and attended a function in Vicksburg Wednesday.

He describes himself as a businessman who works to solve problems, while at the same time helping those who need it the most. He points out his work in creating the Mississippi Math program, which offers free support for students of all ages; working with hospitals and the medical industry to create Medical Tourism in Mississippi that would offer affordable healthcare that will lower costs and create jobs in the state medical industry; making connections in the business world to bring farm-to-table food products in the Mississippi Delta.

“This is what business sector people do,” Sherman said. “You just can’t wait for legislation.”

This is not the first time Sherman has considered a foray into politics. As a registered Democrat in 1998, he considered a run for the congressional seat in California that was won by the late Congressman and actor Sonny Bono.

“That tells you how wide open that seat was,” Sherman said.

The desire to seek public office never left him, he said, especially after his children began living their own lives. His daughter is a sophomore at Brown University and his son just graduated college.

“So you start thinking about the things you haven’t done,” Sherman said, and politics was still on his list.

He realizes Mississippi hasn’t elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate in 36 years but believes Mississippians are ready for a new perspective.

“There has been a pivot point,” Sherman said. “Every where we go now, people are starting to get it. I’m running against a mindset, but I do believe we can win.”