Staff Reports
Mississippi celebrated another victory for the Republican party as Gov. Tate Reeves secured a second term, defeating his Democratic opponent, Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley. Reeves took home 52% of the votes, while Presley trailed behind with 46.6%, according to the latest counts. With 86% of the votes tallied, this victory is looking pretty set in stone. It’s safe to say that Mississippi residents have spoken loud and clear!
Mississippi's GOP Gov. Tate Reeves Wins Second Termhttps://t.co/7AvughYAP6
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) November 8, 2023
Reeves campaigned heavily on his administration’s conservative accomplishments in the areas of education and the economy. His conservative victories have resonated with the state’s Republican base, who came out in droves to support their incumbent governor. Presley, on the other hand, took a different approach, aiming to link Reeves to a welfare scandal that happened during his time as lieutenant governor. But, alas, it seems Presley’s attempts fell flat.
This welfare scandal, as it turns out, involved some prominent individuals who managed to redirect a whopping $77 million in federal funding meant for Mississippi’s poorest residents. Mississipi Today reported that much of this money ended up in the hands of politically connected wealthy individuals. Presley attempted to pin the blame on Reeves during his campaign ads, but Reeves fired back with his own counter-punch. Unfortunately for Presley, it seems that Mississippians were not swayed by his attempts to tarnish the governor’s reputation.
Reeves’s victory in the Republican primary back in August symbolized his dominance over two lesser-known challengers. And now, with the backing of former President Donald Trump himself, Reeves’s re-election was virtually guaranteed. It’s hard to ignore the fact that Trump won Mississippi by large margins in both the 2016 and 2020 elections.
Presley, a cousin to the legendary Elvis Presley, did manage to outraise Reeves in campaign funds leading up to the election. He brought in an impressive $12.1 million compared to the governor’s $6.5 million, according to WLBT3. It seems that Presley’s strategy was to secure support from the crucial black voting bloc in Mississippi. However, even with his financial advantage and the hope of wooing black voters, Presley appeared to have an uphill battle from the start.
All in all, the majority of polling leading up to the election indicated that Presley would fall short of victory by anywhere from 1 point to a staggering 17 points, according to FiveThirtyEight. And judging by the current vote count, it seems those predictions were spot on. Mississippians have made it clear that they want four more years of Republican leadership under Gov. Tate Reeves. Congratulations, Gov. Reeves, on your re-election!
