Mississippi Gov. Reeves faces 2 GOP rivals in Tuesday’s primary, while Democrat Presley is unopposed

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Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves is vying for the Republican nomination in the upcoming primary election. He aims to secure a second term and faces two political newcomers, John Witcher and David Hardigree, who have run low-budget campaigns and criticized his handling of certain issues. Reeves seems confident in his chances, highlighting Mississippi’s positive economic indicators, including a low unemployment rate and steady job growth.

On the other side, Democrat Brandon Presley, a four-term member of the Mississippi Public Service Commission, is running unopposed for the Democratic nomination. Presley emphasizes his understanding of the struggles faced by working-class families, having grown up in a financially challenged household. He pledges to eliminate the state’s 7% tax on groceries and advocates for expanding Medicaid coverage to help low-wage workers without private health insurance.

The general election, scheduled for November 7, will see either Presley or the Republican nominee facing independent candidate Gwendolyn Gray, who prioritizes alleviating poverty as a key issue in her campaign.

Reeves opposes Medicaid expansion, considering it as “welfare” and aims to eliminate the state income tax altogether, which he believes will benefit the working population. He highlights that “national liberals” are backing Presley and emphasizes his support for laws limiting the rights of transgender individuals.

The lieutenant governor’s race in Mississippi also features three candidates: first-term Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, state Sen. Chris McDaniel, and educator Tiffany Longino.

Overall, the election in Mississippi is seen as significant, and while Republicans have dominated statewide offices for the past 20 years, the Democratic Governors Association chair, Phil Murphy, believes a strong Democrat could potentially win this time.

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