Mississippi is tough political territory for Democrats. But the party sees an unusual opportunity this year to unseat the Republican governor, Tate Reeves. Democratic nominee Brandon Presley is a second cousin of Elvis Presley and was born a few days before the rock ’n’ roll legend died. Brandon Presley frequently talks about government corruption, focusing on a welfare scandal that developed while Reeves was lieutenant governor. Presley, who's an elected member of the Mississippi Public Service Commission, is also pushing for Medicaid expansion to help financially strapped hospitals and is telling voters about his hardscrabble childhood. Reeves is portraying Presley as part of a national Democratic operation far removed from the realities of life in Mississippi.

Mississippi might have an opportunity to have a Democrat as governor.

  •  sintamo   ( @Sintamo@beehaw.org ) English
    4•1 year ago

    That’s despite voters twice heavily backing Donald Trump for president, the GOP holding all statewide offices and a supermajority in the Legislature and a Democrat not winning a Mississippi governor’s race so far this century.

    I’ve always wanted to understand how incumbent politicians still have an edge in states that rank so poor in quality of life. States like Mississippi or Alabama are the butt of so many jokes that it’s easy to dismiss them and almost feel like they aren’t real, and full of real people who deserve better.

    Reeves, who faces two underfunded opponents in the Aug. 8 primary, has the advantage of incumbency: 31 governors of U.S. states or territories sought reelection last year, and only one lost. Reeves had about $9.4 million in his campaign fund at the end of May, far more than the $1.7 million Presley reported.

    No idea the odds, but it can’t hurt to donate.

    •  alyaza [they/she]   ( @alyaza@beehaw.org ) English
      2•1 year ago

      I’ve always wanted to understand how incumbent politicians still have an edge in states that rank so poor in quality of life. States like Mississippi or Alabama are the butt of so many jokes that it’s easy to dismiss them and almost feel like they aren’t real, and full of real people who deserve better.

      racial polarization. southern white voters are extremely Republican and socially conservative. convincing them to not vote Republican is very difficult accordingly, and there’s just not a large enough Black population MS/AL to offset that.

    •  DevCat   ( @DevCat@lemmy.world ) English
      2•1 year ago

      I’ve always wanted to understand how incumbent politicians still have an edge in states that rank so poor in quality of life.

      -Instilling apathy

      Look how well that worked on republicans in the last election. They were told it was all rigged and many decided not to show up.

      -Othering

      It used to be “queer”, now it’s “groomers”. They will use any label they can to make their opposition into “the other side”. And anybody who even considers giving an inch is immediately branded as a child rapist. This combined with easily disproven lies about dems. Look at how they describe California as a state where they’ll take away your guns as soon as you cross the border, make you eat tofu the rest of your life, and lately, that they’ll change your kid’s sex without your permission.

      -Restricting voting

      They’ve been working on this one for decades and have pretty well perfected the tactics.