Mississippi Republican Gov. Tate Reeves succeeded in his bid to remain in the Governor’s Mansion on Tuesday, overcoming a re-election challenge from Democrat Brandon Presley, second cousin of rock ‘n’ roll legend Elvis Presley, in the reliable republican state.
Reeves, first elected in 2019 after serving two terms as Mississippi’s lieutenant governor, had received 52.3% of the vote compared to state utility regulator Brandon Presley’s 45.8% when Presley called Reeves to concede the race.
“It hurts too much to laugh and I’m too old to cry,” Presley told fans during his concession speech.
Presley, who trailed Reeves by just one percentage point in the polls two weeks before Election Day, has raised more than $11 million since January, far surpassing his opponent’s $6.2 million.
Presley’s competitive race against Reeves had raised hopes among members of his party that he could become Mississippi’s first Democratic governor in 24 years.
Presley blamed Reeves for misusing $77 million in welfare funds. AP
The nonpartisan Cook Political Report changed its rating of the Deep South race from “likely Republican” to “lean Republican” late last month amid Presley’s upstart performance on the campaign trail, where he championed Medicaid expansion, He increased hospital funding and focused his campaign. he reach to target black voters.
Reeves’ campaign was crippled by a $77 million welfare scandal involving NFL legend and Mississippi native Brett Favre, which occurred before the governor took office and in which he he denied any involvement, which Presley argued occurred under Reeves’ supervision as lieutenant governor.
Reeves has said his administration is trying to recover the embezzled money, some of which allegedly went to causes championed by Favre rather than the state’s poorest residents.
Presley trailed Reeves by just 1 percentage point in a recent poll. fake images
The incumbent also touted the state’s “economic boom” under his leadership, which led to a $4 billion surplus, and former President Donald Trump’s endorsement of his campaign.
Both candidates said they supported Mississippi’s statewide abortion ban, which went into effect last year.
Vote shortages in the Democratic stronghold of Hinds County, which encompasses the state capital of Jackson, led a state court to order all precincts to remain open for an additional hour, delaying Tuesday’s results.
“This victory is certainly sweet,” Reeves said after Presley’s concession.
“Mississippi has momentum, you’ve heard me say it 1,000 times throughout this campaign…this is Mississippi’s moment,” he added.
In the race for state lieutenant governor, Republican incumbent Delbert Hosemann, who survived an August primary challenge from state Sen. Chris McDaniel, defeated Democrat D. Ryan Grover by a wide margin, 62.3% to 37. .6%, according to the Associated Press.
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