Reeves, Hosemann to seek re-election to Mississippi’s top political spots
Some of Mississippi’s top political names are announcing re-election bids now that qualifying is open for the 2023 election.
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves announced Tuesday his plans to seek re-election. On Thursday, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann stopped by the Great Southern Club in Gulfport to announce his bid to run for a second term.
Feb. 1 is the qualifying deadline for an election that will include statewide offices, state district offices, legislative seats and county offices. Party primaries are scheduled Aug. 8, with runoffs Aug. 29. The general election on Nov. 7, with runoffs Nov. 28.
Mississippi, Louisiana and Kentucky are the only states electing governors this year.
Reeves, a Republican, called a news conference to announce his plan to seek a second four-year term, touting the state’s efforts on his watch to limit abortion rights, increase workforce development, raise teacher salaries and cut the state’s income tax.
“We had the opportunity to accomplish what I believe to be the most significant win in the conservative movement in my lifetime. Mississippi led the way in overturning Roe v. Wade,” Reeves said. “I am so proud that Mississippi did that.”
Brandon Presley, a Democrat who serves as one of three members on the Mississippi Public Service Commission, is seen by some as a potential candidate for the Democratic nomination for governor.
Presley is a distant relative of music icon Elvis Presley, who was a Mississippi native.
In the 2019 Republican primary, Reeves faced former Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Bill Waller Jr. and Robert Foster, a conservative former state representative. Reeves defeated Waller in a primary runoff. Waller told The Associated Press that he is “strongly considering” mounting another gubernatorial campaign to challenge Reeves in 2023.
On the Coast Thursday, Hosemann was joined at his announcement event by members of his campaign, as well as several Mississippi Coast politicians and mayors, including Gulfport Mayor Billy Hewes.
Hosemann opened his speech noting that Wednesday — the day he first announced his campaign — is also the fourth birthday of his eighth grandchild, who is named Howard Delbert Hosemann after the lieutenant governor.
“As a father and grandfather, I care about making Mississippi an even better place for all of our children and grandchildren — and that work is never really done,” he said. ”We want to continue to find solutions to the kitchen table issues Mississippians care about: jobs, inflation, schools, health care systems and infrastructure.”
Hosemann was first elected in 2019 and is currently Mississippi’s 33rd lieutenant governor. He previously served as Mississippi’s secretary of state from 2008 to 2020. Hosemann earned a bachelor’s degree from Notre Dame and a law degree from Ole Miss. He is a former partner at law firm Phelps Dunbar, LLP in Jackson.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.