November 9th 2023.
Mississippi was forecast as a battleground state ahead of the 2023 midterm elections, and the results of the race brought about a number of losses for the state and individuals.
Brandon Presley, a cousin of Elvis Presley and Democrat, ran against Tate Reeves, a Trump-supported GOP candidate and incumbent governor. Reeves' campaign centered on the fact that he was a Republican and Presley was a Democrat, often linking Presley with Joe Biden and Barack Obama. This was enough for the state Republicans to vote for Reeves, despite his unpopularity. Presley, although not as progressive as some Mississippians would have liked, made sure to engage with the state’s Black voters. In the end, Reeves won almost 52% of the popular vote, avoiding a runoff election.
Presley addressed his loss in a concession speech where he remained hopeful for the future. “We didn’t win it, they did. But we won the hearts and souls of hundreds of thousands of Mississippians,” he said. “Unfortunately, it looks like we came up a little short and I spoke with Governor Reeves just a minute ago. We congratulated him on his victory.”
He also posted on Twitter after the last canvass kickoff in Jackson, thanking all the volunteers and organizers who dedicated countless hours to the grassroots movement.
Another loss was Attorney General Lynn Fitch, who is at least partially responsible for making sure that Roe v Wade was overturned, winning re-election. Her opponent, Greta Kemp Martin, was motivated to run principally because of Fitch’s role in getting Roe overturned and kept her focus on access to abortion. Part of Martin’s political demise was a lack of outside funding.
Voter suppression also took an L, as Mississippi is one of the few states that does not allow early voting, which allows voters to vote 1-2 weeks ahead of Election Day. Reports from Mississippi voters and journalists alleged that locations in the state began running out of ballots, while politicians like Brandon Presley urged voters to remain in line until they had cast their votes.
The day before the election, Martin addressed the international story of why a 13-year-old child in Mississippi was forced to have her rapist’s baby, saying there had been “a failure to bring information to the attention of the right person.”
On Election Day, Mississippi faced voter suppression in real time, with people posting on Twitter about the lack of ballots. Others criticized the state’s white supremacy.
Although the losses for Mississippi were significant, the state and its individuals remain hopeful for better and brighter days in the future.
The 2023 midterm elections in Mississippi have caused some major losses for the state and individuals alike. Brandon Presley, a cousin of the legendary Elvis Presley, was running for Governor against the Trump-supported GOP candidate and incumbent Tate Reeves. Both Presley and Reeves had different views on the state of Mississippi, with Reeves centering his campaign on the idea that he was a Republican and Presley was a Democrat, often linking Presley to Joe Biden and Barack Obama.
The results of the race showed Reeves won with almost 52% of the popular vote, just enough to avoid a runoff election. Presley was left feeling hopeful in his concession speech, despite the result.
"We didn’t win it, they did. But we won the hearts and souls of hundreds of thousands of Mississippians,” Presley said. “Unfortunately, it looks like we came up a little short and I spoke with Governor Reeves just a minute ago. We congratulated him on his victory.”
It wasn't just Presley who had a loss, as Attorney General Lynn Fitch won her re-election. Fitch is on record for demanding information about Mississippi residents who got abortion procedures in other states. Her opponent, Greta Kemp Martin, was motivated to run principally because of Fitch’s role in getting Roe overturned, but was unable to gain enough outside funding for her campaign.
Martin kept her focus on access to abortion, and also indicated that if elected, she would seek to have Mississippi native and football great Brett Favre and former Mississippi governor Phil Bryant indicted for their roles in the state’s welfare scandal.
The fight against voter suppression was another loss for Mississippi, as it is one of the few states that does not allow early voting. Reports from Mississippi voters and journalists alleged that locations in the state began running out of ballots, while politicians like Brandon Presley urged voters to remain in line until they had cast their votes.
The lack of early voting caused a stir in the state, with Brittany Brown saying on Twitter, “Today is Election Day. The State of Mississippi does not offer early voting, and now polling places have been running out of ballots. This is voter suppression in real time.”
The effects of white supremacy in the state were also made clear, with chris evans tweeting, “This is what white supremacy looks like. #Mississippi”.
Mississippi's 2023 midterm elections have caused more than just losses for individuals and the state, but have also highlighted the need for change in the state. It is clear that Mississippians are determined to have their voices heard and fight for a better, brighter future.
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