Tate Reeves Overcomes Weaknesses to Secure Re-election as Mississippi Governor

Tate Reeves, the Republican governor of Mississippi, won re-election for a second term despite concerns about his likability and a strong Democratic opponent. Reeves campaigned on his conservative credentials and linked his opponent, Brandon Presley, to unpopular national Democrats. Although Presley hoped to cobble together a coalition of liberal-to-centrist white voters, frustrated Republicans, and Black voters, the alliance did not materialize. Reeves's first term was marked by tumult and criticism, including his handling of infrastructure issues and his initial opposition to removing the Confederate battle emblem from the state flag. Despite underperforming compared to other Republicans in statewide races, Reeves secured a comfortable victory, maintaining the Republican Party's stronghold on Mississippi politics.