New Poll Shows Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves Vulnerable in Reelection Bid

JACKSON, Miss. – Today, a new poll released by the Southern Poverty Law Center Action Fund (SPLC Action Fund) and the New Southern Majority IE PAC shows Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves is vulnerable in his reelection bid. The poll, conducted by Tulchin Research, shows Democratic candidate Brandon Presley taking a four-point lead over Reeves in a head-to-head matchup. The poll also shows that a majority of Mississippi voters are unhappy with the governor’s tenure, believe the state is on the wrong track and are disappointed with his role in recent state corruption scandals.

Other key findings include:

• 54% of Mississippi voters have an unfavorable opinion of Reeves
• 55% of Mississippi voters believe the state is on the wrong track
• 64% of Mississippi voters have an unfavorable view of Reeves as a result of his involvement in the recent state welfare-funds scandal

“After years of scandal and mismanagement, Gov. Reeves is facing strong political headwinds in next year’s election,” said Brandon Jones, director of Political Campaigns for New Southern Majority IE PAC. “This polling demonstrates that Mississippi voters believe the state is headed in the wrong direction and that they are laying a lot of the blame for that downturn at the governor’s feet.”

A memo containing the polling data can be found HERE.

Last fall, the SPLC Action Fund launched the New Southern Majority IE PAC to help recruit, support and drive greater diversity among political candidates running for local offices throughout the South. The Super PAC is working in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana prioritizing local elected positions related law enforcement, education and elections administration, as well as supporting candidates of color.

“This polling makes clear the upcoming election cycle will be very competitive in Mississippi. We will be following this race and others across our Deep South states very closely and looking for opportunities to let voters know which candidates are looking out for the public's interests,” Jones said.