Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, a Republican, has filed for reelection this week on the first day state and local candidates can submit qualifying papers for the 2023 election.
States with gubernatorial races this year are Mississippi, Louisiana, and Kentucky.
Reeves, 48, has served as the 65th governor of Mississippi since 2020. He served as the 32nd lieutenant governor from 2012 to 2020 under former Republican Gov. Phil Bryant, and as state treasurer from 2004 to 2012 under former Republican Gov. Haley Barbour.
“In my first term, we passed the largest tax cut in state history, returning half a billion dollars to Mississippians,” Reeves told The Epoch Times.
He also pointed to his facilitating the largest economic development project in state history, securing a $2.5 billion investment with an aluminum mill and biocarbon facility called Indiana-based Steel Dynamics that will create 1,000 jobs with a $93,000 salary.
Reeves said his office has invested in a record amount of job training, which secured the lowest unemployment rate in state history.
The governor has been criticized by Democrats for a hands-off response in overseeing the COVID-19 pandemic, though excessive lockdowns, COVID-19 vaccine mandates, and masking policies in states like California and New York have now been shown to be ineffective.
‘Greatest Conservative Win’
In June 2022, the U.S Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, a decision triggered by a process that began with Jackson Women’s Health Organization suing Mississippi over the Gestational Age Act, which allowed for abortions after 15 weeks of gestation only for medical emergencies or severe abnormality.The Gestational Age Act was signed into law in March 2018 before the abortion provider filed suit against the state, challenging the constitutionality of the legislation and arguing that the law went against Roe V. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court ruling that stated women had a constitutional right to abortion based on the premise of the right to privacy as a constitutionally protected right.
U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves, appointed by former President Barak Obama, ruled in favor of Jackson Women’s Health Organization in November 2018.
In December 2018, Mississippi appealed the district court’s decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, which ruled against the state.
The state then appealed the Fifth Circuit’s decision to the U.S. Supreme Court in June 2020, which ruled in favor of the state and overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022.
“Mississippi led the nation in the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the greatest social conservative win in a generation,” Reeves said.
Reeves said he wants to continue to expand on pro-life policies that would support mothers and their babies.
Democrats have also alleged that Reeves limited funds for the state capitol’s infrastructure upgrades that contributed to Jackson’s water crisis throughout 2022, which Reeves has denied, alleging it to have been caused by the incompetence of the city government.
Reeves has signed into law legislation that banned several controversial policies that surfaced throughout the last two years.
“Our state banned critical race theory and Biden’s vaccine mandates, and ensured boys play boys’ sports and girls play girls’ sports,” Reeves said.
Reeves discussed future plans for eliminating the income tax, which has been carried out by the neighboring states of Texas, Florida, and Tennessee.
“We will continue building the Mississippi Success Story,“ Reeves said. ”I’d be honored if my bosses—the voters—gave me a second term.”
