Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards is running for reelection. The state’s jungle primary, in which candidates of all parties appear on the ballot together, will be held on October 12. If no candidate receives a majority of the vote, a runoff election will occur on November 16 between the two top candidates. Addressing budget shortfalls proved a major area of focus for the Louisiana Governor and legislature over the last several years, but the state government may now be looking to pivot to new priorities.  

In the News

“Louisiana’s the perfect place for a Poor People’s Campaign” (NOLA: 1/30/2019)

“Louisiana is healthier with Medicaid expansion” (NOLA: 08/23/2018)

“If Cut, Kennedy Says He’ll Try to Save Louisiana Food Stamps” (US News & World Report: 6/14/2018)

“Tens of Thousands of Louisiana Residents could face eviction from nursing and group homes” (CNN: 5/9/2018)

“Louisiana ranks No. 1 for wage inequality” (Louisiana Weekly: 4/16/2018)

“Study: Louisiana Medicaid Expansion Program has $3.5B Impact” (U.S. News & World Report: 4/14/2018)

Tate Reeves (R)

Bio: Tate Reeves was elected lieutenant governor of Mississippi in 2011. His political career started in 2003 with his election to state treasurer. Previously he worked in banking and finance in Jackson. He is a native of Rankin County and graduated from Millsaps College in 1996.

Previous Work on Poverty and Opportunity:

• Has voiced support for criminal justice reform criminal justice reform
• Advocates for measures to better educate the workforce in order to attract better jobs
• Has prioritized educational reforms improve to improve workplace competitiveness

On the Issues

Jobs: Prioritizes workforce training and has proposed a $75 million grant to upgrade college training programs and a $20 million grant program to help working families with childcare and transportation.

Healthcare/Insurance: Opposes Medicaid expansion and instead is a proponent of “block granting” the program. Wants to start rural medical residency programs and fund rural physician scholarships.

Education: Has emphasized improving school performance as a core priority. Supported the 2014 passage of the School Recognition Program, which raised salaries of teachers in schools that receive a letter grade of A or B from the state.

Criminal Justice: Supported Mississippi’s bipartisan criminal justice reform legislation that passed in 2014, 2018 and 2019.

Minimum Wage: Opposes setting a minimum wage that is higher than the federal level.

Safety Net: A proponent of cutting government spending and oversaw $300 million in cuts of state programs.

Children/Families: Supported FY2019 state budget that allocated $6.5 million for a nationally-recognized early childhood education program and increased spending by $42 million on Child Protective Services and the Department of Human Services to improve the foster care system and enabled better coordination between Child Protective Services and the Department of Human Services.

Taxes/Tax Credits: Supported the Taxpayer Pay Raise Act which lowers individual and corporate taxes, and Senate Bill 2808 which cut the unemployment tax rate paid by businesses in Mississippi and established a workforce training fund. Opposes a gas tax.

News Articles: 

•  “Mississippi's Gubernatorial Race Tests the Limits of Conservatism.” The New Yorker. August 2, 2019.
• “Tate Reeves often talks Trump and liberals. Now he's proposed some policies.” The Clarion Ledger. July 17, 2019.
• “Mississippi governor election: Candidate Tate Reeves on Medicaid, health care.” The Clarion Ledger. July 31, 2019.
• “Mississippi getting set for hard-fought governor’s race.” WTOP/The Associated Press. August 28, 2019.
• “Mississippi governor's election: A case for Tate Reeves.” The Clarion Ledger. August 20, 2019.

Jim Hood (D)

Bio: Jim Hood has served as the attorney general of Mississippi since 2004. Prior to that, he served as a district attorney for seven counties in North Mississippi, a law clerk at the Mississippi Supreme Court, and a special assistant attorney general under Attorney General Mike Moore. He is a native of Chickasaw County, Mississippi.

Previous Work on Poverty and Opportunity:

• Filed lawsuits against insurance companies on behalf of homeowners as part of the Hurricane Katrina recovery process
• Filed a lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies for requiring the state to pay for medication that would not be reimbursed through Medicaid.

On the Issues

Jobs: Wants to improve viable alternatives to a four-year degree. Wants to expand apprenticeship programs, help high school seniors earn industry-recognized certifications, and expand a Gateway Program statewide to teach high school students essential job skills.

Healthcare/Insurance: Wants to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Act, and use those federal funds to help reform Mississippi’s mental health system, prevent hospital closures, and improve rural healthcare access.

Education: Wants to implement free community college tuition statewide to prevent brain drain. Wants to expand Mississippi’s small state-funded preschool program by $45 million over four years, increase teachers’ salaries by $3,000 over two years, expand subsidies for aspiring teachers, and make it easier to qualify academically to become a teacher.

Criminal Justice: Has supported reforming the administration of the state’s death penalty.

Children/Families: Wants to expand state-funded preschool.

Taxes/Tax Credits: Wants to reduce the grocery tax on food purchases from 7% to 3.5%.

News Articles:

• “Mississippi AG Jim Hood: The Last Democrat in Dixie." Governing. July 2013.
• “The Democrat Who Could Be Mississippi's Next Governor.” Governing. March 2019.
• “AG Jim Hood running for governor to help 'least among us'.” The Clarion Ledger. October 3, 2018.
• “Deep in Trump Country, Democrats Hope to Sweep 3 Governors’ Races.” The New York Times. September 23, 2019.