A poll about the nation’s governors was less than flattering about Mississippi’s chief executive, Tate Reeves.
Mississippi Today website columnist Bobby Harrison wrote a column about the poll by Morning Consult, which he said “had to grab the attention of House Speaker Philip Gunn and a few other prominent Mississippi Republicans.”
The poll, taken over three months this summer, rates Reeves the fifth most unpopular governor in the nation, with a 48% approval rate and a 42% disapproval rate.
Put another way, the poll ranks Reeves 46th out of 50 governors. The column noted that he was among only eight governors with an approval rating below 50%. It also said, “Of the many Republican governors running for re-election within the next four years, Reeves ranks last in America.”
This, of course, leads to informed speculation that other prominent Republicans are seriously considering challenging Reeves in 2023. Starting with House Speaker Philip Gunn, the list of current GOP officeholders who are thinking about doing this is getting longer.
Along with Gunn, Harrison’s column mentioned four other Republicans who might be thinking about taking on Reeves in next year’s party primary: Secretary of State Michael Watson, Attorney General Lynn Fitch, State Auditor Shad White and Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gipson.
Before any of the five formally seek a promotion, they ought to ask themselves if running against an incumbent from the same party is a winning strategy. Because no matter what that poll says, it’s still hard to see Reeves losing next year — in either the Republican primary or the general election.
Reeves does have his flaws. He has a mean streak and enjoys flexing his political power. This led to frayed relationships with many legislators during his eight years as lieutenant governor. But it’s hard to see how he has fatally strayed from the Republican playbook of limited government and low taxes — with the exception of when he listened to medical experts during the covid-19 pandemic and kept mask mandates and other restrictions active longer than many expected.
Some voters may hold that against him. But enough for him to lose? That seems unlikely.
Keep in mind that Reeves has won five straight statewide elections, starting as treasurer. He has strong name recognition. And, according to Mississippi Today, he has at least $5 million in cash awaiting deployment for re-election in 2023.
His potential challengers lack both the name recognition and the money. Those will be two significant hurdles to overcome for any Republican who chooses to run against Reeves.
Another thing: Any of those five people who runs for governor automatically gives up his or her current job. What’s the point of that? The far better strategy is to wait until 2027, when Reeves — assuming he wins a second term — would have to leave office.
— Jack Ryan, McComb Enterprise-Journal
