Reeves notes lowest unemployment rate, lowest dropout rate, and highest graduation rates among successes Mississippi has achieved over the last few of years.
Following a turkey pardoning ceremony at the Governor’s Mansion on Thursday, Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves addressed questions from the media, one of which was about his political future.
Governor Reeves said that he looks forward to running on his record of delivering for Mississippi in next year’s elections.
“I’ve often said that there are two ways to run for office: ‘scared and unopposed,’” Reeves said. “I’ve also often followed that up with, ‘I’d like to try that second option just one time.’”
Governor Reeves said that his name has been on the ballot thirteen times and that he has won thirteen times due to the support of the people of Mississippi.
“I’ve never run unopposed, and I don’t have any reason to believe that in this political environment that I’ll run unopposed next year,” Reeves said. “What I do believe is that I’ll have the opportunity to run on my record.”
The Mississippi Governor noted that after delivering for Mississippians over the last three plus years, he believes he has the opportunity to run next year whether it’s against “someone who writes the check and claims they’re a Republican” or against someone on the Democrat side.
Reeves highlighted some of the major successes that Mississippi has achieved over the last few years such as the state having the lowest unemployment rate in its history and the high school graduation rate being the highest ever, along with the lowest high school dropout rate, and more.
“I hear some people say from time to time that Mississippi has the 50th best educational system in America,” Reeves said. “Because of the improvements we have made over the last ten years, Mississippi is now the 32nd best K-12 public educational system in America.”
Reeves said that to date, the average new capital expenditures or investments in Mississippi were approximately $900 million a year.
“We’ve already announced almost $3.5 billion in 2022 alone,” Reeves said. “There’s something special happening here, there’s something special happening in Mississippi, and what it is, is we’ve proven that in Mississippi, we can protect both lives and livelihoods. We’ve proven that Mississippi is open for business.”
Governor Reeves said he cannot wait to continue building on those successes.
“I just couldn’t be prouder to be a Mississippian and I say that from the bottom of my heart,” Reeves said.
Anne Summerhays
