Biden pulls ahead in Georgia, Trump challenging in multiple states
Overnight Thursday, Democrat Joe Biden pulled ahead of President Donald Trump in Georgia, now leading with just under 1,000 votes.
Elsewhere, Trump still leads in North Carolina and Pennsylvania, while Biden remains up in Nevada and Arizona. All leads are narrow margins.
The President’s team is actively challenging the results and the process in most of the aforementioned states. Should Biden be the certified winner in any one of them, he will be the President-elect.
YP – Reeves says “no excuse early voting and universal mail in voting” won’t happen in Mississippi on his watch
Reeves said what he is witnessing other states go through in counting ballots is “chaos,” and as long as he is governor he won’t allow it.
It is estimated that 100 million Americans voted in the 2020 General Election. Several key states like Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia have not called the presidential race because numbers are too close. Mississippi is reporting 84 percent of the vote in, and has called the race.
Governor Reeves said the only way he can see these types of voting being allowed in Mississippi is if the Legislature were to override a veto.
MSDH planning for medical marijuana implementation
Regulations for all aspects of the program, including production and licensing for sale, must be in place by July 1, 2021. As we make progress we will keep the public fully informed, and ask for your patience as we develop the necessary plans to go forward late next summer. 2/2
— Mississippi State Department of Health (@msdh) November 5, 2020
YP – The magnitude of Mike Espy’s abject failure in Mississippi deserves further scrutiny
Mike Espy threw his hat in the ring for Senate in 2020 and proceeded to raise and blow a record $10 million campaign funding haul placed on a straight bet that Mississippians would support a nationalized Democrat campaign openly aligned with Obama, Biden, Pelosi, Booker, Abrams, etc. In the modern political era, that had never been tried here. Money was no object. Espy sported a 3:1+ cash advantage mostly from out of state donors. “Expert” staff and the best political consultants, pollsters and media buyers, mostly from out of state with no nexus or background to Mississippi politics, were hired. They ran their plays, but things went bad on Election Night 2020. With the super high turnout that he said he wanted, he got blown out by double digits.
Of course, Espy’s case wasn’t unusual of deep south Democrats on Election Night. His loss wasn’t about race or Mississippi “not being ready for a black US Senator”.
Espy tweets post-election message
Our campaign is just the beginning.
We built the bridge. I may not have gotten there myself, but I know Mississippians after me will.
I will NEVER stop fighting for Mississippi. KNOW THIS: When you call on me, I will answer.
— Mike Espy (@MikeEspyMS) November 5, 2020
YP – Griffis, Westbrooks campaigns release statement as MS Supreme Court race remains undecided
The central Mississippi race between Supreme Court Justice Kenny Griffis and Judge Latrice Westbrooks has yet to be called two days after the General Election. The large number of absentees ballots are what appears to be holding up either campaign from declaring victory.
MSDH COVID-19 report
Today MSDH is reporting 1,612 more cases of COVID-19 in Mississippi, 8 deaths, and 111 ongoing outbreaks in long-term care facilities. The total of #covid19 cases for the year is now 123,887, with 3,405 deaths. Case details and prevention guidance at https://t.co/QP8mlJ41AN pic.twitter.com/fpMMmBs1fg
— Mississippi State Department of Health (@msdh) November 5, 2020
YP – Next up… Municipal elections in Mississippi
Now that the 2020 November General Election has come and gone, Mississippi voters have another round of elections to consider – who will represent your city or town for the next four years.
While the White House and Congress may be unable to reach agreement no matter how Election 2020 ends, it will be local communities and state governments that feel the impact of federal actions most through bureaucratic rules handed down from the various federal agencies outside of the legislative process.
Local leaders who understand government, policy, and politics are needed to help their municipality navigate through the noise and ensure that their locale is well represented and adhering to state and federal mandates, while also advocating on behalf of their constituents and providing the services citizens expect.
Hyde-Smith pushes against abortions by mail
Abortions by mail must not proceed. Pleased to have the support of @boblatta @SenatorWicker @CongPalazzo @RepTrentKelly @RepMichaelGuest & others on this challenge to a misguided judicial ruling. #ProLife https://t.co/qRNGov2Tcd
— U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (@SenHydeSmith) November 5, 2020
YP – MS HBCUs support Wicker’s minority business act
Mississippi HBCUs Support @SenatorWicker’s “Reaching America’s Rural Minority Businesses Act”https://t.co/2dynXeXgjN
— Magnolia Tribune (@magnoliatribune) November 5, 2020
WLOX – Morgan Freeman ‘glad’ Mississippi is flying its new flag ‘proudly’
Morgan Freeman has given his approval of Mississippi’s new flag.
The actor took to Twitter Thursday to say that it is “about time” his home state got a new flag and that he is “glad” Mississippi is flying it “proudly.”
YP – MDA announces Hankins Lumber expansion
.@mdaworks: Hankins Lumber investing in second sawmill operation in Grenada Countyhttps://t.co/uXaoTXQWP0
— Magnolia Tribune (@magnoliatribune) November 5, 2020
WDAM – Referendum to relocate Confederate monument fails in Forrest County
The Confederate monument that sits outside the Forrest County courthouse in Hattiesburg is staying put.
The referendum to remove the monument failed, with 51% of Forrest County voters electing to keep the statue in place. The Forrest County Circuit Clerk’s Office finished counting all absentee and affidavit ballots Thursday.
The monument sits outside the Forrest County Circuit Courthouse at the intersection of Main Street and Eaton Street in Hattiesburg. It was donated to the county in 1910 by the United Daughters of the Confederacy and is engraved with “to the men and women of the Confederacy.”
WLBT – Mississippi lawmakers weigh in on early voting discussions
Senator David Blount has filed legislation for years now in attempt to change the election laws. And says he’ll do the same this upcoming session.
“We’ve got to be customer service oriented,” said Senator David Blount (D). “And if you had a business where people had to wait in line for 2 or 3 hours to buy your product, you would adjust your business and that’s what we need to do. Early voting is in person. It requires an ID just like Election Day does.”
Republican Senator Joey Fillingane says he expects more conversations surrounding the topic. “I can tell you where I want us to come down is certainly to make it as accessible as possible while still maintaining the voter integrity.”
WTOK – Local lawmakers give view on presidential waiting game
District 82 Representative Charles Young Jr. and District 83 Representative Billy Calvert gave their views on the process and the waiting game that happened in other states.
“The country, as a whole, has never experienced numbers this large. If for some reason, the circuit clerks’ office counted absentee votes after they started processing the machine votes, then your vote doesn’t count? I have never, most ignorant thing I’ve ever heard of in my life,” says Young.
“Well I don’t think you can stop counting the votes, I think that they can take proper legal terms or legal actions once the votes are counted. Then have a recount if it’s close. I don’t like counting votes three of four days after the election,” says Calvert.