Good things are happening in Mississippi

Our ultimate goal remains the same: to make Mississippi the best state in the nation to live, work, and raise a family.

Mississippi has a story to tell – and boy, it’s a good one.

I’m proud to serve as our state’s 65^th governor, but I’m even prouder to call myself a Mississippian. Thanks to the talented and hardworking people of our state, Mississippi is experiencing success never seen before. 

And we’re only just getting started.

That’s because good things are happening in Mississippi – really good things. Just look at what we’re accomplishing in public education.

Mississippi insisted on getting kids back into school when other states stayed closed, and now we have the best education numbers in our state’s history! Today, 87.7% of all Mississippi kids graduate from high school. That’s higher than ever in our state, and better than the national average. 

We also have the lowest dropout rate in our state’s history, and we’ve led the nation in fourth grade reading and fourth grade math gains. When I became lieutenant governor, Mississippi was dead last in fourth grade math. Now, we’re above the national average at number 23. 

Mississippi is well on its way to having an elementary education system that other states look to copy. They used to make Mississippi the butt of their jokes – but now we are the thing they want to be. So, the next time you hear someone say, “Mississippi is 50^th in education,” educate them – by highlighting the record academic achievement that’s really happening here.

But our story doesn’t stop with good grades in the classroom. Mississippi’s economic engine is also roaring. 

Mississippi is in the best fiscal and financial shape in its history, and we have an almost $4 billion surplus. Our state is in such good shape that last session, I signed into law the largest tax cut in Mississippi history and returned over $500 million to taxpayers – all while not having to cut core government services. 

In 2022, we saw over $6 billion in new corporate capital investment flow into Mississippi. That’s a record and almost seven times the previous average of $900 million per year before I became governor.

We also finalized the largest economic development project in state history, securing a $2.5 billion investment that will create 1,000 jobs with a $93,000 average salary. These aren’t just numbers on a page, they’re tangible jobs that will better the lives of Mississippians.

We’re investing a historic amount in jobs training, and because of that we have the lowest unemployment rate in our state’s history.

Good things are happening in Mississippi.

We passed the largest teacher pay raise in state history, elevating teacher salaries above the southeastern and national averages.

We stepped in and restored running water to Jackson when the city’s politicians were unable to.

We banned critical race theory, and blocked Biden’s vaccine mandates and vaccine passports. We prevented wasteful spending on things like golf courses and private pools and instead invested in jobs and safety.

We signed legislation ensuring that boys play boys’ sports and girls play girls’ sports. 

And we led the nation to overturn Roe v. Wade, the greatest social conservative achievement in generations.

There’s more work to be done, and I believe there’s a lot that we can accomplish during this 2023 legislative session. My core promise to you is this: I will continue fighting to ensure your government responsibly spends your money, protect your constitutional rights, and defend the values that Mississippians hold dear.

Looking to the future, our ultimate goal remains the same: to make Mississippi the best state in the nation to live, work, and raise a family. This session, I’ll be focusing on driving economic growth, fighting to eliminate Mississippi’s income tax, advancing pro-life policies that makes it easier to support mothers and babies, supporting our police, and continuing to push back against liberal ideology that promotes radical ideas like experimental sex changes for children.

Mississippi has weathered some terrible crises and storms over the last few years, but we stayed strong, together. And today, after all the challenges, we have higher incomes, lower unemployment, more jobs, better educational opportunities, and Mississippi is still a place where our way of life can thrive. We must seek to relentlessly protect and defend that. 

I promise you that I will. For all Mississippi.