Democrats see Mississippi governor's race as ripe for an upset

Democrats in Mississippi are feeling optimistic that their party will be able to oust Gov. Tate Reeves (R) from the governor’s mansion this fall after Democrat Brandon Presley’s recent entry in the race.

Reeves has suffered from low approval ratings and has been name-checked at times in the state’s long-running welfare scandal, but the governorship has proved elusive for Democrats in the red state for decades.

The party believes this time will be different. They say Presley, the state’s northern district public service commissioner and a distant relative of Elvis Presley, has an ability to connect with rural voters and that he’s proven he can win elections in some of the reddest parts of the state.

“There is not a better retail politician in the state of Mississippi, period. He knows how to connect with voters. He knows how to listen to voters, which I think is an underrated skill in a politician,” said Democratic strategist Brannon Miller, whose firm has worked with Presley’s campaign previously but is not involved in the gubernatorial race at this time.