Mississippi Governor Candidates Reeves and Presley Clash in Lone Debate Ahead of Election

Reeves Advocates for Elimination of State Income Tax, Presley Promises to Cut Sales Tax and License Plate Fees as Candidates Offer Vastly Different Economic Platforms

• Mississippi Republican Gov. Tate Reeves and Democratic challenger Brandon Presley faced off in their only debate, six days before the general election on Nov. 7, with Reeves advocating for the full elimination of state income tax, and Presley proposing a reduction in sales tax and license plate costs.
• Presley's campaign has focused on expanding Medicaid to people earning modest wages who don't receive health insurance through their jobs, a proposal countered by Reeves, who has labeled this as “welfare” and is against adding hundreds of thousands of people to the program.
• Reeves boasts of enacting some of the biggest tax cuts in the state's history while in office, as he pushes for a full elimination of the state income tax, contributing to their different economic platforms.
• Presley raised $11.3 million for his campaign this year, outpacing Reeves who raised $6.3 million, with Presley spending $10.8 million and maintaining $1.3 million, and Reeves spending $11 million and retaining $1.2 million, as per finance reports.
• Presley publicly called for Reeves to participate in five debates, including a prior one sponsored by the NAACP, but Reeves agreed to only one, leading to Presley stating that Reeves 'chickened out' of having a more robust campaign focusing on key issues.

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