Democratic Candidate announces first pillar of 2023 campaign: Calls out Governor Tate Reeves in process

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - Mississippi’s only Democratic candidate for the Gubernatorial Election has announced his campaign plan for the 2023 race.

Former Mississippi Public Service member Brandon Presley is looking to take down a financial system he calls “corrupt” and says current Governor Tate Reeves has benefitted off of it.

“People in Mississippi know in their hearts that Tate Reeves will not fight this corrupt system. He won’t fight this corrupt system because it’s helped him get where he is. He’s hoping that this corrupt system will keep him in the governor’s office.”

The first piece to Presley’s puzzle is putting a limit on the amount of gifts and money a running candidate or current sitting official can receive, from lobbyists to state officials, down to everyday donors.

“Place limits on the currently unlimited flow of campaign contributions from individuals political action committees and completely banning direct contributions from corporations, banning state officeholders and candidates from office from accepting contributions while the legislature is in session.”

Currently, Mississippi doesn’t have a cap on how much a lobbyist, public or private donor, or large organization can contribute to a campaign.

Presley believes by adding a cap, future elections would become less about money and more about policy.

“We have unlimited contributions in Mississippi. States surrounding us don’t have unlimited contributions. When I talked to folks around the country, they laughed at the fact that Mississippi has unlimited amounts of money that can be poured into campaigns. I am running to change that... to fix it. These campaigns cost money, but we can limit the influence of campaign contributors by limiting how much can be poured into campaigns,” said Presley.

He went as far as to give examples of gifts that Governor Reeves has received over the last 10 years since he initially ran for governor.

Some included $3,277 for a luxury hotel in 2013 and over $2,000 in Ole Miss athletics tickets and dinner expenses. All of the expenses listed below totaling out to nearly $22,000.

“When I’m Governor, I intend [on the] first day to declare war on corruption, period. It all starts with sanitizing a sick and infected system in this building, a system where if you know the right corners to hide around as a lobbyist, you can get done what you want done.”

Presley’s campaign team released the following statement regarding his future campaign plan around the Magnolia State: “In the coming weeks, the Brandon Presley for Mississippi campaign will discuss further ways we can clean up state government and put the power back in the hands of the people.”

In response to Presley’s claims, Elliott Husbands, who is Governor Tate Reeves’ campaign manager, released the following statement.

“Brandon Presley is a classic Democrat – accusing every Republican of corruption while pocketing big money from liberal donors and hiding the ball on his leftwing positions. Why won’t he explain his views on crime measures his biggest supporters call racist, leftwing gender theory in schools, and eliminating the income tax It’s because he is just a product of the national liberal machine using more of their pre-written talking points.”

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