“Voters in this deep red state haven’t elected a Democrat to the governor’s office in more than 20 years, but party leaders and voters are hopeful about their prospects this year, thanks to a tarnished incumbent and their celebrity-related challenger,” the Washington Post reports.
“Brandon Presley, a former small-town mayor and state utilities regulator, has run a surprisingly strong campaign against Republican Gov. Tate Reeves, who is seeking a second term. Presley also happens to be a cousin of Elvis Presley.”
“But that’s not what has Democrats excited as they prepare to head to the polls on Tuesday. Presley, 46, has focused his campaign on championing populist issues and battling corruption. Reeves, 49, has found himself on the defensive, tangled up in the state’s largest public corruption investigation over misuse of millions of dollars in welfare funds while he was lieutenant governor.”
