2019 Mississippi gubernatorial election

For related races, see 2019 United States gubernatorial elections.

The 2019 Mississippi gubernatorial election took place on November 5, 2019, to choose the next governor of Mississippi.^[1] Incumbent Governor Phil Bryant was ineligible to run for a third term due to term limits. The Democratic Party nominated incumbent Attorney General Jim Hood, the only Democrat holding statewide office in Mississippi; the Republican Party nominated incumbent Lieutenant Governor Tate Reeves. In the general election, Reeves defeated Hood by a margin of 5.08%, with Reeves significantly underperforming Donald Trump, who won the state by 17 points in 2016.

2019 Mississippi gubernatorial election

← 2015 November 5, 2019 2023 →

Nominee Tate Reeves Jim Hood Party Republican Democratic Electoral vote 73 49 Popular vote 459,396 414,368 Percentage 51.91% 46.83%

County results Congressional district results Precinct results Reeves:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Hood:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%

Governor before election Phil Bryant Republican Elected Governor Tate Reeves Republican

Background

Situated in the Deep South as a socially conservative Bible Belt state, Mississippi is one of the most Republican states in the country. No Democrat has been elected to the governorship since Ronnie Musgrove in 1999. However, the state's Democratic Attorney General, Jim Hood, who had held his office since 2004 and had yet to lose a statewide election, put the Republicans' winning streak of four elections in a row to the test, as the race became unusually competitive. Reeves defeated Hood in the general election by a margin of 5.1%, making this the closest a Democrat had come to winning a Mississippi gubernatorial election since 1999. Hood pulled off the best performance by a Democrat since the 2003 Mississippi gubernatorial election, when fellow Democrat Ronnie Musgrove took 45.81% of the vote.^[2] Hood flipped the counties of Chickasaw, Lafayette, Madison, Panola, and Warren, which had all voted for Republican Donald Trump in the 2016 United States presidential election.

Uniquely among the states, the Constitution of Mississippi establishes a sort of electoral college at the state level. For the election of governor. Article 5, Section 140 of the state constitution states that each state House district is assigned an electoral vote, and that a candidate running for governor must receive a majority of electoral votes (essentially, they must win a majority of state House districts) in addition to winning a majority of the popular vote in order to be elected governor.^[3] Article 5, Section 141 of the state constitution states that if no candidate wins both a popular and electoral vote majority, the state House of Representatives is assigned to decide the winner, choosing from the two highest popular vote winners.^[4] This provision came into play only one time in the state's history; Democratic candidate Ronnie Musgrove in the 1999 gubernatorial election garnered a plurality, but not a majority; the House selected Musgrove.^[5]

In the lead-up to the election, controversy emerged over these constitutional provisions establishing a state system of electoral votes, with a federal lawsuit claiming the provisions are racially biased.^[6] These provisions were put in place with the 1890 Mississippi Constitution, itself established by the segregationist Redeemers and overturning the Reconstruction-era 1868 Constitution, as part of Jim Crow Era policy to minimize the power of African Americans in politics.^[6] Because of this, as well as present gerrymandering that packs African Americans into a small number of districts, the plaintiffs claim the provisions should be struck down on the basis of racial bias.^[5]

On November 3, 2020, an amendment was passed removing the electoral college, with 79% of the vote.

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Tate Reeves, lieutenant governor of Mississippi^{[7][8][9][10]}

Eliminated in runoff

• Bill Waller Jr., former chief justice of the Mississippi State Supreme Court^[11] and son of former Democratic Governor William "Bill" Waller. Sr (1972–1976)

Eliminated in primary

• Robert Foster, Mississippi state representative^[12][13]

Withdrawn

• Hal Marx, mayor of Petal^[14][15][10] (endorsed Tate Reeves)

Declined

• Thomas Duff, businessman^[16]
• Lynn Fitch, Mississippi state treasurer (running for Mississippi attorney general)^[17]
• Gerard Gibert, businessman and lottery board member^[10]
• Philip Gunn, speaker of the Mississippi House of Representatives^[18]
• Trent Lott, former U.S. senator^[19][20]
• Chris McDaniel, Mississippi states senator and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2014 and 2018 (endorsed Tate Reeves)^[21]
• Mike Randolph, presiding justice of the Mississippi State Supreme Court^[22]
• Andy Taggart, former chief of staff to Governor Kirk Fordice (running for Mississippi attorney general)^[23]

Endorsements

Tate Reeves

U.S. Presidents

• Donald Trump, 45th president of the United States^[24]

U.S. Representatives

• Steven Palazzo (MS-04)

State-wide officials

• Haley Barbour, former governor of Mississippi^[25]
• Sam Britton, public service commissioner (Southern District)
• Phil Bryant, governor of Mississippi^[26]
• Pete Ricketts, governor of Nebraska^[27]

State legislators

• Chris McDaniel, Mississippi State Senator^[28]

Mayors

• Fofo Gilich, Biloxi, Mississippi^[29]
• Hal Marx, Petal, Mississippi
• Dane Maxwell, Pascagoula, Mississippi^[29]
• Chipper McDermott, Pass Christian, Mississippi^[29]
• Rusty Quave, D'Iberville, Mississippi^[29]
• Mike Smith, Waveland, Mississippi^[29]

Organizations

• Americans for Prosperity Action^[30]
• Mississippi Manufacturers Association^[31]
• Mississippi Right to Life PAC^[32]
• NRA Political Victory Fund^[33]

Individuals

• Brett Favre, Super Bowl champion^[34]
• Jake Mangum, professional baseball outfielder^[35]

Bill Waller Jr.

State legislators

• Robert Foster, former candidate for governor (endorsed in run-off election)^[36]

Individuals

• Dan Fordice, son of former Governor Kirk Fordice^[37]
• Billy Mounger, former Mississippi Republican Party chairman^[38]
• Billy Powell, former Mississippi Republican Party chairman^[38]
• Clarke Reed, former Mississippi Republican Party chairman^[38]
• Michael Retzer, former Mississippi Republican Party chairman^[38]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size[a]	Margin of error	Robert Foster	Tate Reeves	Bill Waller Jr.	Undecided
Mason-Dixon[39]	July 24–27, 2019	500	± 4.5%	13%	41%	31%	15%
Impact Management Group[40]	June 10–14, 2019	354	± 5.3%	9%	50%	19%	28%
Mason-Dixon[41]	January 30 – February 1, 2019	400	± 5.0%	9%	62%	–	29%

Hypothetical polling
Poll source Date(s) administered Sample size Margin of error Lynn Fitch Tate Reeves Undecided JMC Analytics[42] February 15–17, 2018 500 ± 4.4% 12% 21% 67% Mason-Dixon[43] December 13–15, 2017 400 ± 5.0% 18% 37% 45%

Results

First round results by county:

  Reeves

•   30–40%
•   40–50%
•   50–60%
•   60–70%

  Waller

•   40–50%
•   50–60%
•   60–70%

  Foster

•   40–50%

Republican primary results^[44]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Tate Reeves	187,312	48.9
	Republican	Bill Waller Jr.	128,010	33.4
	Republican	Robert Foster	67,758	17.7
Total votes			383,080	100.0

Runoff

Runoff results by county

  Reeves

•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   80–90%

  Waller

•   50–60%
•   60–70%

Republican primary runoff results^[45]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Tate Reeves	179,623	54.1
	Republican	Bill Waller Jr.	152,201	45.9
Total votes			331,824	100.0

Democratic primary

Candidates

Nominee

• Jim Hood, Mississippi attorney general^[46][10][47]

Eliminated in primary

• Michael Brown^[48]
• William Bond Compton Jr., candidate for governor of Mississippi in 2007 and 2011, candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2014, nominee for the Mississippi House of Representatives in the 83rd district in 2015^[48]
• Robert J. Ray^[48]
• Robert Shuler Smith, Hinds County district attorney^[49]
• Gregory Wash^[48]
• Velesha Williams, former director for the Metro Jackson Community Prevention Coalition and former U.S. Army officer^[50][10]
• Albert Wilson, businessman and community organizer^[51]

Withdrawn

• Phillip West, former state representative and former mayor of Natchez (endorsed Jim Hood)^[52]

Declined

• Anthony Witherspoon, mayor of Magnolia^[53][10]

Endorsements

Jim Hood

U.S. Executive Branch officials

• Ray Mabus, 75th United States secretary of the Navy and former governor of Mississippi^{[citation needed]}

Statewide officials
State legislators

• Earle S. Banks, Mississippi state representative^{[citation needed]}
• Chris Bell, Mississippi state representative^{[citation needed]}
• David Blount, Mississippi state senator^{[citation needed]}
• Jarvis Dortch, Mississippi state representative^{[citation needed]}
• Sollie Norwood, Mississippi state senator^{[citation needed]}

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size[a]	Margin of error	Jim Hood	Robert Shuler Smith	Undecided
Triumph Campaigns[54]	January 29, 2018	2,145	± 1.8%	36%	34%	30%

Hypothetical polling
Poll source Date(s) administered Sample size[a] Margin of error Jim Hood Chokwe Antar Lumumba Undecided Triumph Campaigns[54] January 29, 2018 2,145 ± 1.8% 49% 27% 23%

Results

Results by county:

  Hood

•   30–40%
•   40–50%
•   50–60%
•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   80–90%

Democratic primary results^[55]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Jim Hood	208,634	69.0
	Democratic	Michael Brown	33,247	11.0
	Democratic	Velesha Williams	20,844	6.9
	Democratic	Robert Shuler Smith	20,395	6.7
	Democratic	Robert Ray	5,609	1.8
	Democratic	William Bond Compton Jr.	5,321	1.8
	Democratic	Albert Wilson	5,122	1.7
	Democratic	Gregory Wash	3,218	1.1
Total votes			302,390	100.0

Other candidates

Constitution Party

Declared

• Bob Hickingbottom^[56]

Independents

Declared

• David Singletary, U.S. Air Force veteran and former hotel owner^[57]

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
The Cook Political Report[58]	Lean R	October 15, 2019
Inside Elections[59]	Lean R	November 8, 2019
Sabato's Crystal Ball[60]	Lean R	November 8, 2019

Debates

Dates	Location	Hood	Reeves	Link
October 10, 2019	University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg	Participant	Participant	[61]
October 14, 2019	WCBI Studios Columbus	Participant	Participant	[62]

Endorsements

Tate Reeves (R)

U.S. Executive Branch officials

• Mike Pence, 48th vice president of the United States^[63]
• Donald Trump, 45th president of the United States^[64][65]

Members of Congress

• Cindy Hyde-Smith, U.S. senator (R-MS)^[66]
• Trent Kelly, U.S. representative (R-MS)^[67]
• Roger Wicker, U.S. senator (R-MS)^[68]

Statewide officials

• Haley Barbour, former governor of Mississippi^[25]
• Phil Bryant, governor of Mississippi^[26]
• Jeb Bush, former governor of Florida^[69]
• Pete Ricketts, governor of Nebraska^[27]

State legislators

• Robert Foster, Mississippi state representative
• Chris Johnson, Mississippi state representative
• Chris McDaniel, Mississippi state senator^[28]
• John A. Polk, Mississippi state senator

Mayors

• Fofo Gilich, Biloxi, Mississippi^[29]
• Hal Marx, Petal, Mississippi
• Dane Maxwell, Pascagoula, Mississippi^[29]
• Chipper McDermott, Pass Christian, Mississippi^[29]
• Rusty Quave, D'Iberville, Mississippi^[29]
• Mike Smith, Waveland, Mississippi^[29]

Organizations

• Americans for Prosperity Action^[30]
• Mississippi Manufacturers Association^[31]
• Mississippi Right to Life PAC^[32]
• NRA Political Victory Fund^[33]

Individuals

• Brett Favre, Super Bowl champion^[34]
• Jake Mangum, professional baseball outfielder^[35]

Jim Hood (D)

U.S. Executive Branch officials

• Ray Mabus, 75th United States secretary of the Navy and former governor of Mississippi
• Barack Obama, 44th president of the United States^[70]

Statewide officials

• John Bel Edwards, governor of Louisiana^[71]

State legislators

• Stacey Abrams, 2018 Democratic nominee for governor of Georgia, former minority leader of the Georgia House of Representatives^[72]
• Earle S. Banks, Mississippi state representative
• Chris Bell, Mississippi state representative
• David Blount, Mississippi state senator
• Jarvis Dortch, Mississippi state representative
• Sollie Norwood, Mississippi state senator

Mayors

• Jason Shelton, mayor of Tupelo^[73]

Organizations

• Democratic Governors Association^[74]
• Mississippi Association of Educators ^[75]

Individuals

• Grey DeLisle, voice actress and activist^[76]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size[a]	Margin of error	Tate Reeves (R)	Jim Hood (D)	David Singletary (I)	Bob Hickingbottom (C)	Undecided
NBC/Survey Monkey[77]	October 8–22, 2019	1,002 (RV)	± 4.7%	47%	40%	7%	2%	3%
Targoz Market Research[78]	October 13–20, 2019	384 (LV)	–	47%	46%	–	–	7%
Mason-Dixon[79]	October 17–19, 2019	625 (LV)	± 4.0%	46%	43%	–	–	9%
Hickman Analytics[80]	October 13–16, 2019	508 (LV)	± 4.4%	42%	46%	–	–	–
Hickman Analytics (D)[81][A]	September 22–26, 2019	500 (LV)	± 4.0%	42%	45%	–	–	–
Hickman Analytics (D)[82][A]	August 11–15, 2019	600 (LV)	± 4.0%	42%	43%	–	–	–
NBC News/SurveyMonkey[83]	July 2–16, 2019	1,171 (RV)	± 4.2%	51%	42%	–	–	6%
Impact Management Group[40]	June 10–14, 2019	610 (LV)	± 4.0%	48%	36%	4%	–	12%
Hickman Analytics (D)[84][A]	May 5–9, 2019	604 (LV)	± 4.0%	40%	45%	–	–	–
Mason-Dixon[41]	January 30 – February 1, 2019	625 (RV)	± 4.0%	42%	44%	–	–	14%
OnMessage Inc. (R)[85][B]	January 28–30, 2019	600 (RV)	± 3.5%	51%	36%	–	–	13%
Mason-Dixon[86]	April 12–14, 2018	625 (RV)	± 4.0%	39%	44%	–	–	17%
Chism Strategies/Millsaps College[87]	December 15–19, 2017	578 (RV)	± 4.1%	45%	38%	–	–	18%
Mason-Dixon[43]	December 13–15, 2017	625 (RV)	± 4.0%	37%	43%	–	–	20%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size[a]	Margin of error	Tate Reeves (R)	Jim Hood (D)	Bill Waller Jr. (I)	Undecided
Mason-Dixon[41]	January 30 – February 1, 2019	625 (RV)	± 4.0%	38%	40%	9%	13%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size[a]	Margin of error	Bill Waller Jr. (R)	Jim Hood (D)	David Singletary (I)	Undecided
NBC News/SurveyMonkey[83]	July 2–16, 2019	1,171 (RV)	± 4.2%	53%	41%	–	6%
Impact Management Group[40]	June 10–14, 2019	610 (LV)	± 4.0%	43%	36%	4%	17%

Hypothetical polling

with Tate Reeves, Jim Hood, and Bill Waller Jr.

with Bill Waller Jr. and Jim Hood

Results

Candidate		Party	Popular vote		Electoral vote
			Votes	%	Votes	%
	Tate Reeves	Republican Party	459,396	51.91	73	59.84
	Jim Hood	Democratic Party	414,368	46.83	49	40.16
	David Singletary	Independent	8,522	0.96
	Bob Hickingbottom	Constitution Party	2,625	0.30
Total			884,911	100.00	122	100.00
Source: Mississippi Secretary of State

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

• Adams (largest city: Natchez)
• Chickasaw (largest city: Houston)
• Clay (largest city: West Point)
• Copiah (largest city: Hazlehurst)
• Issaquena (largest city: Mayersville)
• Jasper (largest city: Bay Springs)
• Kemper (largest city: De Kalb)
• Lafayette (largest city: Oxford)
• Madison (largest city: Madison)
• Marshall (largest city: Holly Springs)
• Oktibbeha (largest city: Starkville)
• Panola (largest city: Batesville)
• Pike (largest city: McComb)
• Quitman (largest city: Lambert)
• Sharkey (largest city: Rolling Fork)
• Tallahatchie (largest city: Charleston)
• Warren (largest city: Vicksburg)
• Yazoo (largest city: Yazoo City)

By congressional district

Reeves won three of four congressional districts.^[88]

District	Reeves	Hood	Representative
1st	59%	40%	Trent Kelly
2nd	32%	67%	Bennie Thompson
3rd	54%	45%	Michael Guest
4th	63%	35%	Steven Palazzo

See also

• 2019 United States elections
• 2019 Mississippi elections

Notes

1. Key:
   A – all adults
   RV – registered voters
   LV – likely voters
   V – unclear

Partisan clients

1. Poll sponsored by the Jim Hood campaign
2. Poll sponsored by the Tate Reeves campaign