Democrat raises more funds than GOP incumbent in Mississippi governor’s race

Brandon Presley, the Democrat challenging incumbent Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R), has outraised Reeves heading into November’s election, according to financial reports filed Tuesday.

Presley, a utility regulator, is the cousin of late rock ‘n’ roll megastar Elvis Presley. He would be the Magnolia State’s first Democratic governor in two decades.

Presley began this year with about $727,500 in campaign funds, but he has now raised around $7.9 million and spent almost $6.8 million. In comparison, Reeves began this year with almost $7.9 million, and he has since raised around $5.1 million and spent almost $6.9 million.

Reeves has aimed to discredit Presley’s fundraising. He noted Presley got $3 million from the Democratic Governors Association (DGA), over a third of the Democrat’s total gains.

“Ask yourself: why are they dropping historic money on Mississippi to flip it blue?” Reeves said on social media. “It’s because they know Brandon Presley will govern like a liberal democrat.”

Despite the state’s deep red ties, Democrats are eyeing a possible snag of the governor’s office in November. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D), the chairman of the DGA, has called Mississippi a possible “sleeper.”

“This race is going to come down to … which candidate, and I believe that’s me, has got guts and the backbone to stand up for the people of Mississippi and which candidate has consistently showed us that he will do whatever his lobbyist buddies want him to do and will not stand up for the people of Mississippi,” Presley said.  

The Associated Press contributed.