“People from across Mississippi are supporting this campaign to send a message: Mississippi values matter. We’re not going to let them get replaced with the liberal agenda of politicians like Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, and Jim Hood,” said Lt. Governor Reeves. “The best way to protect our values is solid conservative leadership from the governor’s office, and I’m grateful to everyone who contributed some of their hard-earned paychecks to that cause.”
According to the 2018 year-end campaign finance report filed with the Mississippi Secretary of State, Attorney General Jim Hood’s campaign for governor has $1,044,231.71 cash-on-hand going into 2019. Hood, who kicked off his campaign for governor on Oct. 3, raised $716,000 in 2018 with 87.7 percent of those donations coming from Mississippians.
“I’m proud of the support we have received from a cross-section of Mississippians who want a governor who listens to and cares about their needs,” said Attorney General Hood. “Our campaign is about putting Mississippi families first. It’s about Mississippi families who want great schools; safe roads and bridges; quality healthcare; and a governor who is always approachable and in tune to the challenges we face together as a state.”
A release from Hood’s campaign says 60 percent of the total number of donations received were in amounts of $200 and under, reflecting the kind of grassroots effort that Hood is running in his race for governor.
“We are excited to have a campaign based on standing up for families — not powerful special interests,” said General Hood. “Together, we can build a better Mississippi that works for everyone.”
Republican Representative Robert Foster reported having $12,297.38 in cash on hand while retired Jackson State University employee Democrat Velesha Williams reported having $1,379 on hand.
In the race for Lieutenant Governor, Republican Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann kicked off his campaign with $2,640,884. The report, detailing campaign finance activity for 2018, showed more than 700 donors contributed to his campaign last year, with donations totaling almost $839,000, and a current cash-on-hand of $2,640,884.
“We are grateful to have the support of hundreds of Mississippians across the State, and we look forward to getting the message out about our priorities for the future over the next several months,” said Hosemann.
Hosemann announced his campaign for Lieutenant Governor in early January with a three-day, 10-stop tour to businesses in Brookhaven, Columbus, DeSoto County, Greenwood, Hattiesburg, Meridian, Rankin County, Tupelo, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Hosemann’s Democrat opponent Jay Hughes said he has not been focusing on raising money up until this point, but said he will now start the fundraising process in the hopes of bettering Mississippi and stopping the state’s ‘brain drain’. According to a report from the Secretary of State’s Office, Hughes has $437,461.82 on hand with Hughes loaning tens of thousands of dollars to his campaign in his bid for Lieutenant Governor.
“I am much more concerned with votes than big donations,” Hughes told News Mississippi.
