Mississippi Governor — Tate Reeves

Jonathan Tate Reeves, born June 5, 1974, is a native of Rankin County, Mississippi, and a graduate of Millsaps College. He served two terms as state treasurer and two terms as lieutenant governor before being elected as Mississippi's 65th governor in 2019. He was reelected in 2023 and is term-limited from running again.

Eliminate Mississippi's income tax to make the state more competitive and allow workers to keep more of their earnings

Status: in-progress

Reeves signed House Bill 1 in March 2025, putting Mississippi on a path to eliminate income tax gradually. The personal income tax will reduce from 4.4% to 3% by 2030, with full elimination targeted for 2037 pending revenue growth triggers. This was a decade-long effort by Reeves dating back to his time as lieutenant governor. The bill also reduced grocery sales tax from 7% to 5% and increased gasoline tax.

Increase teacher pay and improve Mississippi's education system through conservative reforms

Status: in-progress

In 2022, Reeves signed the largest teacher pay raise in a generation, averaging $5,100 per teacher (more than 10% increase). However, as of February 2026, Reeves did not prioritize another teacher pay raise in his budget proposal, instead focusing on expanding school choice and charter schools. He has stated willingness to consider a special session if teacher pay raises are prioritized by the Legislature.

Reject Medicaid expansion and instead implement alternative hospital reimbursement reforms

Status: completed

Reeves announced in September 2023 a $700 million Medicaid hospital reimbursement reform package as an alternative to full Medicaid expansion. Both components were approved by CMS by April 2024. The reforms increased hospital reimbursements to near-Medicare rates without expanding coverage to 200,000 working poor Mississippians. In 2024, both legislative chambers passed Medicaid expansion bills, but Reeves told Republican senators to vote against expansion and threatened to veto any bill. The expansion efforts failed.

Governor Tracker

Tate Reeves

Republican (R)In office since 2020-01-14· Term ends 2028-01-11

Previously:Mississippi State Treasurer (2004-2012)Mississippi Lieutenant Governor (2012-2020)

Approval Rating

48%

Morning Consult (cited in MultiState analysis)

Agenda Progress

1 / 3

promises completed

At a Glance

📋 3 tracked promises📝 4 recent actions⚠ 1 controversy⚠ 2 contradictions

Click the tabs above to explore agenda tracking, recent actions, transparency issues, and more.

◆ Sources

Ballotpedia - Governor of Mississippi Office of Governor Tate Reeves - Official Website Wikipedia - Tate Reeves Wikipedia - 2027 Mississippi gubernatorial election Mississippi Today - Comprehensive coverage of Mississippi politics

Last updated: 2026-04-10