The Other Side: Mississippi Today's Political Podcast

Voters will choose between Mississippi Supreme Court Justice Jim Kitchens and state Sen. Jenifer Branning in a runoff election on Nov. 26, the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Mississippi Today's Adam Ganucheau, Bobby Harrison, and Taylor Vance break down the race and discuss why the election is so important for the future of the court and policy in Mississippi.

Mississippi Today's Taylor Vance and Bobby Harrison interview Central District Supreme Court Justice Jim Kitchens about his Nov. 26 runoff election. Kitchens is being challenged by state Sen. Jenifer Branning, R-Philadelphia. (Note: Mississippi Today also has extended an invitation to Branning to appear on "The Other Side" podcast.)          

Secretary of State Michael Watson talks with Mississippi Today's Geoff Pender, Bobby Harrison and Taylor Vance ahead of Tuesday's election. He urges voters to remember sacrifices many have made to protect Americans' voting rights and get to the polls, and he weighs in on whether a recent court ruling on absentee vote counting will impact this year's elections.

Mississippi Today's Geoff Pender and Bobby Harrison get an update on the state's medical cannabis program from Angie Calhoun, founder and CEO of the Mississippi Cannabis Patients Alliance. Calhoun became an advocate for medical marijuana when her son suffered debilitating Lyme Disease symptoms but could not try cannabis treatment in Mississippi. Her alliance provides many resources for patients an...

Mississippi Today's Adam Ganucheau, Geoff Pender, and Taylor Vance discuss three major political news events: the funding of Rep. Trey Lamar's Jackson street replacement, a poll from Speaker Jason White on tax elimination, and a contentious Mississippi Supreme Court race that could come down to the wire.

Mississippi Today's Adam Ganucheau sits down with politics editor Geoff Pender and reporter Taylor Vance to discuss their new investigation of state-funded projects that benefited Rep. Trey Lamar's neighborhoods. They detail how the story came about and share their key takeaways from the investigation.

Mississippi Today's Bobby Harrison talks with former Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Bill Waller Jr. about his life after retiring from the judiciary and running for governor in 2019. He says he still is concerned about issues facing the state and does not completely rule out another campaign for governor.

Mississippi Today's Geoff Pender, Bobby Harrison and Adam Ganucheau discuss the continued effort to eliminate Mississippi's income tax. They discuss what that could mean for Mississippi and how the process could play out moving forward.

Mississippi Today's Adam Ganucheau and Bobby Harrison discuss Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney's recent proposal to change his office's traditionally elected position to an appointed one. Chaney is not the first Mississippi elected official to suggest such a bold step, and the politics of the state could make this debate a fiery one in 2025.

State Sen. David Blount sits down with Mississippi Today's Bobby Harrison and Adam Ganucheau to discuss the push for income tax elimination and how that would affect the state's budget. He also talks about needed funding for the state's troubled retirement system and whether Mississippi will soon adopt mobile sports betting.

As Republican lawmakers begin a series of fall hearings to consider an elimination of the individual income tax, Mississippi Today's Adam Ganucheau, Bobby Harrison, and Geoff Pender break down the recent history of tax cut and the politics surrounding the idea.

Corey Miller, state economist and director of Mississippi's University Research Center, gives Mississippi Today's Bobby Harrison and Geoff Pender a briefing on the economic state of the state, unemployment and workforce participation. He also tells a funny economist joke!

Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann tells Mississippi Today's Geoff Pender, Bobby Harrison and Taylor Vance the state's financial position should allow for cutting the state's grocery tax next year. He covers numerous other topics and also talks about state Auditor Shad White's political scorched-earth from his new book on the welfare scandal.

Brandon Presley, who was elected to public office at age 23, tells Mississippi Today's Bobby Harrison and Taylor Vance that he is not eyeing another run for public office after narrow loss in 2023 gubernatorial election. But Presley did not completely rule out another election run, adding that he is excited about attending this week's Democratic National Convention to support Vice President Kamala...

The 2027 statewide election might seem far off to most folks, but the Neshoba County Fair made clear that Mississippi politicians are already jockeying to run for higher offices, particularly the governor's seat that will be open. Mississippi Today's Bobby Harrison, Geoff Pender and Taylor Vance discuss who's looking to make a move for the state's top political offices.

Former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour talks with Mississippi Today's Bobby Harrison, Geoff Pender and Taylor Vance about the contentious 1976 Republican Convention between Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan. He recalls how he filibustered the media from eavesdropping on members of the Mississippi delegation as they argued by reciting the state's 82 counties forward and backward.

State Rep. Robert Johnson, D-Natchez, talks with Mississippi Today's Bobby Harrison and Taylor Vance about whirlwind events surrounding the Democratic presidential nomination. Johnson is a delegate to the Democratic National Convention.

Senate Elections Chairman Jeremy England tells Mississippi Today's Geoff Pender and Taylor Vance that he plans again in the 2025 legislative session to push for in-person early voting and for campaign finance reform — measures he introduced this year that were unsuccessful.

Mississippi Today's Bobby Harrison and Taylor Vance talk with former Democratic state House member and attorney Brandon Jones about President Joe Biden's health, about state Supreme Court races and a litany of ongoing federal lawsuits that could impact Mississippi politics. Jones is the director of political campaigns for the Southern Poverty Law Center Action Fund.

State Sen. Hob Bryan, D-Amory, covers a wide array of issues facing the state during an interview with Mississippi Today's Bobby Harrison and Geoff Pender. Bryan argues Mississippi's ability to deal with major issues will be stymied if the personal income tax is eliminated as some politicians advocate.

Mississippi Today's Bobby Harrison and Geoff Pender interview Mississippi Democratic Party Chairman Cheikh Taylor about President Joe Biden's debate performance and the future of the Democratic Party in Mississippi. Taylor, a state House member from Starkville, also expressed hope that the Legislature will finally approve Medicaid expansion in the 2025 session.

New Mississippi Republican Party Chairman Mike Hurst talks with Mississippi Today's Geoff Pender and Taylor Vance about November 2024 and 2027 elections, Medicaid expansion and party platform and why state Republicans should celebrate Juneteenth.

Mississippi Today's Bobby Harrison and Geoff Pender interview Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney about the impact of legislation allowing him to create a state exchange where Mississippians can sign up for health insurance instead of doing so on a federal exchange. Chaney said the new exchange would be a positive for the about 250,000 Mississippians on the federal exchange. But Chaney says he will...

Mississippi Today's Bobby Harrison, Geoff Pender and Taylor Vance provide an overview of House Speaker Jason White's plan to cut the state's grocery tax and phase out the income tax. They also break down the select committee White formed to study state taxes.

Investigative journalists Brian Howey and Nate Rosenfield join Adam Ganucheau to discuss their latest report on the Rankin County Sheriff Department's "Goon Squad." The reporters discuss shocking new internal police communications they obtained and published, and they discuss the importance of the ongoing reporting.