The Other Side: Mississippi Today's Political Podcast

Mississippi author Kiese Laymon joined Mississippi Today Managing Editor Kayleigh Skinner to discuss race and politics in Mississippi, including the U.S. Senate race between Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith and Mike Espy.

Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, who has laid low in the 2020 U.S. Senate race against Democrat Mike Espy, appeared in at least two open-to-the-public events last week. With just three weeks from Election Day, Mississippi Today Editor in Chief Adam Ganucheau and senior political reporter Geoff Pender discuss Hyde-Smith's strategy and the biggest storylines ahead of the Nov. 3 election.

Democratic Senate candidate Mike Espy has said he believes his formula for success in the Nov. 3 general election against Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith is a 3% increase from the 2018 special election in Black voter turnout, and a 4% increase in his support among white voters. Rep. Zakiya Summers and Sen. Sollie Norwood, both members of the Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus, discuss whether t...

Democrat Mike Espy has raised more than a million dollars in a week at just the right time ahead of his Nov. 3 challenge of Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith. Mississippi Today political reporters discuss where the race sits a little more than a month out.

State Auditor Shad White joins Mississippi Today Editor in Chief Adam Ganucheau to discuss why he recommended that University of Mississippi professor JT Thomas should be fired. White also discussed his philosophy on public education spending.

Ed Langton of the state Board of Health joins political reporters Geoff Pender and Bobby Harrison to talk about the medical marijuana initiatives that will be on the November general election ballot and whether medical marijuana should be incorporated into the Mississippi Constitution. In this episode we referenced a previously released podcast that sees this issue from the other side. Here is tha...

From a pivotal Senate election, all four congressionals, and a medical marijuana referendum – Mississippi Today political reporters Bobby Harrison and Geoff Pender join managing editor Kayleigh Skinner to preview what, exactly, will be on the ballot in November. 

Mississippi native and Georgia activist Stacey Abrams, in a fundraiser earlier this summer, discussed Mike Espy's candidacy for the U.S. Senate in 2020.

Mississippi Today political reporters spent a couple weeks digging into the Senate campaigns of Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith and Democratic challenger Mike Espy. What they found were completely different strategies and infrastructures.

Mississippi Today's political reporters discuss how Gov. Tate Reeves' heavy-handed leadership style in previous years has led to contentious moments with Republican legislative leaders in 2020

Gov. Tate Reeves announced last week he would allow most of the state's public schools to reopen this month, even after medical experts urging him to delay. Mississippi Today's editors discuss why Reeves made the decision and what could happen next. 

Jarrius Adams, a 23-year-old activist, is one of several young Mississippians working to influence politics and policy in the state. Adams, who co-organized Jackson's massive Black Lives Matter protest in June, joins Mississippi Today Editor-in-Chief Adam Ganucheau to discuss why he's doing the work and forecast what he hopes the future could look like.

Veteran Sen. Hob Bryan says governor was grandstanding in vetoing more than $2 billion in education funding. Bryan says Legislature would have fixed oversight of not providing bonuses to teachers in top performing and improving school districts without governor vetoing bill. Gov. Tate Reeves is providing funds to schools for now, based on opinion from attorney general.

Three public school educators join Mississippi Today to discuss their concerns about hundreds of thousands of students returning to their classrooms this fall as COVID-19 numbers across the state spike.

Gov. Ronnie Musgrove, the state's last Democrat governor, talks about attempt in 2001 to change state flag and why he believes this time was different. He praises efforts of Hosemann and Gunn.

State Rep. Chris Bell, D-Jackson, discusses how a bipartisan group of lawmakers worked behind closed doors to remove the state flag.

Mississippi Today's political reporters discuss the wild few hours leading up to the moment that lawmakers voted to remove the state flag, which featured the Confederate battle emblem.

Legislature hopes to finish work of funding state agencies in coming days. State budget cuts expected, but not as deep as once feared, Senate Appropriations chair says.

Mississippi Today's political reporters discuss the complicated process of changing the state flag, the last in the nation containing the Confederate battle emblem, this late in the 2020 legislative session.

State Rep. Zakiya Summers, D-Jackson, discusses how the George Floyd killing and the protests in its wake have spurred talks of meaningful criminal justice reform in Mississippi. She also discusses how Mississippi officials must ease access to polls ahead of Election Day during the coronavirus pandemic.

Mississippi Today reporter Bobby Harrison discusses a Capitol win that Gov. Tate Reeves scored last week, and Editor in Chief Adam Ganucheau discusses his three-part series on the dysfunction of the Mississippi Democratic Party.

Whether schools will resume in-person classes this fall is a question that affects nearly every aspect of life for Mississippians. Reporters Kelsey Davis Betz and Kayleigh Skinner discuss the latest on those decisions. 

Rep. Trey Lamar, a top House Republican, discusses the conflict between Gov. Tate Reeves and legislative leadership, and explains the $300 million small business relief package lawmakers passed last week.

The Mississippi Today political team recaps the historic fight between the executive and legislative branches over who should spend the $1.2 billion in federal coronavirus aid, and what it means for Mississippians who could qualify for the federal stimulus relief.

From the state Capitol, the Mississippi Today political team discusses the brewing political fight between Gov. Tate Reeves and legislative leadership over who has authority to spend $1.25 billion in federal stimulus money.