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Sam R. Hall: Will Philip Gunn primary Tate Reeves? [1]
['Sam R. Hall', 'Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal']
Date: 2022-07
Jun. 20—For those not paying attention, House Speaker Philip Gunn, R-Clinton, is sending some not so subtle hints that he's at least considering a primary challenge to Gov. Tate Reeves in 2023.
The two Republican leaders have never had a close relationship. When Reeves was lieutenant governor, the two often sparred. The contentious relationship between the House and Senate was partly a reflection of the legislative one-upmanship in which the two often engaged.
Now that Reeves has graduated to the governor's mansion, he finds himself unable to influence the Legislature due to an office that was purposefully designed to be constitutionally weak. In that way, Gunn and Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann have done as they please with little attention paid to the governor.
The biggest legislative battle in which Reeves was involved was over the spending of federal COVID-19 dollars. Reeves used the power of his bully pulpit — and that of his role leading the state during the pandemic — attempting to influence lawmakers. Along the way, his anger at their direction (and likely his frustration over a governor's legislative impotency) led him to lash out at lawmakers.
Gunn did not take kindly to that, and he wrote a scathing letter to Reeves. Gunn said Reeves had resorted to "cheap theatrics and false personal insults" when he "portrayed legislators as thieves and killers." Gunn told Reeves to stop the name-calling and start working with lawmakers. "You have our phone numbers. You know where we are. We are ready to go," Gunn wrote.
That was more than a year ago. Since then, the relationship has only gotten worse — unless you are looking at it from Gunn's perspective.
Say what you will about Reeves, he's a shrewd politician. Rarely is he outmaneuvered. He notoriously lacks strong people skills, but he is smart on policy and well versed in politics. That Gunn has worked him over not once but twice in recent weeks sends a strong message.
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The first time came in May, when Gunn sent a letter to Reeves saying the Mississippi Department of Employment Security was not enforcing work-search requirements for unemployment benefits. Gunn relayed concerns of employers who could not find workers, which they blamed on enhanced unemployment benefits. Gunn asked the governor to either strictly enforce the work-search requirement or — better yet — end the enhanced benefits.
Hours later, Reeves announced he was ending enhanced unemployment benefits.
On Wednesday, Gunn sent another letter to Reeves. "Unless there is some reason for the declaration of a state of emergency to continue, then on behalf of the people of the state of Mississippi who are ready to return their lives to normal, we call on you to declare the state of emergency over," Gunn wrote. Reeves responded that the state of emergency was needed so National Guard troops could continue to be paid during their deployment related to COVID-19.
Two days later, Reeves announced he was lifting the state of emergency.
Granted, it is pretty clear Reeves was already planning both actions before Gunn sent the well-timed letters. Nevertheless, Gunn shrewdly played Reeves both times.
Perhaps Gunn is just being vindictive, but a more likely scenario is that Gunn wants everyone to know he is prepared to step up against the incumbent.
SAM R. HALL is executive editor of the Daily Journal. Contact him at 662-678-1586,
[email protected] or @samrhall on Twitter.
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[1] Url:
https://news.yahoo.com/sam-r-hall-philip-gunn-123600837.html
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