UM football fans take to The Grove in support of Governor Tate Reeves

Many Republican voters are buying into Reeves' "Mississippi Momentum" platform that touts gains made in education and economic development during his first term.

Kimble Wilbanks is a banker from Corinth.

"He's done a lot for Mississippi, especially here in North Mississippi in Alcorn County where I'm from," Wilbanks explains. "We just opened the new sawmill, multi-million dollar sawmill, that he flew in the ribbon cutting. And just really the way he promotes businesses back to Mississippi, encourage[s] our college graduates to stay in Mississippi."

"And, I just like his conservative values."

Though Reeves drew criticism from far-right Republicans for the restrictions he did impose during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, his leadership during that period was a selling point for others.

Geoffrey Yoste is a business development consultant for the National Guard.

"He didn't just completely lock us down and that was a really important thing," says Yoste. "Not only for the school kids, but folks who were having to go to work every day."

But even Reeves' supporters like Yoste admit that Reeves faces an unusually tough challenger in Democrat Brandon Presley.

"Brandon is likable and he's a good guy," Yoste said. "It's gonna be a tough race for Tate... I think he'll win but nobody dislikes Brandon Presley." 

Visiting with supporters on the Grove before Saturday's game, Reeves called the election on Tuesday “gameday for conservatives.”