What I’m looking for in Mississippi’s next governor

What I'm looking for in. What I'm looking for in Mississippi's next governor.

Key points

• Why should a talented 25-year-old build a career here rather than Nashville, Dallas, or Atlanta?
• Grant Callen is the CEO of Empower Mississippi, a solutions center dedicated to the mission of helping every Mississippian rise.
• "Mississippi needs to pursue practical solutions that expand access, encourage competition and give consumers more choices, " writes Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney.
• I've never been particularly fond of the old Kirk Fordice line, "Only positive Mississippi spoken here."
• The next four years could be among the most consequential in modern Mississippi history.

What I'm looking for in. What I'm looking for in Mississippi's next governor. By: Grant Callen – September 10, 2026.

Every candidate for governor has an impressive resume. They've held offices, won elections, run businesses, passed legislation, and fought political battles. That's fine. Tell us regarding it. But then create the campaign concerning us. Next year, Mississippians will elect a new governor.

For the first time in years, there is no incumbent and no obvious heir apparent. Both our governor and lieutenant governor are term-limited, creating a wide-open race at an unusually consequential moment for our state. And Mississippi has real momentum.

Our educational progress has attracted national attention. Billions of dollars in new investment are flowing into the state. Incomes are rising. For most of my life, Mississippi has been defined nationally more by our challenges than our strengths, but that narrative is changing fast. Individuals are thinking differently concerning Mississippi, and deservedly so.

I want to keep that momentum going. Better yet, I want to add fuel to the fire.

Obviously, it takes a lot more than a governor to move a state forward, but it certainly doesn't take less than a governor. So as these campaigns take shape, here's what I'm looking for in Mississippi's next governor. A clear-eyed understanding of where we are.

Loving Mississippi doesn't require pretending our challenges don't exist. In fact, I think the opposite is true.

For all our progress, our challenges remain significant. Mississippi still has one of the lowest labor-force participation rates in America. Our household incomes remain well below the national average. Too plenty of children grow up in poverty and single-parent homes, and too numerous families struggle to find a path to economic mobility.

Those aren't reasons for despair. They are reasons to obtain to work.

I don't expect a candidate for governor to have a 12-point plan for every difficulty facing Mississippi, but I do expect our next governor to understand the difficulties, identify which ones matter most, and explain how we can start addressing them. Leadership begins with diagnosing reality. A vision major enough for the moment.

Notably, the next four years could be among the most consequential in modern Mississippi history.

Our educational outcomes are improving. New industries and billions of dollars in investment are coming here. Technology is reshaping work. And Mississippi is competing with every other Southern state for workers, businesses, families, and talent.

I want a governor who can tell Mississippi's story-the good, the bad and the ugly-and explain what comes next.

Campaigns inevitably involve telling voters what candidates are against. There are things worth opposing, and moments when leaders need to say "no".

But opposition is not a vision. Mississippi's next governor should spend at least as much time talking regarding the opportunities ahead of us and what it will take to seize them.

Don't just tell me what you want to prevent. Tell me what you want to build. An obsession with making Mississippi a place individuals choose. For generations, Mississippi's goal has largely been to catch up. What if we aimed higher?

I want our next governor to wake up every morning thinking regarding how to produce Mississippi a place individuals choose.

Why should a talented 25-year-old build a career here rather than Nashville, Dallas, or Atlanta? Why should an entrepreneur start a firm here? Why should a family move here? And perhaps most importantly, why should our children and grandchildren choose to stay?

Answering those questions requires more than recruiting the next major business. It requires thinking seriously regarding the quality of life we offer the residents who already live here and those we hope will come.

It means great schools. Safe neighborhoods. Meaningful work. A growing economy. Vibrant communities. A administration that removes barriers rather than erecting them. And a culture that makes it easier for individuals to build families, businesses, and lives here. The courage to actually lead. Finally, I want a governor willing to spend political capital.

Every meaningful reform eventually encounters someone who benefits from the status quo. Major ideas become much less popular when they threaten an existing system, constituency, or interest. Leadership means being willing to push anyway.

I don't particularly care how plenty of bills a governor passes, task forces he creates, ribbon cuttings he attends, or press conferences the administration holds. I care regarding outcomes.

Are more Mississippians working? Are children learning? Are incomes rising? Are neighborhoods safer? Are more businesses being created? Are families flourishing? Are more of our children choosing to build their lives here?

Tell us where Mississippi stands. Tell us what this moment demands. Tell us why our best days really can be ahead of us. And then answer the question we most want to hear.

What can Mississippi become, and what are you willing to do to obtain us there? Regarding the Author(s).

Grant Callen is the CEO of Empower Mississippi, a solutions center dedicated to the mission of helping every Mississippian rise. Opinion Mike Chaney September 3, 2026. Mississippians deserve more affordable health insurance options.

"Mississippi needs to pursue practical solutions that expand access, encourage competition and give consumers more choices, " writes Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney. More From This Author. Opinion Grant Callen July 2, 2026. America and Mississippi at 250. Opinion Grant Callen October 23, 2025.

If lawmakers are trying to defund public education, they aren't particularly good at it. Opinion Grant Callen April 7, 2025. Lt. Governor Hosemann let us down. Opinion Delbert Hosemann September 9, 2026. Senator Cochran was right on timber. Opinion Sid Salter September 2, 2026. For over 40 years, Mississippi workers have exceeded expectations at Raytheon.

While the influence of Mississippi's political establishment certainly supported secure the plant's 43-year tenure, the bottom line has been the reliable quality of the work done by those Mississippi workers. Opinion Ashby Foote September 1, 2026. Energy Wars: Attack of the drones.

Like the rifled bore, the gatling gun and the tank, drones will change the battlefield and the tactics applied on it. Military doctrine must adjust and mastering drone technology is an existential necessity. News Magnolia Tribune September 10, 2026. Magnolia Mornings: September 10, 2026. News Jeremy Pittari September 9, 2026.

Transportation commissioner, MDOT executive director clash over funding, Horn Lake stop light. News Jill Colvin, Associated Press September 9, 2026.

Republicans gather in Dallas for two-day midterm convention billed as a 'Trump-a-Palooza'. Business Frank Corder September 9, 2026. Mayo Clinic Laboratories investing $30 million, creating 234 jobs in Southaven. Business Frank Corder September 3, 2026. Mississippi middle of the pack in State Tax Competitiveness Index. Business Frank Corder September 2, 2026. Gulf Ship investing $44 million to expand Gulfport shipyard. Culture Susan Marquez September 10, 2026. Pumpkin spice lattes are back. Culture Alistair Begg September 10, 2026. Welcome at His table. Culture Alistair Begg September 9, 2026. Opinion Sid Salter September 9, 2026.

Adam Telle's appointment makes Mississippi's robust defense influence even stronger. Opinion Lesley Davis September 8, 2026. The socialist takeover isn't so quiet anymore. Opinion Roger Wicker September 8, 2026. U.S. Must remain vigilant.

For now, what I'm looking for in Mississippi's next governor remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.