Neshoba County Fair again full of state leaders, political candidates stumping. See lineup

With the Neshoba County Fair upon us, political candidates from all over the state will be converging on the fairgrounds to give stump speeches next week in an open tent with church pews and sawdust covered floors.

The fair has already begun, but elected officials and candidates running for office will be giving political speeches in the Founder's Square Wednesday from 9:30 to about 11 a.m., and Thursday from 9:20 to about 11 a.m.

There will be 16 speakers.

"Neshoba County Fair was founded in 1889 as a stock and agricultural exhibition, but it soon expanded to include horse racing, carnival rides, political speeches and musical entertainment," according to the Mississippi Country Music Trail website . Over the years, the political speeches that began at the fair grew in popularity and became a staple of state political theatre.

Even presidential candidates have come to throw in their two cents during the fair. Ronald Reagan came to the fair in 1980 during his campaign, in which he gave a speech about states' rights. Other presidential candidates have included Michael Dukakis, a Democrat from Massachusetts. Donald Trump Jr., who represented his father former President Donald Trump, came to speak during the 2016 presidential race.

This year will not include speeches from any of the candidates running for president or anyone from their campaign. However, that isn't to say this year won't be just as interesting as years past.

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Here is a look at who is giving speeches at Neshoba County Fair and when.

State leaders

As far as government leadership goes, this year won't be lacking for legislative or statewide office holders.

Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann will be speaking Wednesday at 10:40 a.m., and Mississippi House Speaker Jason White, R-West, and Republican Gov. Tate Reeves will speak Thursday at 10:30 a.m. and 10:40 a.m., respectively.

This past legislative session brandished several points of contention between Reeves and the leader of the Senate and House, especially over the idea to expand Medicaid in Mississippi and potentially provide free healthcare for about 200,000 working poor Mississippians.

Both the Senate and House passed versions of Medicaid expansion throughout the 2024 Session, all the while Reeves was lobbying both publicly and privately against the move.

Hosemann has said many times this year already that he still wants to work on improving the state's dismal labor participation rate, as well as continue work on a Medicaid expansion bill that will pass both chambers. In this year's session, Senate and House negotiators failed to agree on key details of the legislation, and it died by a legislative deadline.

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As for White, the House Speaker has been busy with members of his chamber to find ways to reform the state's tax structure in the hopes of eliminating the personal income tax and cutting the grocery tax in half. He has also said he would give Medicaid expansion legislation another shot next year.

State Auditor Shad White will be speaking Wednesday right before Hosemann at 10:30 a.m. The speech will come only days before he is set to release his new book about the Mississippi Welfare Scandal, titled "The Mississippi Swindle"

White this year has also advocated the Legislature for new open meeting and records laws.

Secretary of State Michael Watson and State Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson and will also be speaking Thursday at 9:50 and 10 a.m., respectively, as well State Treasurer David McRae.

Other state officials include Public Service Commissioner DeKeither Stamps and Transportation Commissioner Willie Simmons, who will be speaking on Wednesday at 9:40 a.m. and 9:50 a.m., respectively.

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Political candidates attending Neshoba County Fair 2024

As for political candidates go, the fair will feature one congressional candidate in attendance, as well as those running for state judicial seats this year.

Ty Pinkins, the Democratic opponent to Republican Roger Wicker in the U.S. Senate race, will be speaking on Wednesday at 10:20 a.m.

Pinkins had challenged Wicker to a debate at the fair, but Wicker's team declined to entertain the idea. Wicker will not speaking at the fair, according to the Neshoba County Fair website.

In the state judicial races, Supreme Court Central District race candidates Jenifer Branning, Jim Kitchen, Byron Carter and Ceola James will be speaking Thursday.

Carter will speak at 9:20 a.m.; James will be up at 9:30 a.m.; Branning will give a speech at 10:10 a.m., and Kitchens is at 10:20 a.m.

Grant McLaughlin covers state government for the Clarion Ledger. He can be reached at gmclaughlin@gannett.com or 972-571-2335.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Neshoba County Fair again full of state leaders, political candidates stumping. See lineup