Brandon Presley

Last updated

Katelyn Mabus
​
(m. 2023)​
Brandon Presley
Brandon Presley, MS Public Service Commissioner.jpg
Presley in 2023
Member of the
Mississippi Public Service Commission
from the Northern district
In office
January 1, 2008 –January 4, 2024
Relatives Harold Ray Presley (uncle)
Elvis Presley (second cousin)
Ray Mabus (cousin-in-law)
Education Itawamba Community College
Mississippi State University (BA)
Website Campaign website

Brandon Everitt Presley (born July 21, 1977) is an American politician who served as a member of the Mississippi Public Service Commission from the Northern District from 2008 to 2024 and mayor of Nettleton, Mississippi, from 2001 to 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party.

Contents

Presley has been described as a moderate, [1] [2] [3] populist [1] [4] politician who holds conservative stances on issues such as gun control, taxes, and abortion. [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] He was the Democratic nominee for governor of Mississippi in the 2023 election, narrowly losing to incumbent Republican Tate Reeves by 3.24%. [9] He had the best performance for a Democratic candidate for governor since 1999.

Early life

Brandon Presley was born on July 21, 1977 [10] in Amory, Mississippi, and raised in Nettleton. His father was an alcoholic and died when Brandon was eight years old, leaving him in the sole care of his mother. [11] His uncle, Harold Ray Presley, subsequently served as a father figure for him. [10] He studied at Itawamba Community College and Mississippi State University. [11]

Political career

Early activities

Presley described his politics as "Populist, FDR-Billy McCoy Democrat." [11] He managed the successful campaign of his uncle Harold for the office of Sheriff of Lee County when he was 16 years old. [12]

Presley ran for the office of Mayor of Nettleton in 2001 and won with 78 percent of the vote. [10] He was sworn-in as the mayor in July 2001. Aged 23 upon his assumption of the office, he was the youngest mayor in Mississippi's history. [12] He served until 2007. [13] [14] As mayor, he crossed party lines to endorse the reelection campaign of George W. Bush in 2004. [15]

Public Service Commissioner

On June 15, 2007, Presley declared his campaign for the office of Public Service Commissioner for the Northern District of the Mississippi Public Service Commission. [16] He defeated two other candidates in the August Democratic primary [17] and defeated Republican Mabel Murphree in the general election. [18] He was re-elected in 2011, 2015, and 2019. [19]

Presley assumed office as Public Service Commissioner for the Northern District on January 1, 2008. [20] During his first year in office he advocated streaming the commission's meetings on the internet. [21] He has advocated bringing internet access to rural areas of Mississippi. [22]

Presley opposed the Kemper Project, [23] a large Mississippi Power "clean coal" electricity plant development in Kemper County, as residents in the Northern District were not served by Mississippi Power or would otherwise economically benefit from the project. [24] The project suffered from delays and cost overruns. In 2017, Presley became chairman of the Public Service Commission, which then forced Mississippi Power to terminate its plans for clean coal electricity generation at the Kemper facility. [25]

Presley, as well as the other two members of the Public Service Commission, opposes using Mississippi as an alternative site to Yucca Mountain for nuclear waste storage. [26]

In 2014, Presley succeeded Betsy Wergin of Minnesota to serve as chair of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners' Committee on Consumer Affairs. The committee is charged with analyzing the role that state service commissions play in consumer protection within the energy and telecommunications industries. [27]

In the 2015 elections, Democratic state representative Cecil Brown was elected to represent the Central District. This gave the Democratic Party a majority on the Commission. Subsequently Presley was appointed to serve as chair of the commission. [28] In March, he presided over the groundbreaking of the largest solar power facility in the state. The project is a joint effort between the PSC, the United States Navy and Mississippi Power at NCBC Gulfport. [29] He was replaced by Chris Brown on January 4, 2024. [30]

2023 gubernatorial campaign

Following months of speculation, Presley announced his candidacy for governor of Mississippi in the 2023 election on January 12, 2023. [31] The same day, U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi endorsed Presley. [32] Later that month, from a shuttered hospital in Newton, he delivered a response to incumbent governor Tate Reeves' State of the State address, advocating for the state to embrace Medicaid expansion and accusing Reeves of allowing rural hospitals to close. [21] On February 16, the Mississippi Democratic Party's executive committee voted to disqualify two minor candidates for the party's gubernatorial nomination for failing to follow ethics disclosures, leaving Presley the only qualified candidate in the Democratic primary. [33] On August 8, as the only Democratic candidate for governor on the ballot, Presley won the Democratic primary. [34]

Although Mississippi is considered a Republican stronghold, many analysts stated that Reeves was a vulnerable incumbent. The Cook Political Report changed the race from Likely Republican to Lean Republican in October after polls showed Presley within the margin of error in multiple polls. [35] [36] In the general election, Reeves defeated Presley, albeit by a narrower margin than initially expected. [37] [38]

Personal life

Presley is a second cousin of Elvis Presley. [39] [11] He lost 216 pounds (98 kg) during 2013 and 2014. [23] Presley married Katelyn Mabus, who is a cousin of former Mississippi governor Ray Mabus, in August 2023. [32] [40]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ronnie Musgrove</span> American politician

David Ronald Musgrove is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 62nd governor of Mississippi from 2000 to 2004. A Democrat, he previously served as the 29th lieutenant governor of Mississippi from 1996 to 2000. He was the Democratic nominee in the 2008 special election for one of Mississippi's seats in the United States Senate, losing to incumbent Senator Roger Wicker. Musgrove is a principal at a public affairs consulting firm, Politics. In 2014, he became founding partner of a new law firm in Jackson, Mississippi, Musgrove/Smith Law. As of 2024, he is the most recent Democrat to hold the office of Governor of Mississippi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rubel Phillips</span> American politician (1925–2011)

Rubel Lex Phillips was an American politician and lawyer. He grew up poor in Alcorn County, Mississippi, and graduated from the University of Mississippi School of Law. Hailing from a politically active family and initially a member of the Democratic Party, he served as a circuit court clerk from 1952 to 1956 and chaired the Mississippi Public Service Commission from 1956 to 1958. In 1962 Phillips joined the Republican Party. He ran as a Republican in the 1963 Mississippi gubernatorial election, the first person to do so since 1947. Supporting a platform of racial segregation and opposition to the presidential administration of John F. Kennedy, he lost, garnering only 38 percent of the vote.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tate Reeves</span> American politician (born 1974)

Jonathan Tate Reeves is an American politician serving since 2020 as the 65th governor of Mississippi. A member of the Republican Party, Reeves served as the 32nd lieutenant governor of Mississippi from 2012 to 2020 and as the 53rd Mississippi State Treasurer from 2004 to 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harold Ray Presley</span> American politician and sheriff (1948–2001)

Harold Ray Presley was an American sheriff known for his war against narcotics. He was the elected sheriff of Lee County, Mississippi, from 1993 to 2001. In 1995, he won the Buford Pusser Officer of the Year Award for his tough stance against illegal drugs. According to the Buford Pusser Home and Museum in Adamsville, Tennessee, Presley's department had confiscated more than $1 million in drugs including marijuana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delbert Hosemann</span> American politician (born 1947)

Charles Delbert Hosemann Jr. is an American politician and attorney who has been the lieutenant governor of Mississippi since January 2020. From 2008 to 2020, he served as the secretary of state of Mississippi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phil Bryant</span> American politician (born 1954)

Dewey Phillip Bryant is an American politician who served as the 64th governor of Mississippi from 2012 to 2020. A member of the Republican Party, he was the 31st lieutenant governor of Mississippi from 2008 to 2012 and 40th state auditor of Mississippi from 1996 to 2008. Bryant was elected governor in 2011, defeating the Democratic nominee Mayor Johnny DuPree of Hattiesburg. He was re-elected in 2015, defeating Democratic nominee Robert Gray.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mississippi Public Service Commission</span> Government regulatory agency in the U.S. state of Mississippi

The Mississippi Public Service Commission is a government agency which regulates telecommunications, electric, gas, water and sewer utilities in the U.S. state of Mississippi. The commission was created in 1884 and in its early history was tasked with regulating various transport and telecommunications industries in the state. It assumed its current name in 1938 and was given jurisdiction over electric, gas, and water utilities in 1956.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lynn Fitch</span> American politician (born 1961)

Lynn Fitch is an American lawyer, politician, and the 40th Mississippi Attorney General. She is the first woman to serve in the role and the first Republican since 1878. Previously, she was the 54th State Treasurer of Mississippi from 2012 to 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 Mississippi gubernatorial election</span>

The 2015 Mississippi gubernatorial election took place on November 3, 2015, to elect the governor of Mississippi. Incumbent Republican governor Phil Bryant ran for re-election to a second and final term in office. This is the highest percentage that a Republican has ever won in a gubernatorial election in Mississippi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 Mississippi elections</span>

A general election was held in the U.S. state of Mississippi on November 3, 2015. All of Mississippi's executive officers were up for election. Primary elections were held on August 4, 2015, with primary runoffs to be held on August 25, 2015 if no candidate received a majority in the primary. The filing deadline for primary ballot access was February 27.

Timothy L. "Tim" Johnson is an American politician. Johnson was a member of the Mississippi State Senate representing District 19 from 1995 to 2003 as a Republican. The district encompassed Attala, Leake and Madison counties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 Mississippi's 1st congressional district special election</span>

A special election for Mississippi's 1st congressional district was held on May 12, 2015, to fill the term left by the vacancy created by the death of Alan Nunnelee. Nunnelee, a member of the Republican Party, died on February 6, 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 Mississippi gubernatorial election</span>

The 2019 Mississippi gubernatorial election took place on November 5, 2019, to choose the next governor of Mississippi. Incumbent Governor Phil Bryant was ineligible to run for a third term due to term limits. The Democratic Party nominated incumbent Attorney General Jim Hood, the only Democrat holding statewide office in Mississippi; the Republican Party nominated incumbent Lieutenant Governor Tate Reeves. In the general election, Reeves defeated Hood by a margin of 5.08%, with Reeves significantly underperforming Donald Trump, who won the state by 17 points in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 Mississippi elections</span>

A general election was held in the U.S. state of Mississippi on November 5, 2019. All executive offices in the state were up for election. The primary election was held on August 6, 2019, and runoff elections were held on August 27, 2019. Although the Democrats came close to winning the governorship, they ultimately failed to do so. In addition, they lost the sole statewide office they have held since 1878: the Attorney General.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Watson (Mississippi politician)</span> American politician

Michael D. Watson Jr. is an American politician and the incumbent Secretary of State of Mississippi. A Republican, he previously represented the 51st district in the Mississippi State Senate from 2008 to 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 United States gubernatorial elections</span>

United States gubernatorial elections were held on November 7, 2023, in the states of Kentucky and Mississippi, with an election having occurred in Louisiana on October 14. These elections form part of the 2023 United States elections. The last regular gubernatorial elections for all three states were in 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 Mississippi gubernatorial election</span>

The 2023 Mississippi gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 2023, to elect the governor of Mississippi. Incumbent Republican governor Tate Reeves won re-election to a second term, defeating Democratic nominee, Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 Mississippi elections</span>

The 2023 Mississippi elections took place on November 7, 2023, with the primary on August 8 and any required runoffs on August 29. All executive offices in the state up for election, as well as all 52 seats of the Mississippi State Senate, all 122 seats in the Mississippi House of Representatives, and many local offices. The qualifying deadline for all 2023 Mississippi races was February 1, 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2027 Mississippi gubernatorial election</span>

The 2027 Mississippi gubernatorial election will be held on November 2, 2027. Incumbent Republican Governor Tate Reeves will be ineligible to run for re-election, as the Constitution of Mississippi prohibits the state's governors from serving a third term.

References

  1. 1 2 Browning, William (March 10, 2023). "This Populist Democrat (and Distant Cousin of Elvis) Could Become Mississippi's Next Governor". The New Republic. ISSN   0028-6583 . Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  2. ↑ Reimann, Nicholas. "Democrat Brandon Presley—Cousin Of Elvis—Close To Mississippi's Republican Governor In Recent Polls". Forbes. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  3. ↑ Vance, Taylor (August 4, 2023). "Rep. Thompson touts Trump indictments while Presley focuses on Mississippi welfare scandal". Mississippi Today. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  4. 1 2 Pittman, Ashton (January 12, 2023). "Brandon Presley Launches Populist Campaign for Mississippi Governor". Mississippi Free Press. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  5. ↑ Jacobs, Ben (August 3, 2023). "A Democratic governor in Mississippi? Here's how it could happen". Vox. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  6. ↑ Vance, Taylor (June 23, 2023). "Democrat Presley urges Gov. Reeves to call special session on cutting grocery tax". Mississippi Today. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  7. ↑ Zito, Salena (August 26, 2018). "Elvis' cousin worries that other pro-life Democrats have left the building". Washington Examiner. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  8. ↑ Skelley, Geoffrey (August 8, 2023). "Could A Democrat Actually Win Mississippi's Governorship?". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  9. ↑ "2023 Statewide Recapitulation Sheet" (PDF). Mississippi Secretary of State. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  10. 1 2 3 "Presley kicks off campaign for PSC". The Winston County Journal. June 6, 2007. p. 2A.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Perlis, Wicker (January 12, 2023). "What you need to know about Mississippi governor candidate Brandon Presley as he announces". The Clarion-Ledger. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
  12. 1 2 Harden, Clay (July 9, 2001). "Sheriff Presley: '... a good man'". The Clarion-Ledger. pp. 1A, 4A.
  13. ↑ "Lee county wrapu-up".
  14. ↑ "UPDATE:R.V. Adams wins Nettleton mayor seat".
  15. ↑ Elkins, Ashley. "Democratic officials back Bush re-election". Daily Journal. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Presley seeks Public Service post (Paid Political Announcement)". The Charleston Sun-Sentinel. July 5, 2007. p. 10.
  17. ↑ Mazurak, Jack (August 8, 2007). "Bentz beats 'Two Bits' in state race". Hattiesburg American. p. 5A.
  18. ↑ Mazurak, Jack (November 7, 2007). "Posey set for win against Barbour". The Clarion-Ledger. p. 12A.
  19. ↑ "Northern District Commissioner". Mississippi Public Service Commission. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  20. ↑ Risher, Wayne (January 18, 2008). "Desoto next stop for PSC's Presley". The Commercial Appeal. pp. B1–B2.
  21. 1 2 Browning, William (March 10, 2023). "This Populist Democrat (and Distant Cousin of Elvis) Could Become Mississippi's Next Governor". The New Republic. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  22. ↑ "Brandon Presley works to close internet gap". WTVA News. July 9, 2013. Retrieved September 26, 2013.
  23. 1 2 Geoff Pender (July 19, 2014). "Pender: Who's running for what in '15". The Clarion-Ledger. Retrieved September 7, 2014.
  24. ↑ McGarity 2019, p. 263.
  25. ↑ McGarity 2019, pp. 264–265.
  26. ↑ Pender, Geoff (August 19, 2014). "Presley to Obama: Mississippi doesn't want nuclear waste". The Clarion-Ledger . Retrieved March 2, 2016.
  27. ↑ "PSC member Brandon Presley takes national post". The Clarion-Ledger . March 9, 2014. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
  28. ↑ "Presley, at helm of utility regulator, could get his chance". The Meridian Star . January 5, 2014. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
  29. ↑ Williams, Darrin (March 2, 2014). "Solar power breaking new ground in South Mississippi". Sun Herald . Retrieved March 2, 2016.
  30. ↑ Ulmer, Sarah (January 5, 2024). "All new Public Service Commissioners sworn in". Magnolia Tribune. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
  31. ↑ Ganucheau, Adam (January 12, 2023). "Democrat Brandon Presley is running for governor". Mississippi Today. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
  32. 1 2 Emily Wagster Pettus (January 12, 2023). "Democrat Brandon Presley joins race for Mississippi governor". ABC News. Associated Press. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  33. ↑ Harrison, Bobby (February 17, 2023). "Democrats disqualify Brandon Presley's primary challengers for governor". Mississippi Today. Nonprofit Mississippi News. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
  34. ↑ Harrison, Bobby; Vance, Taylor (August 9, 2023). "Republican Gov. Tate Reeves easily wins primary, makes November battle with Democrat Brandon Presley official". Mississippi Today. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  35. ↑ McEwen, Michael. "If Democrat Brandon Presley wins in Mississippi, it would buck 20 years of precedent". NPR . Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  36. ↑ Dorman, John L. "How Democrat Brandon Presley could win the Mississippi governor's race and pull off one of the biggest political upsets of 2023". Business Insider . Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  37. ↑ WLBT Staff (November 7, 2023). "Mississippi Republican Gov. Tate Reeves wins 2nd term, defeating Democrat Brandon Presley". WLBT.com. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  38. ↑ Vance, Taylor; James, Julia (November 7, 2023). "Gov. Tate Reeves defeats Brandon Presley to secure final term as governor". Mississippi Today. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  39. ↑ "Elvis Cousin Says He Won't Run for US Senate in Mississippi". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved January 18, 2018.
  40. ↑ Martin, Allie (October 31, 2023). "Campaign conversations: Brandon Presley talks politics, family, and more". WCBI.com. Retrieved November 24, 2023.

Works cited

Political offices
Preceded by
Dorlos Robinson
 Member of the Mississippi Public Service Commission
from the Northern district
2008–present		Incumbent
Party political offices
Preceded by Democratic nominee for Governor of Mississippi
2023 		Most recent
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.