It has been a long time since The Daily Mississippian endorsed a candidate running for public office. So, why are we doing one this year?
Brandon Presley, whose name many did not know before he tossed his hat into the ring, has run a gubernatorial campaign more successful than anyone could have imagined. Tate Reeves, whose most recent years as governor have been marred by a deep-seated welfare scandal, remains Mississippi’s golden boy, if only by virtue of the “R” next to his name. This year’s governor’s race is shaping up to be the most hotly contested in recent memory. National reporters are flocking to Mississippi to cover the race. There is talk of a runoff.
While the drama is certainly there, it is the weight of the issues between the lines of the ballot that brought The Daily Mississippian’s editorial board to the table. The fate of Mississippi’s healthcare system, racial justice and equity, education and many other essential issues are all on the ballot this year. With each candidate promising to steer the state into irrevocably different directions, the power voter-eligible residents of this state hold in charting the course of Mississippi’s future burns brighter than ever.
Generally, the purpose of a newspaper editorial is to inform the reader of who senior newspaper editorial staff regard as the best candidate for a position. This decision is made based on the experience and expertise of the editors, informed in large part by the paper’s reporting on the election.
As a collegiate newspaper, at a university like ours, in a state like Mississippi our purpose is even more clearly defined. Unlike many larger newspapers that cater to large audiences in a given state, region or even nationally, we have a very specific intended audience. While we may have secondary and tertiary responsibilities to faculty and staff, and Mississippians more broadly, our primary audience is students at the University of Mississippi, Mississippi’s oldest and largest public institution of higher education. Many of these students will be casting a ballot for the very first time this year.
The Daily Mississippian has done extensive reporting throughout the course of this election, particularly as it relates to students: we are uniquely tuned in to what they need, what they care about and what they want in a statewide leader. The editorial board took these things into great consideration when deciding who to support for governor.
It is for these reasons and more that The Daily Mississippian staff, as a whole, voted to make an editorial endorsement. It was The Daily Mississippian’s editorial board that decided to endorse Brandon Presley for governor.
This is an important distinction to make; No news editor, writer or person not on the editorial board contributed to this editorial or the decision to endorse Presley, though our endorsement was informed by the news desk’s coverage of this election and other statewide news. The editorial board stands separate from the news desk and other parts of our newspaper. Our news section remains integrous, objective and free from opinion or sway.
This editorial should by no means be the singular resource students turn to in deciding who they vote for. We encourage students to seek out information about both candidates from a diverse range of credible sources. At the very least, we would hope that this editorial and our previous reporting on the race helps students to make the most informed vote possible, no matter who it is they vote for. Most importantly, we encourage students to partake in their civic duty and vote.
The Daily Mississippian continuously strives to educate and inform our audience, with a commitment to transparency, accountability and fostering an environment of open dialogue. Responses to the editorial board are welcome and encouraged: please direct them to thedmopinion@gmail.com or me (dmeditor@gmail.com).
