Mississippi’s newly elected governor, Tate Reeves (shown), has promised to make Mississippi “the safest place for an unborn child,” reiterating the promises he made during his vocal pro-life campaign.
Reeves, current Lt. Gov. of Mississippi, will be succeeding the pro-life Gov. Phil Bryant, considered to be a champion of the unborn. Though popular, Bryant was unable to run for re-election as a result of the state’s term limits.
Reeves defeated the Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Attorney General Jim Hood, 52 percent to 47 percent in what was dubbed a close race.
While Reeves is attributing his victory to President Trump’s endorsement, it’s likely his pro-life record was well received by voters in Mississippi, where the overwhelming majority of people are pro-life. According to Life News, Reeves was a strong and outspoken supporter of pro-life legislation during his tenure as Lt. Governor.
When the state legislature introduced a bill to ban abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, Reeves thanked the bill’s sponsors for “introducing legislation to stop the barbaric practice of ending life in the womb even though a heartbeat is plainly detected.”
And when abortion activists challenged the law, prompting an Obama judge to block it, Reeves criticized Hood’s failure to defend the law and appeal the ruling.
“Our Heartbeat Bill will save lives and protect a generation of Mississippi children with beating hearts,” the lieutenant governor said in a statement. “It is no surprise that the Obama-appointed lower court Federal Judge granted this injunction, nor is it a surprise that Jim Hood couldn’t find time in his schedule to show up to defend these unborn babies.”
Hood was careful to avoid publicly opposing or supporting the heartbeat bill, stating only that he was bound to defend laws passed by the Legislature as the state’s Attorney General. During his gubernatorial run, he attempted to sidestep the issue by downplaying the Mississippi governor’s role in the fight for life.
“The [United States] Supreme Court is going to make these decisions,” he said. “It’s not going to be the governor of the State of Mississippi. It’s not going to be the Legislature. Now, they’ll get out here and run and dupe people. It’s awful to try to mislead good, church-going people who vote on one issue — mislead them, and tell them, ‘I’m going to stop it,’ and ‘We’re going to do this, rah rah rah.’ I’m not going to be that kind of governor.”
Reeves assured pro-life Mississippians it would not be the last time they fought for the legislation.
“As national liberals gear up to expand abortion, even more, we have to be there to defend the innocent unborn child,” said Reeves.
Reeves’ pro-life position was front and center of his gubernatorial campaign, which launched a pro-life coalition comprised of more than 150 pastors and pro-life advocates across the state of Mississippi.
“I believe with great responsibility comes great opportunity,” he said in May. “We have an opportunity in this state to protect unborn children every single day.”
Reeves was outspoken during his campaign against the radical push for “later-term abortion” policies.
“What we are witnessing across our country is not a political issue, it is a moral issue. It is good versus evil, it is right versus wrong,” said Reeves. “It is not an issue for compromise. It is not an issue in which we can bend to the national liberal or sit idly by and do nothing. If you believe that these are living babies then you believe lives are at stake.”
Reeves’ campaign promises extended far beyond pro-life legislation. Criticizing the argument made by pro-abortionists that abortion was a better alternative to living a hard life, Reeves said he would continue the pro-life fight by focusing on the foster care system, education, and economy.
“They use the hardships of this world to excuse the slaughter of these children,” said Reeves. “That is a twisted ideology that frankly makes me sick. Every single one of these babies is a gift from God.”
In July, Reeves was endorsed by the Mississippi Right to Life, the most prominent pro-life group in the state.
“You have been a champion for the innocent unborn and we are honored to make this endorsement today. It is important for voters to know that we have worked with you and that you are a fearless protector of Mississippi’s unborn children,” said Barbara Whitehead, President of Mississippi Right to Life, in their endorsement letter.
Photo of Governor-elect Tate Reeves: AP Images
