NESHOBA COUNTY, Miss.—Footprints created walking paths through mounds of red clay mud along with pothole-sized puddles of dirty brown water in between cabins and the pavilion at the Neshoba County Fair on a rainy, gray Wednesday morning. Under the pavilion, fairgoers clapped and cheered as Mississippi Treasurer David McRae announced he would be seeking a third term during his speech.
“There is so much left to be done,” he said to an audience of fairgoers on Wednesday morning. “There is so much more we can do. There is so much more money we can make. There’s so much more innovation that’s out there for us to do.”
But McRae did not preview any new proposals for a third term, instead highlighting his work thus far, which he said he hoped to continue. For the past few years, McRae has been championing his efforts to return $180 million in unclaimed money to Mississippians. This year, he had a cabin set up with treasurer’s office workers who helped fairgoers discover whether they were eligible to receive any money.
McRae said voters should reelect him because he believes, as a Republican, that taxpayer money belongs to Mississippians, especially those affected by natural disasters, not the State. Additionally, he said that all people trying to claim money with his office must prove U.S. citizenship. Mississippi residents get first priority for unclaimed money, he noted.
“We make sure the people of Mississippi are served well,” he said. “We make sure the people of Mississippi are first and we make sure the people of Mississippi are taken care of.”
He touted that his office has been able to generate $1 billion dollars for the State in investment interest since he started his first term in 2020.
McRae said he and his team travel the state helping families create college savings accounts so students can pursue higher education without going into debt. He noted that the treasurer’s office even accepted cryptocurrency for college savings accounts, being the first state to do so.
The Department of Justice under the Trump administration has invited McRae to speak about how his office is preventing fraud, he said.
Dozens of people tuned in to watch that morning’s political speeches. Alongside McRae on the roster were Mississippi Sen. Lane Taylor, R-Philadelphia; Democratic candidate for Mississippi’s third congressional district Michael Chiaradio; Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Scott Colom; independent candidate for U.S. Senate Ty Pinkins; Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch; Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann.
Incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, whom Colom is challenging in November, did not show up.
“Here’s the real deal: She will not show up to defend any (of her decisions),” he said of Hyde-Smith. “She hasn’t held a town hall in six years. Ask the people in the press when the last time she allowed herself to be interviewed. Ask the press when the last time she showed up in a community. Ask yourself, ‘When’s the last time you heard Cindy Hyde-Smith speak in your community?’”
Hosemann, Fitch Hint at 2027 Election Plans
During his speech, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann thanked voters for their support of him, although he would not confirm his future plans. He had campaign signs placed on wooden lamppost poles that said, “Delbert for Mississippi.” Since he is closing out on his second term, he is term-limited and cannot run again for lieutenant governor.
During a press conference at the Neshoba County Fair, a reporter asked what Hosemann was going to do next. The lieutenant governor laughed.
“My next move is to stay dry,” Hosemann said, referencing the rainy and muddy conditions at the fairgrounds that day. “Look, I have been really blessed to be where I am. As you can tell, I’ve got some things I still want to do here. I really want to concentrate on … people dealing with Medicaid, people dealing with Health and Human Services.” He said he has been and will continue traveling to communities around the state and asking Mississippi what they want the state government to prioritize.
Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch hinted at running for elected office in 2027, though she did not specify whether she would be running for a third term as attorney general or if she would seek another position. She had campaign signs placed on fairground poles that said, “Lynn Fitch for Mississippi.” There are no term limits for Mississippi’s attorney general.
“I will commit to you, as long as you trust me to serve, in whatever capacity you trust me to serve, I will always put your interests first. I will always choose progress over motion,” she said. “I’ll build bridges and forge partnerships, and I’ll empower every Mississippian to be part of our future.”
Follow the Mississippi Free Press’ coverage of the Neshoba County Fair and read past stories here.
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