Many in Mississippi are quick to remember that Ronald Reagan stumped at the Neshoba County Fair on his way to becoming the nation’s 40th president in 1980. While no presidential candidates ahead of November’s election will be present at the annual event this week, national politics are nonetheless expected to overshadow the usual state political talk.
In a short span of eight days earlier this month, an already tumultuous presidential election was upended by an assassination attempt of former commander-in-chief and once again Republican candidate Donald Trump before his opponent and current President Joe Biden decided to drop out following in-party concerns over his mental acuity, paving the way for Vice President Kamala Harris to become the presumptive Democratic nominee.
The U.S. had not seen a turn of events as such in over half a century when in 1968, incumbent Democrat Lyndon Johnson dropped out in March and Democratic candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. was killed that same year in June. Throw in a modern-day political climate that many consider toxic, and most to all Americans would tell you that the 2024 presidential election is like one that’s never been encountered before.
State Rep. Scott Bounds, who in his off time serves as president of the Neshoba County Fair, will be the first to remind you of the “unprecedented times” American politics currently live in. That’s why he believes the presidential election will overtake much of this week’s talk around Founder’s Square, the area of the fair designated for stump speeches.
“I feel like, personally, a lot of statewide officials will focus their speeches on what’s going on nationally right now,” Bounds said. “It’s unprecedented times. To me, it appears in my lifetime, we’ve never had so much happening in a period of 10 or so days that just captures the interest of the voters and citizens.”
Elected officials speaking at this year’s Neshoba County Fair include State Auditor Shad White and Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann on Wednesday, along with State Treasurer David McRae, Secretary of State Michael Watson, Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gipson, House Speaker Jason White, and Gov. Tate
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