On this episode of Breaking Bread, I sit down with Hayes Dent, a Republican strategist and lobbyist from Yazoo City, Mississippi, and one of the most fascinating political minds I’ve ever met.

Hayes has lived a lifetime of history. While still a young man, he worked on Ronald Reagan’s 1984 re-election campaign, went on to serve in the George H. W. Bush administration, and later played a key role working for Kirk Fordice, Mississippi’s first Republican governor since Reconstruction.

In the middle of all that, Hayes also answered the call to serve his country, deploying during the original Desert Storm. He eventually finished his degree at University of Mississippi, though politics and military service understandably slowed that journey along the way.

What makes Hayes truly unique isn’t just his résumé but the respect he’s earned on both sides of the aisle. He’s one of those rare people who is genuinely well-liked by Republicans and Democrats alike. Hayes believes deeply in collaboration, mutual respect, and working together for the common good of Mississippi, and that spirit comes through in every story he tells.

This conversation was fun, thoughtful, and packed with incredible behind-the-scenes stories from Mississippi and national politics. There’s no doubt we’ll be doing a round two.

You’re going to enjoy this one.