The Other Side: Mississippi Today’s Political Podcast

Voters will choose between Mississippi Supreme Court Justice Jim Kitchens and state Sen. Jenifer Branning in a runoff election on Nov. 26, the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Mississippi Today’s Adam Ganucheau, Bobby Harrison, and Taylor Vance break down the race and discuss why the election is so important for the future of the court and policy in Mississippi.

Mississippi Today’s Taylor Vance and Bobby Harrison interview Central District Supreme Court Justice Jim Kitchens about his Nov. 26 runoff election. Kitchens is being challenged by state Sen. Jenifer Branning, R-Philadelphia. (Note: Mississippi Today also has extended an invitation to Branning to appear on “The Other Side” podcast.)

Secretary of State Michael Watson talks with Mississippi Today's Geoff Pender, Bobby Harrison and Taylor Vance ahead of Tuesday's election. He urges voters to remember sacrifices many have made to protect Americans' voting rights and get to the polls, and he weighs in on whether a recent court ruling on absentee vote counting will impact this year's elections.

Mississippi Today's Geoff Pender and Bobby Harrison get an update on the state's medical cannabis program from Angie Calhoun, founder and CEO of the Mississippi Cannabis Patients Alliance. Calhoun became an advocate for medical marijuana when her son suffered debilitating Lyme Disease symptoms but could not try cannabis treatment in Mississippi. Her alliance provides many resources for patients and practitioners. Go to https://www.mscannapatient.com/. 

Mississippi Today’s Adam Ganucheau, Geoff Pender, and Taylor Vance discuss three major political news events: the funding of Rep. Trey Lamar’s Jackson street replacement, a poll from Speaker Jason White on tax elimination, and a contentious Mississippi Supreme Court race that could come down to the wire.

Mississippi Today's Adam Ganucheau sits down with politics editor Geoff Pender and reporter Taylor Vance to discuss their new investigation of state-funded projects that benefited Rep. Trey Lamar’s neighborhoods. They detail how the story came about and share their key takeaways from the investigation.

Mississippi Today’s Bobby Harrison talks with former Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Bill Waller Jr. about his life after retiring from the judiciary and running for governor in 2019. He says he still is concerned about issues facing the state and does not completely rule out another campaign for governor.

Mississippi Today's Geoff Pender, Bobby Harrison and Adam Ganucheau discuss the continued effort to eliminate Mississippi's income tax. They discuss what that could mean for Mississippi and how the process could play out moving forward.

Mississippi Today's Adam Ganucheau and Bobby Harrison discuss Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney's recent proposal to change his office's traditionally elected position to an appointed one. Chaney is not the first Mississippi elected official to suggest such a bold step, and the politics of the state could make this debate a fiery one in 2025.

State Sen. David Blount sits down with Mississippi Today's Bobby Harrison and Adam Ganucheau to discuss the push for income tax elimination and how that would affect the state's budget. He also talks about needed funding for the state's troubled retirement system and whether Mississippi will soon adopt mobile sports betting.