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Welcome To The Empower Podcast
Empower Mississippi is committed to helping all Mississippians rise by removing barriers to opportunity. In this podcast, we talk with state and national experts about ways the Magnolia State can grow and thrive. These conversations help shape the debate for future legislative sessions and highlight policy changes that are necessary to make Mississippi the best place in America to live, work, and raise a family.
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Interview Library
Written by Empower Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves: Momentum and Good Policy In this episode of the Empower Podcast, Grant Callen sits down with Governor Tate Reeves for a wide-ranging conversation about the state’s growing momentum and what comes next. Recorded from the Governor’s office overlooking the State Capitol, the discussion explores why Mississippi is climbing national…
Written by Empower Mississippi Commissioner Andy Gipson: Family, Food Security, and Mississippi’s Future On this episode of The Empower Podcast, host Grant Callen sits down with Commissioner Andy Gipson—Mississippi’s Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce, former state legislator, Baptist minister, cattleman, and announced candidate for governor. Gipson shares how his journey into public service began with a…
Written by Empower Mississippi Sen. Rod Hickman: Rural revitalization, public safety, and education opportunity On this episode of The Empower Podcast, host Grant Callen sits down with Mississippi State Senator Rod Hickman, a lawyer, educator, and public servant representing a stretch of communities across East Mississippi from Macon to Louisville to Meridian. Sen. Hickman shares how…
Written by Empower Mississippi Dr. Brad Wilcox: Get Married On this episode of The Empower Podcast, host Grant Callen talks with Dr. Brad Wilcox, Director of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia and author of Get Married: Why Americans Must Defy the Elites, Forge Strong Families, and Save Civilization. Dr. Wilcox shares striking…
Written by Empower Mississippi Mayor John Horhn: Jackson Rising What does it take to turn around a city? In this special episode recorded at Jackson City Hall, host Grant Callen talks with Mayor John Horhn about his love for Jackson, the lessons from his childhood and career in public service, and his mission to restore trust,…
Written by Empower Mississippi Dr. Steven Skultety: Freedom, Rights, and Civil Disagreement On this episode of the Empower Podcast, Grant Callen sits down with Dr. Steven Skultety, Director of the Declaration of Independence Center for the Study of American Freedom at the University of Mississippi. They explore the foundations of American democracy, the origins of rights, and…
Capitol Chat Library
Written by Empower Mississippi Capitol Chat: Sine Die Lawmakers returned to Jackson expecting veto overrides, but what followed was one of the more unusual endings to a legislative session in recent memory. We unpack the final day’s twists, the political fallout, and close the book on the 2026 session.
Written by Empower Mississippi Capitol Chat: Week 13 The 2026 legislative session is over… or is it? We break down the budget, education legislation, and a host of other bills that made it across the finish line during a busy week at the Capitol.
Written by Empower Mississippi Capitol Chat: Week 12 In this Conference Weekend Edition of Capitol Chat, we break down key dates and legislative processes for the remaining 9 days of the 2026 Session. We also dive into the latest on teacher pay raises, PBM reform, a controversial veto, and banning lab-grown milk.
Written by Empower Mississippi Capitol Chat: Week 11 With only a few weeks remaining in the 2026 legislative session, lawmakers are narrowing their focus. This week, we take a look at three issues dominating discussions at the Capitol and what’s on the horizon as the 2026 session winds down.
Written by Empower Mississippi Capitol Chat: Week 10 At the Mississippi Capitol, nothing is truly dead until it’s dead, dead, dead. This week’s episode features the resurrection of teacher pay raises, movement on pharmacy benefit manager reform, and the latest on a controversial NIL tax proposal.
Written by Empower Mississippi Capitol Chat: Week 9 With only 30 days remaining in the 2026 legislative session, we cover some of the hottest topics at the Capitol: NIL, teacher pay, and school choice.