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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 Russ Latino: Veepstakes, Punditry, and Neshoba Dust-ups It’s been a crazy few weeks in politics: an assassination attempt on a presidential candidate, Biden announced he is not running again, Trump picked his running mate, the RNC Convention occurred, and last week was Mississippi’s Giant House Party, the Neshoba County Fair, with all…
Written by Empower Mississippi Dr. Kymyona Burk: Mississippi’s Historic Literacy Gains This week, host Grant Callen sat down with Dr. Kymyona Burk, formerly the State Literacy Director at the Mississippi Department of Education, who oversaw implementation of the Literacy-Based Promotion Act of 2013, a bill championed by then Governor Phil Bryant. Often when great policy gets…
Written by Empower Mississippi Mike Hurst: Chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party Part two of the series with the party chairmen, host Grant Callen sat down with the recently elected chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party, Mike Hurst. A Newton County native, Mike discussed growing up in rural Mississippi, raising a large family, and the momentum…
Written by Empower Mississippi State Rep. Cheikh Taylor: Chairman of the Mississippi Democratic Party Part one of a two-part series with the party chairmen, host Grant Callen sat down with State Representative, Cheikh Taylor, newly reelected Chairman of the Mississippi Democratic Party. The Starkville native, with his community in mind and the backing of his predecessor,…
Written by Empower Mississippi Andy Taggart: Forty Years In Mississippi Politics Taking the Empower Podcast on the road, host Grant Callen traveled to Ocean Springs to sit down with Andy Taggart to discuss his forty years in Mississippi politics. Andy’s political career started as Political Director at the Mississippi Republican Party, then Executive Director of the…
Written by Empower Mississippi 2024 Legislative Session Recap with Wil Ervin The 2024 Legislative Session has finally come to a close. As we look back at this 125+ day session, there were some really good bills passed, but there were also a lot of things left on the table. Generally, we saw a lot of progress made across…
Capitol Chat Library
Written by Empower Mississippi Capitol Chat: Week 8 As another committee deadline approaches, some bills are gaining steam while others quietly stall. In this week’s episode, we unpack a significant school choice–adjacent tax credit bill, a proposed workforce initiative, and a handful of other bills that could either advance or die in the coming days.
Written by Empower Mississippi Capitol Chat: Week 7 It was a budget-heavy week under the Dome, with more than 100 appropriations bills clearing a critical hurdle. We unpack the latest on education funding, the lingering school choice conversation, and what to watch as the session heads toward its next deadline.
Written by Empower Mississippi Capitol Chat: Week 6 From floor votes to a few “spirited” House measures, Week 6 had a little bit of everything. We break down the education bills still moving, the buzz around a recent voice vote, and what’s brewing as lawmakers eye the next big deadline.
Written by Empower Mississippi Capitol Chat: Week 5 Week 5 at the Capitol featured some of the most consequential policy and political moves yet. In this episode, we walk through some of the biggest developments, including shifts in the education debate, major House action, an update on the ballot initiative, and another big deadline on the…
Written by Empower Mississippi Capitol Chat: Week 4 A shortened week at the Capitol didn’t significantly stall progress ahead of a critical deadline next week. In this episode, we dive into the latest on House Bill 2 and highlight some intriguing bills that are already making their way through the legislative process.
Written by Empower Mississippi Capitol Chat: Week 3 With an ice storm looming and the bill introduction deadline behind them, lawmakers shifted gears during week three of the legislative session. We highlight a few bills drawing early attention and break down this week’s action, including a couple of celebrity appearances and the latest on House Bill…