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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.

Subscribe below to The Empower Podcast on your favorite podcast platform to stay updated on our latest episodes. Join us as we explore some of Mississippi’s biggest challenges and brightest opportunities!

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Interview Library

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Rep. Sam Creekmore: Chasing Lions in Healthcare

March 17, 2026

Written by Empower Mississippi Rep. Sam Creekmore: Chasing Lions in Healthcare In this episode of The Empower Podcast, host Grant Callen sits down with State Representative Sam Creekmore, chairman of the House Public Health and Human Services Committee, for a wide-ranging conversation about the major healthcare issues facing Mississippi. From certificate of need reform and rural…

Dr. Clay Routledge: Meaning, Purpose, and Flourishing

March 3, 2026

Written by Empower Mississippi Dr. Clay Routledge: Meaning, Purpose, and Flourishing In this episode of The Empower Podcast, host Grant Callen sits down with Dr. Clay Routledge, Executive Vice President of the Archbridge Institute and Director of the Human Flourishing Lab, to explore what really makes life meaningful and why that matters for public policy in…

Aaron Rice: Defending the Constitution in Uniform and in Court

February 17, 2026

Written by Empower Mississippi Aaron Rice: Defending the Constitution in Uniform and in Court What does it look like to defend the Constitution with your life, and then keep defending it with your career? In this episode, Grant sits down with Aaron Rice, a Mississippi Marine and Purple Heart recipient who was wounded in Iraq and…

Dr. John Dixon: Charter Schools, Choice, and Accountability

February 3, 2026

Written by Empower Mississippi Dr. John Dixon: Charter Schools, Choice, and Accountability As the 2026 legislative session moves forward, the conversation around school choice continues to intensify. While much of the focus has been on ESAs and public school transfers, one form of public school choice has quietly served thousands of Mississippi families for years: public…

Governor Tate Reeves: Momentum and Good Policy

January 20, 2026

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…

Commissioner Andy Gipson: Family, Food Security, and Mississippi’s Future

December 9, 2025

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…

Capitol Chat Library

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Capitol Chat: Week 13

April 4, 2025

Written by Empower Mississippi  Capitol Chat: Week 13 In the Sine Die episode of Capitol Chat, we’re wrapping up the 2025 legislative session, which finished a bit ahead of schedule. However, lawmakers did not agree on a budget before adjourning, which means a special session is on the horizon. We break down the key details,…

Capitol Chat: Week 12

March 28, 2025

Written by Empower Mississippi  Capitol Chat: Week 12 The countdown is on! Only 9 days remain in the legislative session. This week, the Governor signed House Bill 1 into law, and this weekend is crunch time on appropriations and revenue bills. All that, and more, on this week’s episode of Capitol Chat.

Capitol Chat: Week 11

March 21, 2025

Written by Empower Mississippi  Capitol Chat: Week 11 A little luck of the Irish helped push an income tax elimination bill over the finish line this week. We’ll dive into House Bill 1 and what it means for you, as well as what’s next in the legislative session, on this week’s episode of Capitol Chat.

Capitol Chat: Week 10

March 14, 2025

Written by Empower Mississippi  Capitol Chat: Week 10 Week 10 was filled with excitement and acronyms! On this week’s episode we cover DEI, PBMs, and THC, as well as everything else you need to know from this week at your state Capitol. 

Capitol Chat: Week 9

March 7, 2025

Written by Empower Mississippi Capitol Chat: Week 9 Dead or alive? That’s the key question this week as another big deadline has come and gone. With yet another key deadline on the horizon, we’ll highlight some of the bills that are still moving forward this session – at least for now.

Capitol Chat: Week 8

February 28, 2025

Written by Empower Mississippi  Capitol Chat: Week 8 Taxes, taxes, taxes. That and other news from the Capitol this week, including a new entry on “how a bill really becomes law – or doesn’t.”