Trump endorses Mississippi governor ahead of Tuesday election

Former President Trump has endorsed incumbent Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R) a week out from the state's election, where he faces Democratic challenger Brandon Presley.

“Now Joe Biden wants to put his candidate — and this is his candidate, Brandon Presley — in as Mississippi’s governor. The citizens of Mississippi must not let that happen,” Trump said in a video shared by the Magnolia State’s GOP. 

“Joe Biden’s people are funding Brandon Presley’s campaign. They own him. He’ll do whatever they want him to do,” the former president said.

Reeves is seeking his second term as Mississippi governor. He beat a pair of Republican challengers in a primary and will now go against Presley next Tuesday. 

Trump in the Wednesday video offered his "total and complete endorsement" of the incumbent.

“The radical left maniacs who are attacking me are also after him,” he said.

"Donald Trump and the people of Mississippi back our campaign, while Brandon Presley is propped up by out of state money," Reeves said Wednesday on X, the platform previously known as Twitter, sharing Trump's endorsement.

Democrats have eyed the Mississippi governor’s seat as a possible pickup opportunity as Reeves faces low approval ratings and questions about a welfare misspending scandal.

Presley and Reeves are set to debate each other on Wednesday.

"Tate waited to debate 6 days before Election Day because he knows that — in front of a camera — he can’t hide from questions about the largest public corruption scandal in state history," Presley said on X.

Presley, a distant relative of Elvis Presley, has out-raised Reeves so far this year, according to reports on the latest filings, although the Republican has more left to spend.