Mississippi Politics : The Struggle for Power, 1976–2026

Called "a must-read for any serious student of Mississippi politics" by The Clarion-Ledger, Mississippi Politics quickly became the definitive work on the state’s recent political history, campaigns, legislative battles, and litigation, as well as the ways Mississippi both shaped and was shaped by national and regional trends.

First published in 2006, this thoroughly revised third edition expands and updates the narrative from the 2008 presidential election through the mid-2020s. Authors Jere Nash and Andy Taggart add three new chapters and substantially revise every existing chapter, providing fresh analyses of statewide, legislative, and federal elections; leadership changes in both parties; and the shifting dynamics that continue to define Mississippi’s place in American politics.

New coverage includes the Cochran-McDaniel Senate race; Cindy Hyde-Smith’s path to the US Senate; the Republican takeover of the legislature; and the campaigns of Mike Espy, Jim Hood, and Brandon Presley. It also examines such behind-the-scenes developments as the legalization of casino gaming, the state’s recovery from Hurricane Katrina, the building of the civil rights museum, the changing of the state flag, and Mississippi’s central role in the abortion debate that culminated in the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

Drawing on more than 150 interviews conducted by the authors and a greatly expanded body of sources, this edition offers a comprehensive and up-to-date account of the people, events, and forces that have driven Mississippi politics over the past half-century.