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Georgia Secretary of State Wants to End Runoff Elections

Ben Burnett
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Georgia Secretary of State Wants to End Runoff Elections

With two runoff elections for the U.S. Senate in the past two years, the state of Georgia gained national attention for its pivotal role in the balance of power between Republicans and Democrats. Judging from recent comments Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, the attention isn’t wanted anymore. calling on legislators to do away with the state’s runoff system for general elections, arguing that the process places too heavy a burden on voters and election officials. 

In a statement released yesterday, Raffensperger said: “Georgia is one of the only states in the country with a General Election Runoff,” said Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. “We’re also one of the only states that always seems to have a runoff. I’m calling on the General Assembly to visit the topic of the General Election Runoff and consider reforms.”

The General Assembly convenes in January and could select from a wide range of options to address this topic to help further the goal of safe, secure, and efficient elections.

“No one wants to be dealing with politics in the middle of their family holiday,” said Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. “It’s even tougher on the counties who had a difficult time completing all of their deadlines, an election audit and executing a runoff in a four-week time period.”

Georgia’s 2022 midterms shattered previous turnout records and achieved a high level of access for Georgia voters. Some counties had as many as 19 days of Early Voting in the General Election, and Georgia voters needed no excuse to vote early or by mail. Georgia continues to be a national leader in providing safe, secure, and accessible elections to all eligible Georgians.”

Raffensperger was a name not recognized by many people outside of Georgia politicos, but that all changed in January 2021, when Trump pressured him to change the state’s Presidential vote totals. Unmoved by the power of the Oval Office, Raffensperger stood his ground, openly defied Trump’s claims and asserted that there was no evidence to support claims of voter fraud. Audio of the call was published worldwide the following day, and from that point on, Raffensperger was lumped into the same group of “disloyal” Republicans who frequently receive public rebuke from the former President.

Considering the damage typically inflicted on any Republican who contradicts Trump, it was easy to expect a primary election loss for Raffensperger, yet he defied the odds. His principled stance gained popularity and support from Georgia voters, including Democrats, who are allowed to vote in Georgia’s open primaries. Ultimately, he defeated his primary opponent, Rep. Jody Hice, 52.3 percent to 33.4 percent. Last month in the Midterm General Election, Raffensperger defeated Democrat Bee Nguyen, 53.23 percent to 43.99 percent.

DeSantis Jumps to 23-Point Lead vs Trump in Major Poll

Matt OHern
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DeSantis Jumps to 23-Point Lead vs Trump in Major Poll

Former President Donald Trump appears to be reeling after multiple legal defeats, blowback for hosting a dinner party with a Holocaust-denying white supremacist, and a string of losses by his endorsed candidates, including last week’s Georgia Senate runoff loss by Herschel Walker.

News didn’t improve for Trump this week, as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis routed him by 23 points in a poll of Republicans surveyed by USA Today and Suffolk.

In the poll of 1,000 registered Republican voters, 56 percent chose DeSantis as their preferred Presidential candidate for 2024, compared to 33 percent who chose Trump. Only 47 percent want Trump to run again, and 45% don’t want Trump to run. Those numbers indicate a significant drop in enthusiasm since the summer. In July, 60% of Republicans wanted Trump to run in 2024.

David Paleologos, the director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center, said that the data suggests Republicans and conservative independents increasingly want Trump-styled policy, without Trump. Despite the fact that DeSantis has yet to declare himself as a 2024 candidate, he is speaking to audiences across the country and recently hosted an intimate dinner event for his largest donors.

One of the biggest disadvantages facing Trump during the next year is the mere fact that DeSantis can add to his resume. Major milestones in the near future for DeSantis could include a renegoitated deal with Disney’s Reedy Creek District, tax reform, and property insurance reform, which is being addressed in a special session this week in Tallahassee.

DeSantis does face a notable legal challenge surrounding his decision to participate in the relocation of immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard, but the state law involving the funding is interpreted by a Republican-dominated Florida Legislature. Meanwhile, several of Trump’s former advisors and staff members are being investigated in a variety of legal cases that will require financial and legal commitments not faced by potential rivals in a 2024 Republican Primary Election.

Perhaps one of the most telling metrics from the entire USA Today poll was the fact that 23 percent of Republicans now view Trump unfavorably. That sentiment was reflected in comments from other Republicans in congress and the Senate after Trump said termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution, would be justified to overturn the 2020 Election results, due to the fact that Twitter decided to suppress the spread of a New York Post expose story about Hunter Biden’s possible business ties with Ukrainian energy companies.

Republican leaders, including Mitch McConnell, condemned Trump’s calls for termination of Constitutional Law.

“Let me just say, anyone seeking the presidency who thinks that the Constitution could somehow be suspended or not followed, it seems to me would have a very hard time being sworn in as President of the United States,” McConnell said. McConnell’s comments came one week after Trump labeled the Senate Minority leader a loser, in response to McConnell’s criticism of a dinner Trump hosted for Kanye West and white supremacist Nick Fuentes.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Faces Major Test in Property Insurance Special Session

Matt OHern
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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Faces Major Test in Property Insurance Special Session

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida Governor Ron DeSantis will meet with state legislators this week to address rising property insurance rates. According to a statement from DeSantis’ office, the special session will address solutions to stabilize Florida’s property insurance market that will introduce more competition and policies that will lower prices for consumers.

For the past year, property insurance reform has ranked among the top-tier concerns of Florida residents. Skyrocketing property insurance costs have been making headlines since last winter, as they’ve impacted not only homeowners along coastal communities, but also residents in the center region of the peninsula, where the governor enjoys some of his strongest support on policy and performance.

Mother nature elevated property insurance to the forefront after two hurricanes wreaked havoc across the Sunshine State, including record-setting levels of flood damage inflicted from storm surge brought into Cape Coral, Ft. Myers and Naples, when Hurricane Ian, a Category 4 hurricane, made landfall Sept. 28. DeSantis called for the Special Session on Oct. 20, and signed Executive Order (EO) 22-242 to “suspend deadlines for payment of property taxes in counties that have been impacted by Hurricane Ian” and “extends to real property including personal homes and commercial property that was destroyed or otherwise rendered uninhabitable.” Those counties included, Brevard, Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Flagler, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Monroe, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns and Volusia Counties.

“Floridians who have lost their homes and businesses because of Hurricane Ian shouldn’t have to now worry about their property taxes,” DeSantis said. “Through this Executive Order, we are providing temporary relief until we can get the Legislature back to Tallahassee to establish more permanent solutions for property taxes, provide additional economic relief to Southwest Florida, and implement necessary reforms to the property insurance market. I look forward to working with our legislators to find innovative solutions and I am glad we have a legislature that’s ready and willing to address these issues soon.”

As legislators prepared for the Special Session, Hurricane Nicole added injury to insult, making landfall on Nov. 10. While Nicole was only a Category 1 Hurricane, thousands of homes on Florida’s Atlantic Coast were damaged.

Florida’s State House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell didn’t hold back criticism in her reply to the governor’s call for a special session.

“Florida’s property insurance collapse has been building for a long time!” Driskell said. “We should have worked to solve this problem during the last legislative session, or the special session afterwards, but instead the problem was ignored while companies folded or stopped writing policies in Florida. The governor and the Legislature played culture war politics while the media reported story after story about the housing insurance market “Experts said Florida was in trouble and homeowners knew it was true when their rates skyrocketed or companies dropped them,” Driskell added. “We’re glad Governor DeSantis is finally on board with what Florida Democrats have been saying the whole time: our property insurance market is in crisis and Floridians are suffering. I’m just sorry it took a hurricane to get him to act.”

In her newly-elected role as the state Democrats’ house leader, Driskell will have to find common ground for compromise, because Florida’s Democratic Party was dominated in the 2022 Midterm Election and hasn’t controlled the Florida State House of Representatives, the Florida Senate, or the governor’s office for more than two decades.

Tennessee Senator Questions FTC on Ticketmaster’s Site Security After Taylor Swift Concert Ticket Crash

Matt OHern
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Tennessee Senator Questions FTC on Ticketmaster’s Site Security After Taylor Swift Concert Ticket Crash

Ticketmaster’s Taylor Swift ticket crash around the world has led to new questions being raised of the Federal Trade Commission and its chair, Lina Kahn. In a bipartisan effort, Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn (R) joined Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal (D), to press the FTC for answers regarding data security versus bot attacks that allegedly took down the nation’s unofficial monopoly on concert ticket sales and distribution. Blackburn’s probe comes two weeks after glitches and website outages kicked customers offline and angered hundreds of thousands fans awaiting their chance to buy tickets to Taylor Swift’s latest concert series, “Eras Tour.”

Blackburn, a member of the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, said the recent difficulties consumers encountered are “reflective of anti-competitive conduct” in the online marketplace. Blackburn is no stranger to consumer headaches with Ticketmaster. In 2016, President Obama signed her legislation, the Better Online Ticket Sales (BOTS) Act, into law. Senator Blumenthal was also an original co-sponsor of the bill. The BOTS Act was crafted to prohibit mass purchases of tickets and reduce the impact of a practice known as “scalping tickets”, where the tickets are resold at prices that are often at least double the face value of the ticket.

“Fortunately, a solution is already in place that would go a long way in reducing ticket costs and protecting consumers and artists from scammers,” Blackburn said. “The federal government needs to get serious about implementing my legislation, the BOTS Act, immediately.”

For decades, concert goers have complained about service fees and poor customer service from Ticketmaster. In 2009, consumers expressed concerns when the Live Nation merged with Ticketmaster to form Live Nation Entertainment. Outrage over poor service and an absence of viable competition has been expressed across party lines. New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said that music fans are “being fleeced” by Ticketmaster. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Cortez said she believes that the merger should be unwound, and she pushed for limits on ticket prices and fees.

The letter Blackburn and Blumenthal sent to the FTC can be read, below.

Dear Chair Khan:

We write to ask for information about the steps the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is taking to combat the use and operation of bots in the online ticket marketplace. As you know, the Better Online Ticket Sales, or BOTS Act, became law in 2016. This law prohibits the circumvention of a security measure, access control system, or other technological control measure used online by a ticket issuer. It also prohibits the selling or offering of an event ticket obtained through a circumvention violation if the seller participated in, had the ability to control, or should have known about the violation. The BOTS Act gives the FTC and state attorneys general the authority to enforce violations as unfair and deceptive practices.

Recently, several high profile incidents arose where consumers encountered serious difficulties purchasing tickets through online ticket vendors, including Ticketmaster and AXS. While bots may not be the only reason for these problems, which Congress is evaluating, fighting bots is an important step in reducing consumer costs in the online ticketing industry. For example, consumers reported trying to purchase tickets to see Bob Dylan at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, only to be told the tickets in their shopping cart no longer existed. Similarly, 22,000 fans preregistered to buy tickets for Blake Shelton, but only a few hundred actually got tickets. Finally, Ticketmaster/LiveNation pointed to online bots as a reason why fans could not get Taylor Swift concert tickets, leading the ticket seller to shut down sales to the general public.

While some consumers opt to purchase tickets on the secondary market, most fans cannot afford to pay thousands of dollars for a single concert ticket. Some reports have found secondary ticket sales ranging from $1,000 (Bruce Springsteen) to $40,000 (Adele). Preventing this type of consumer harm is exactly why Congress chose to enact the BOTS Act six years ago and why we both chose to sponsor that bill.

We understand that, in January 2021, the FTC took its first enforcement actions under the BOTS Act. However, given the numerous high-profile incidents in the online ticket marketplace, it would be helpful to understand how the FTC intends to act to address such conduct going forward. We request answers to the following, which may be provided in a confidential briefing if needed:

Does the FTC have any pending enforcement matters before it with respect to the BOTS Act?

Why has the FTC only undertaken a single enforcement action to date using its BOTS Act authority?

Are there obstacles preventing the FTC from exercising its authority under the BOTS Act that Congress should be aware of?

Are there other solutions that Congress needs to consider in conjunction with the BOTS Act?

We appreciate your timely attention to this issue.

Herschel Walker and Raphael Warnock Tied in Senate Runoff Poll

Matt OHern
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Herschel Walker and Raphael Warnock Tied in Senate Runoff Poll

According to a recent poll by COMPETE Digital, Georgia’s U.S. Senate Runoff Election remains in statistical dead heat, with incumbent Democrat Raphael Warnock (D) and his challenge, Republican candidate Herschel Walker, each getting 50 percent of likely voters’ support. The survey polled 939 likely Georgia voters and had a margin of error of 3.1%.

With Republican hopes of a red wave in the 2022 Mid-Term Election dashed, Georgia’s runoff result won’t swing Senate control, but the outcome could keep certain bills in limbo on close votes if one or two Democrats known as swing voters, such as West Virginia’s Democratic Senator Joe Manchin or Arizona’s Kristen Sinema, who may side with Republicans against an effort to abolish the filibuster. (To learn more about the filibuster, listen to this voter-friendly explanation of the filibuster from Georgia political talk show host Ben Burnett.)

Should Herschel Walker unseat Warnock. Democrats will have at least a tie-breaking vote with Kamala Harris serving as the tie-breaker. Should Warnock emerge again as the victor of a close runoff election, Democrats would gain a two-vote lead, and Harris’ vote wouldn’t be necessary.

WARNOCK ENJOYS SLIGHT ADVANTAGE WITH INDEPENDENTS

The survey showed Warnock leading among independent voters, gaining 52% of support, while Walker led among supporters of Libertarian Chase Oliver, gaining 67% of support, but Oliver’s vote share only counted for 2.1% of all votes. Georgia voters don’t register by party, but it’s fair to say that at least 25% of them would be considered independent if they were forced to self identify.

Turnout in runoff elections is generally lower than in general elections, making “get out the vote” efforts to return original supporters to vote essential, per former Georgia State Senate President pro tempore Eric Johnson.

WALKER PORTRAYED AS MENTALLY UNFIT IN NEW AD

Warnock’s campaign took a page out of the Republican playbook against Biden. Earlier this week, Warnock’s campaign released a new ad titled, “Embarrassing”, showing lowlights of Walker’s speeches, including several verbal gaffes and incoherent quotes. Warnock’s attempt to portray Walker as mentally unfit for office mimics messaging that has been used against Biden dating back to the start of his 2020 candidacy. Footage in the ad showcases Walker speaking about vampire movies, pregnant cows and how “our good air decided to float over to China’s bad air.”

The ad’s transcript reads:

“I’m Raphael Warnock and I approve this message. You ever watch a stupid movie late at night? You’re going to get better. Don’t get better. But you keep watching it. Anyway. I was watching this movie watching this movie called Fright Night Free Tonight and some kind of a night, but it’s about vampires, vampires, some people, what the hell is he talking about? A real wild wolf can kill a vampire. Did you know that? I never knew that? So I don’t want to be a vampire anymore. I want to be a werewolf. You’re serious about this, right? So I’ve been telling this little story about this bull out in the field. Six cars, three of them are pregnant. There’s no substance, there’s nothing. So you know, you got something going on. It makes me want to laugh and then it makes me think we’re in trouble. I was decided to china. So when china gets out there, no one’s watching this and being like, oh man, that guy’s got it together. It is embarrassing. Let’s call it what it is. It is embarrassing.”

New Book on Ron DeSantis Set to Release in February

Matt OHern
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New Book on Ron DeSantis Set to Release in February

With a landslide re-election victory in his rearview mirror, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is back in the national spotlight thanks to news about an upcoming book. HarperCollins Publishers’s Broadside Books is publishing DeSantis’ memoir, titled: “The Courage to Be Free”, which is scheduled for release on, Feb. 28, 2023.

Below is a description of the book, provided by HarperCollins: No American leader has accomplished more for his state than Governor Ron DeSantis. Now, he reveals how he did it.

He played baseball for Yale, graduated with honors from Harvard Law School, and served in Iraq and in the halls of Congress. But in all these places, Ron DeSantis learned the same lesson: He didn’t want to be part of the leftist elite.

His heart was always for the people of Florida, one of the most diverse and culturally rich states in the union. Since becoming governor of the sunshine state, he has fought —and won—battle after battle, defeating not just opposition from the political left, but a barrage of hostile media coverage proclaiming the end of the world.

When he implemented evidence-based and freedom-focused COVID-19 policies, the press launched a smear campaign against him, yet Florida’s economy thrived, its education system outperformed the nation, and its COVID mortality rate for seniors was lower than that in 38 states. When he enacted policies to keep leftist political concepts like critical race theory and woke gender ideology out of Florida’s classrooms, the media demagogued his actions, but parents across Florida rallied to his cause. Dishonest attacks from the media don’t deter him. In fact, DeSantis keeps racking up wins for Floridians.

A firsthand account from the blue-collar boy who grew up to take on Disney and Dr. Fauci, The Courage to Be Free delivers something no other politician’s memoir has before: stories of victory. This book is a winning blueprint for patriots across the country. And it is a rallying cry for every American who wishes to preserve our liberties.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp Announces Senior Staff

Press Release
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Georgia Governor Brian Kemp Announces Senior Staff

Below is a release from the office of Georgia Governor Brian Kemp:

Atlanta, GA – Governor Brian P. Kemp today announced the following senior staff appointees for his second term:

▪ Current Chief of Staff Trey Kilpatrick, Executive Counsel David Dove, and Office of Planning and Budget Director and Chief Financial Officer Kelly Farr will remain in their positions.

▪ Deputy Chief of Staff Bert Brantley will depart the Governor’s Office to become President and CEO of the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce, effective February 1. Current Chief Operating Officer (COO) Lauren Curry will continue her service to the state by stepping into the Deputy Chief of Staff role, overseeing state agency operations and Governor’s Office communications.

▪ Brad Bohannon will continue in his role as Director of Government Affairs and Policy and will take on additional external affairs responsibilities.

▪ Current Deputy COO and Deputy Executive Counsel Kristyn Long will serve as Chief Operating Officer.

“My administration greatly appreciates the sound advice we have received these past several years with a team that has excelled in the face of unprecedented times,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “I will continue to benefit from their knowledge and dedication in my next term. I especially want to thank Bert Brantley for his thoughtful counsel and leadership throughout some of the greatest challenges our state has ever faced. For three administrations, he has devoted his time, talent, and energy to the people of Georgia. As both a colleague and a friend, I appreciate all of his contributions and I know he will continue to make us proud as he brings even more jobs and opportunity to the coastal region. We are looking forward to the continued service of Trey, David, Kelly, Lauren, Brad, and Kristyn as they continue to help us keep Georgia the best state to live, work, and raise a family.”

Trey Kilpatrick serves as Chief of Staff for the Governor’s Office. He joined Governor Kemp’s administration in 2020 after 10 years serving U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson in various roles, including deputy chief of staff, senior advisor, political director, state director and campaign manager. Prior to his time with Isakson, Kilpatrick was a vice president for Morgan Keegan & Co., Inc., an Atlanta-based investment firm.

Kilpatrick earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia and resides in Atlanta with his wife and three children.

David Dove serves as Executive Counsel for the Governor’s Office. He previously served as Chief of Staff and Legal Counsel for then-Secretary of State Brian Kemp. Dove has also worked as an attorney at Robbins Alloy Belinfante Littlefield in Atlanta.

Originally from Athens, Dove remains active on campus at the University of Georgia where he earned his undergraduate and juris doctorate degrees. He and his family now live in Marietta, where he served as chairman of the city’s Ethics Committee from 2017-2019. He also represents the State of Georgia as a commissioner on the Uniform Law Commission.

Patrick “Kelly” Farr serves as Director of the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget and Chief Financial Officer. He has significant expertise in business development from his work at Lucent Technologies and Capgemini. In these prior roles, Farr worked extensively with various state agencies to implement technological advances and improve constituent service. Farr also previously served as Deputy Secretary of State for the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office where he was responsible for budget management and oversight of daily operations.

Farr holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance from Augusta University. He and his wife, Jennifer, live in Cumming with their two children.

Lauren Curry currently serves as Chief Operating Officer in the Office of Governor Brian Kemp and will step into the Deputy Chief of Staff role. She previously served as Director of Government Affairs and Policy for Governor Kemp.

Prior to joining the Governor’s Office, Curry served as Deputy Director of the Georgia Environmental Protection Division, Chief of Staff for the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, Director of Public and Governmental Affairs at the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Special Projects Director at the Georgia Department of Economic Development, and press aide to Governor Sonny Perdue.

Curry earned a bachelor’s degree in Government and Business Economics from Wofford College and a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Georgia.

Brad Bohannon is the Director of Government Affairs and Policy in the Office of Governor Brian Kemp. He previously served as Vice President of Government Affairs at the Georgia Lottery. Prior to his service in state government, he was Chief of Staff to former Congressman Lynn Westmoreland. He also previously served in Government Relations with Georgia EMC.

Bohannon earned a degree in Consumer Economics from the University of Georgia and resides in Newnan with his wife and two children.

Kristyn Long currently serves as Deputy Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Executive Counsel in the Office of Governor Brian Kemp and will become Chief Operating Officer. Prior to joining the Governor’s staff in February 2020, she worked in private practice, focusing on civil litigation, probate litigation, and estate planning.

Long holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law. She and her husband reside in Ball Ground.

Mississippi Senator Wicker Hails Greater Broadband Access

Matt OHern
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Mississippi Senator Wicker Hails Greater Broadband Access

Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker released a statement about the FCC’s new maps paving the way for more broadband coverage in rural areas. His full statement is below.

“Few things have changed our world like the internet. Today, millions of Americans use the web to find jobs, get an education, manage their savings, read the news, and stay in touch with family and friends. Unfortunately, too many Mississippians do not enjoy these benefits because they lack access to a broadband connection. This disparity exists because federal broadband investment has gone mainly to cities, leaving many rural areas behind. Since coming to Congress, I have fought consistently to change this trend and bring faster broadband to our unserved and underserved communities, and I have used my leadership role on the Senate Commerce Committee to advance this goal. Recently, one of my top legislative priorities came to fruition, paving the way for better internet access across Mississippi.

On November 18, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released new and improved broadband maps showing where broadband is available and at what speeds. These maps were greatly needed after years of flawed reporting. In 2018, for example, the FCC claimed that Mississippi enjoyed 98 percent mobile broadband coverage – an absurd claim to anyone who has lived or traveled in rural Mississippi. This flawed data made it harder for us to receive federal the broadband investments we needed. To fix this problem, I authored the Broadband DATA Act, which requires the FCC to create more accurate maps and to update them regularly. Congress passed the bill into law in 2020, resulting in the newly released maps. Because of this pivotal law, Mississippi is now in a much stronger position to attract broadband investment.

FCC Needs to Hear From Mississippians

The FCC’s new maps are a big step forward, but they are still far from perfect. According to some reports, whole communities are still missing from the maps. It is crucial that we make every effort to fix these errors by providing feedback to the FCC. The good news is that any resident can now easily challenge the maps if they believe their broadband coverage is being misreported. If a challenge is successful, the FCC will be required to fix the map.

Getting these maps right is critical because they will determine where future broadband efforts are focused. For example, when the FCC awards broadband dollars from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, it will allocate them based on what the maps look like in June 2023. This short time horizon makes it urgent that we file challenges as soon as possible. I encourage all Mississippians to check their home or business address on the FCC maps website. Simply go to broadbandmap.fcc.gov, then type in the address and see if the reported coverage is accurate. Residents can submit a challenge by clicking “Location Challenge” if the location is missing or “Availability Challenge” if the coverage information is incorrect.

Broadband Money Coming to Mississippi

As a negotiator of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, I helped secure a minimum of $100 million in broadband funding for Mississippi. In addition to these funds, Mississippi will continue to benefit from targeted investments from the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund and the USDA’s Reconnect program, which recently awarded $30 million to seven rural counties in Mississippi. This investment will bring high-speed internet to an estimated 11,000 people, 100 businesses, and 367 farms. As long as rural areas continue to be underserved, I will keep using every tool at my disposal to bring broadband to every corner of Mississippi.

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