​The Hickman Analytics research organization, polling for the Jim Hood (D) for Governor campaign, tested the Mississippi electorate in preparation for the 2019 state chief executive race, which will be held in November of this year.  The position is open because Gov. Phil Bryant (R) is ineligible to seek a third term. 
 
According to the Hickman results (5/5-9; 604 MS likely 2019 gubernatorial election voters), Attorney General Hood would lead Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves (R), 45-40%, if the election were in the present.  Both have August primary opposition, but each is expected to easily win their respective party nominations. 
 
Mr. Hood is often described as the “most successful Democratic politician in the Deep South,” because he was won four consecutive elections as the state AG.  Gov. Bryant chose Mr. Reeves as his running mate before the 2011 campaign and has endorsed his gubernatorial candidacy.   Prior to serving as Lt. Governor, Mr. Reeves had been the Mississippi state Treasurer for eight years.

​The Morning Consult organization published its new quarterly approval indexes for the nation’s 50 Governors, and the top eleven with the most positive ratings (from 73% to 54%) are all Republicans.  The most positively rated Democrat, also with 54% approval, is Delaware’s John Carney.
 
As has been the case for quite some time, Govs. Charlie Baker (R-MA) and Larry Hogan (R-MD) continue to record the highest gubernatorial positive ratings at 73 and 71%, respectively.  New Englanders appear pleased with their Governors because three of the five best rated state chief executives are located among the six New England states.  In addition to Gov. Baker, New Hampshire’s Chris Sununu (64% positive) and Vermont’s Phil Scott (59% favorable) land in the top five.
 
But, the news is not all good, and especially so for Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin (R), who faces a tough re-election campaign this year.  His 33:52% favorable to unfavorable ratio is the worst in the nation.  Not far behind is Connecticut newcomer Ned Lamont (D), who posts a 33:38% positive to negative ratio.  Rhode Island’s Gina Raimondo (D) and Oregon’s Kate Brown (D) are the other two where the negative rating exceeds the positive.

​The Morning Consult firm often tests the effectiveness of each of the nation’s 50 Governors, and they just released new results, yesterday.  As has been the case for some time, the two Governors with the strongest approval ratings are Republicans in the most Democratic of states: Massachusetts’ Gov. Charlie Baker (69%), and Maryland’s Larry Hogan (68%).  Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R) was third in this ratings set, scoring a 67:17% job approval ratio.  The top ten favorably viewed Governors were all Republicans.
 
The two lowest rated Governors, Oklahoma’s Mary Fallin (R) and Connecticut’s Dan Malloy (D), are retiring.  Gov. Fallin drops to 19:74% favorable to unfavorable, while Gov. Malloy records a similar 21:71%. 
 
The Governor standing for re-election with the worst approval score is Illinois Republican Bruce Rauner (27:60%).  Other Governors on the 2018 ballot with upside down job approval scores according to Morning Consult are Alaska’s Independent Bill Walker (29:54%), Scott Walker (R-WI; 42:50%), David Ige (D-HI; 39:46%), Gina Raimondo (D-RI; 44:46%), and Doug Ducey (R-AZ; 41:43%).