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Dear Jack,

Mississippi is solidly conservative. We have a conservative majority in the House and Senate. All eight of our state-wide executive officials are conservative.

Why then do we struggle to get conservative policy passed? Why do some apparent conservative lawmakers vote with the left on key issues?

A recent poll of likely Republican primary voters in our state by the Federation of American Children reveals overwhelming support for giving families school choice. Conducted by Cygnal on January 12-13, 2026, the survey found that 74% support legislation passed by the House this session to achieve school choice, with only 15% opposed.

This backing is even stronger among more conservative voters, reaching 80% among Trump Republicans. Moreover, 70% of these primary voters say they would back a pro-school choice candidate for state office, while just 15% would support one opposed to it.

And yet Speaker Jason White’s Mississippi Education Freedom bill (HB2) which would give families school choice faces sustained resistance – often from some elected as supposed conservatives.

17 Republicans in the House tried to block parent power. They sided with the progressive left against school choice. Was your local representative one of the ones that tried to kill school choice?
The most common argument against school choice is that if HB2 passes lots of kids from outside the area would flood into the school district. This is simply not true.

HB2 has clear safeguards allowing your school district to limit outside applications. Your local school could say ‘sorry, we’re full!’.

Those that oppose the bill in the legislature know this. So why do they persist in opposing conservative policy?

Frankly, many are terrified of their local school superintendents, who oppose school choice because they want to keep control of their million dollar budgets. School superintendents don’t want families to have the freedom to take their tax dollars elsewhere.

We are deeply disappointed that those listed above failed to support school choice.

Have a warm weekend.
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Warm regards,
Douglas Carswell
President & CEO

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