The Latest: Mississippi could see tough race for governor

JACKSON, Miss. – The Latest on the Mississippi governor’s election (all times local):

3:10 p.m.

Mississippi could have its toughest governor’s race in a nearly generation between two politicians known for digging in against opponents: two-term Republican Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves and four-term Democratic Attorney General Jim Hood.

Reeves secured the Republican nomination Tuesday by defeating Bill Waller Jr., a retired Mississippi Supreme Court justice and son of a former governor.

Reeves and Waller advanced from a three-person primary Aug. 6, the same day Hood defeated seven low-budget candidates to win the Democratic nomination.

A Republican Governors Association TV ad says Hood “is standing with the radical liberal resistance, suing to stop the Trump agenda.”

Democratic Governors Association director Noam Lee calls Reeves “a self-serving politician who enriches himself at the expense of Mississippi families.”

Mississippi law limits Republican Gov. Phil Bryant to two terms.

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2:45 a.m.

Second-term Republican Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves and four-term Democratic state Attorney General Jim Hood will go head to head this November in a battle for the Mississippi governor’s office.

Reeves won the Republican nomination Tuesday in a primary runoff. He defeated retired Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Bill Waller Jr.

Reeves is asking Waller’s supporters to back him and prevent the state from electing a “liberal Democrat” to the governor’s office.

Hood says Reeves ran a negative campaign and will “throw around labels” while Hood will focus on the issues.