The state law that makes official correspondence between elected officials and governmental agencies available to the public is exempted the Legislature from for many years. Hood, the only statewide elected Democrat and four-term attorney general, stated that requiring legislators be subject to the open record law would eliminate “backroom deals” by the legislative leadership, which he claims are holding back the state’s economic growth. Hood, a Chickasaw County resident, announced that he would be running for governor in Houston, Texas in November. He held a signing event at Mississippi Civil Rights Museum on Thursday, just one day before the deadline for qualifying for election. The Rev. Charles Penson, Tupelo, said that he was happy to see a crowd like Mississippi, both black and white, old and young. Hood told the 200-strong crowd, “We need state government open up.” Hood said, “We need to sweep it clean.” Hood referred to multiple tax cuts that were passed for corporations. He said that the majority of the tax cuts went to large businesses outside the state. Hood presented his tax-cut plan on Thursday. Hood pledged to end the 7 percent food sales tax. Mississippi has the highest state-imposed grocery sales tax in the country. Alabama has a higher food sales tax when local options are available. Hood did not respond to media inquiries and could not give an estimate of the state’s cost to remove the food sales tax. Hood stated that more details about his proposals would become available as the campaign progresses. He also suggested expanding early childhood education, raising teacher salaries, and expanding Medicaid. These are all provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare), which allows for health care to be provided primarily to the working-poor. He stated that the federal money would be used to keep rural hospitals open, which many are at risk of closing. Hood and Reeves are the favourites to win the November general election, but both faces challenges in the primary. Hood will face Robert Shuler Smith, Hinds County district lawyer, and Velesha Pa. Williams in the Democratic primaries. Reeves will face former Chief Justice of the State Supreme Court, Bill Waller Jr., and Robert Foster, a freshman state representative. Reeves was the focus of Thursday Hood. He said, “By the way of our lieutenant Governor, Mississippi has given out hundreds million of your tax dollars to large out-of-state corporations which should have gone towards fixing our roads and improving our schools, or giving tax relief for our own Mississippi businesses, working families, and other Mississippi residents.” Parker Briden, a Reeves campaign spokesperson, replied via email that “The Democratic Party today is more radical than ever and Jim Hood wants it to take over Mississippi.” Their platform would cost us our jobs, cost you money and do damage to our culture and undermine our values.”