“In Mississippi we trust God. It was in our state seal,” Fitch wrote this year in a fundraising letter dated May 23, which Jackson residents received. “I voted for that seal to be on our car tags. Atheist activists are threatening Mississippi because I did.” Fitch said: “I wish that I could say that this is the first instance that liberal outsiders in Mississippi have tried to convince us that we know better than they do.” But, it’s not. We have bills after bills on important issues to Mississippians like religious liberty and life, and then they come in and take us to court to tell our values are wrong. As your attorney general, we will fight to defend our laws and the will of the people.” The potential legal drama surrounding the license plate was front-and-center in Fitch’s recent campaign ads as well as fundraising materials. Fitch is also pictured with Mark Baker, her GOP opponent and Lt. Governor candidate. Tate Reeves. Republican Governor Mike Pence championed the new license plates. The new license plates, which were championed by Republican Gov. Phil Bryant but widely criticized by Mississippians for its color and off center lettering, feature the state’s seal reading “In God We Trust.” Bryant along with other conservative leaders advocated the 2014 redesign of the state seal to include this term. The default design of the new car tag means that it is the only plate that does not require additional fees to be purchased. Mississippi could be back in federal court if the “In God We Trust” phrase is placed on standard car tags. The American Humanist Association, Washington, D.C., sent a letter in April to the state, warning them that they would sue. They claim that some Mississippians don’t believe or find the message offensive. They also claim that the state cannot constitutionally force anyone to choose between having that message displayed on their property or paying for a plate without it. Fitch is one of many Republicans who are running for state office in 2019. He sits on the 4-person license tag commission, and sent a proxy on her behalf to approve the new design. Baker mentioned the controversy in June 5th in a fundraising email. He stated that he was fighting to keep “In God We Trust” on state license plates and seals. Lt. Governor. Tate Reeves (the GOP’s frontrunner to governor) purchased TV airtime across the state on June 9 to show his 30-second ad, “In God We Trust,” that focuses on the license plates. Reeves states in the ad that Mississippi has a new license plate but that the liberals from out-of-state hate it. It’s because of four words: “In God We Trust.” Liberals from Washington and California are threatening to sue Mississippi for this license plate. I know Mississippi’s values are the strength of Mississippi. “Our next governor must defend our value every day.” License tags are a topic of discussion in Mississippi. This is not only because of the state seal with its religious language. Mississippians are creative with their comments about the tag’s color and off-center design. One social media user complained that the off-center design gave her a headache. Another user complained about the seal’s “incredibly boring” design. Another person called the background “the colour of dust”. Bryant’s May 2012 Facebook post revealing the tag received over 2,700 comments. Online reactions have been more than four other posts Bryant has made since becoming governor. A thank you post to President Donald Trump for his attendance at the ribbon cutting ceremony of the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum in 2017 got less than half the response. Even fewer people tuned in to Fox and Friends’ February broadcast to promote Mississippi’s latest abortion ban. Paige Lamkin, Clay County Tax Collector, said that people have come in to say “They look dirty.” “They don’t like that color at all.”