Democrat

Rahm Emanuel is looking at a run to be the Democratic nominee for president in 2028, and he spoke this week in Water Valley.

The former mayor of Chicago appeared with former state Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley at Wednesday’s event.

Axios national political correspondent Alex Thompson shared some of what was said.

Former Gov. candidate Brandon Pressley introduces Rahm Emanuel at a town hall in Water Valley, Mississippi as part of a tour Emanuel is doing focused on education in the state.

Says MS has a model that the country can learn from. pic.twitter.com/jSvZVy5TcP
— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) January 8, 2026

Emanuel himself posted on X Saturday some of his comments from the Water Valley appearance.

Mississippi went from 49th to 9th in their reading scores – known as the “Mississippi Miracle.” Tennessee, Louisiana, and Alabama adopted the same (phonics) model and are seeing similar gains for their kids. It works. What are we waiting for?

We need the courage to stand by… pic.twitter.com/GrBECRVNTB
— Rahm Emanuel (@RahmEmanuel) January 10, 2026

Thompson added Emanuel’s biggest applause from that event came when proposing a national ban on social media for children under the age of 16.

He referred to Instagram and TikTok as being “worse than tobacco.“

You may be aware of today’s special election for the U.S. House in Tennessee’s Seventh Congressional District. It’s getting plenty of attention because the race between a Democrat and a Republican is believed to be much closer in a district that usually goes big for the GOP.

Chris Cillizza’s preview of this election included a look back by Decision Desk HQ of previous congressional special elections, and it included a huge upset locally in 2008 that got a lot of attention at the time. That’s when Prentiss County Chancery Clerk Travis Childers, a Democrat, defeated Southaven Mayor Greg Davis, a Republican, for the U.S. House seat in North Mississippi. The seat in Mississippi’s First Congressional District came open when Representative Roger Wicker was selected to replace Senator Trent Lott, who had retired.

Even if the Democrat wins the special election in Tennessee, it still would not be as big of an upset as Childers defeating Davis 17 years ago to represent the region in Congress.