The race to become Mississippi’s next governor has just begun, but unfortunately, the divisiveness has already arrived.

Monday night, three months after he filed qualifying papers to run for the office, current Mississippi Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves launched a “kick-off rally” in which he clearly outlined his strategy — stir up divisiveness and mistrust.

Reeves claimed the “radical liberals” were taking aim at Mississippi.

In doing so, Reeves made a blanket name-drop in the process saying, the “liberals” are upset that Mississippi elected former Gov. Haley Barbour and current Gov. Phil Bryant each for two consecutive terms, then later dropped a Donald Trump reference as well.

Then he went for the GOP jugular — guns and church.

“The liberals are mad that we go hunting on Saturday and then we still go to church on Sunday.”

We were hopeful that this election would be different. That we could collectively talk about real issues facing Mississippi like the need for better economic opportunities for our children and improving educational standards.

Instead, it appears the candidate with the most money in the bank per the last campaign finance reports instead wants to follow the national narrative of fussing and squabbling rather than talking and debating.