Tate Reeves slams California's poor reading scores compared to Mississippi after Gavin Newsom tells black crowd he 'can't read a speech'

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves took aim at California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday, calling out the Golden State’s poor test scores, following Newsom's widely panned comments over the weekend where some have accused him of insulting the intelligence of a black audience.

Newsom, facing allegations of racism after telling a black audience he is like them and “can’t read a speech,” was criticizing Fox News host Sean Hannity after the conservative commentator was calling the governor out for his remarks. In a profanity-filled social media post, Newsom dismissed the backlash to his comments as “fake outrage.”

Reeves jumped into the fray on Newsom’s X thread, pointing out that Mississippi’s recent reading gains are outpacing California's for black students. Reeves said a black fourth grader in Mississippi is 2.5 times more likely to read proficiently than a black fourth grader in California.

“We would be happy to send one of our reading coaches to assist you,” Reeves wrote, adding that increased literacy means “you do not have to fall back on vulgarity to seem passionate.”

Mississippi has garnered national attention for gains in fourth-grade reading, especially among black students, following a series of reforms emphasizing early literacy and retention policies. Mississippi budgeted $2.97 billion for education in 2025-26, but reading proficiency among Mississippi students has jumped from 46th in 2017 to 7th in 2024.

The state’s focus on foundational reading skills and intervention strategies has helped reverse longstanding performance struggles and earned the title of the “Mississippi Miracle.” Conversely, Newsom's California, which for 2025-26 has budgeted $137 billion for education, has seen falling test scores and students struggling to recover from the mandated school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic, which lasted longer than most of the US.

Over the weekend, Newsom highlighted his dyslexia during an event promoting his new book "Young Man in a Hurry," and described himself to Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens as a “960 SAT guy,” then joked about not wanting to “offend anyone” who scored lower. He also suggested his dyslexia affects his ability to give speeches, claiming that’s why people "don’t see him reading remarks.”

Gavin Newsom slammed by Tate Reeves on California vs Mississippi’s reading scores after Newsom tells black audience he is like them and 'can't read a speech'