Former Chicago Mayor Emanuel Touts Mississippi's Education Gains

Potential 2028 presidential candidate pushes education reform in Michigan speech.

Published on Feb. 19, 2026

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Rahm Emanuel, the former Chicago mayor, White House chief of staff, and ambassador to Japan, is exploring a possible presidential bid in 2028. In a speech before the Detroit Economic Club, Emanuel pointed to Mississippi's progress in improving fourth-grade reading scores as an example that other states should follow, even though Mississippi has "tough" demographics. Emanuel believes education reform, including a focus on the "science of reading" and stricter school accountability policies, should be a central part of his potential campaign platform.

Why it matters

Emanuel's education reform message and potential 2028 presidential run could have significant implications for the national political landscape and the future direction of education policy. As a high-profile Democratic figure with experience in both government and the private sector, his views on issues like reading instruction, vocational training, and social media regulation could shape the policy debate.

The details

In his speech, Emanuel pointed to Mississippi's rise from 49th to top-10 in fourth-grade reading scores over the past decade as an example of the kind of progress that can be achieved through a science-of-reading approach focused on phonics and stricter school accountability policies. He said other Republican-led states like Tennessee, Alabama, and Louisiana have also seen similar gains, and argued the rest of the country should follow their lead. In contrast, Emanuel lamented that reading and math scores have declined in Michigan despite increased education spending. He also proposed requiring high school students to have a letter of acceptance from college, a training program, or the military before receiving their diploma as a way to channel more students into skilled trades. Additionally, Emanuel advocated for stricter national policies to prevent younger children from using social media platforms like Instagram.

  • Emanuel visited Mississippi several weeks ago to learn more about their reading score improvements.
  • Emanuel is planning to roll out additional policy proposals centered on community colleges in about three weeks.

The players

Rahm Emanuel

A former congressman, Chicago mayor, White House chief of staff under President Barack Obama, and ambassador to Japan. He is exploring a possible presidential bid in 2028 and is pushing an education reform message, including pointing to Mississippi's progress in improving fourth-grade reading scores as an example for other states to follow.

Jim Farley

The CEO of Ford Motor Company, who has expressed concerns about a shortage of skilled trade workers, such as mechanics and technicians, with about 5,000 open positions at Ford that pay six figures with benefits.

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What they’re saying

“There's a lesson to learn. If Mississippi is succeeding — I can say, the demographics are tough — but if you go from 49th to 9th, that tells us something. Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana, also difficult demographics, they replicate it, they have success. This is not a one-off trick pony.”

— Rahm Emanuel (The Detroit News)

“You know more on the president's position on windmills than on education.”

— Rahm Emanuel (The Detroit News)

“We have turned our adolescents over to an algorithm, and the adults are losing to an algorithm. The government has to step in on the side of parents, and help them out.”

— Rahm Emanuel (The Detroit News)

What’s next

In about three weeks, Emanuel plans to roll out additional policy proposals centered on community colleges.

The takeaway

Emanuel's focus on education reform, particularly his praise for the progress made in Republican-led states like Mississippi, could position him as a pragmatic, results-oriented candidate if he decides to run for president in 2028. His willingness to buck partisan trends and highlight successes outside his own party's strongholds could appeal to voters seeking a unifying figure.