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Gov. Tate Reeves last week attended and spoke at a fundraiser for State Auditor Shad White, whose 2027 gubernatorial aspirations at this point are well known.
Reeves’ office in a statement said he’s not endorsing anyone yet to replace him after his final term in office, but his appearance at the White fundraiser at a wealthy patron’s home in Northeast Jackson spurred speculation among politicos that Reeves is aligning early with White.
Over his many years in statewide office, including two terms as lieutenant governor, Reeves has most often kept his powder dry on endorsing or openly helping other statewide candidates in Republican primaries. But his criticism of another fellow Republican who has made his 2027 gubernatorial aspirations known, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, has some folks suspecting Reeves is getting out front early supporting White to thwart Hosemann’s aspirations.
“The governor often supports — financially and otherwise — elected officials throughout the state with whom he regularly works with to improve the state he loves,” Reeves’ Deputy Chief of Staff Cory Custer said in a statement. “Auditor White certainly meets that criteria.
“But, no, the governor has not made any endorsements for any office in the 2027 Mississippi elections,” Custer said.
White was ebullient over the governor’s assist at the fundraiser.
“I was honored to have Gov. Reeves attend the fundraiser,” White said in a statement. “We have tons of momentum as a state but big new challenges on the horizon that will require energy and grit from our next crop of elected officials, something he and I have discussed at length, so I was proud he chose to come to the event. It was the most successful fundraiser I’ve had in my time as state auditor.”
Jockeying and fundraising for Mississippi’s 2027 statewide elections is entering full swing, with politicians eyeing open seats for governor, lieutenant governor and potentially others through a domino effect.
Besides White and Hosemann, other Republicans considering a run for governor in bright-red Mississippi include Attorney General Lynn Fitch, Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gipson, former U.S. Rep. Gregg Harper, former House Speaker Philip Gunn and billionaire businessman Tommy Duff.
The potential entre into the race of Duff, the state’s co-wealthiest person along with his brother, will be a linchpin for the 2027 governor’s race. The prospect of running against someone who could easily write his own campaign an eight-figure check would likely cause all but the most confident, foolhardy or well-funded candidates to waive off a run and pick another office.
The political chatter of late has been that Duff, who has toyed with a gubernatorial run in past cycles, will not run in 2027. But Duff’s recent actions would appear to belie this. He has been traveling across the state and attending events in a very campaign-like manner for months. Duff also formed a PAC late last year that is already helping GOP candidates in local elections across the state in 2025, including running an ad in the heated Gulfport mayoral race between Republican Hugh Keating and Democrat Sonya Williams Barnes and donating $25,000 to the House Leadership Fund.
With some gubernatorial hopefuls considering a plan B, and an also open lieutenant governor seat, the field for the No. 2 spot in state government could become very crowded. Besides aforementioned potential gubernatorial candidates, numerous others, including Secretary of State Michael Watson, Treasurer David McRae, state Sen. Briggs Hopson III and others are considered potential lieutenant governor candidates.
One name often mentioned lately for a potential run for lieutenant governor, attorney general — you name it — is Deputy Attorney General Whitney Lipscomb. Lipscomb, who was previously deputy chief of staff and legal counsel for former Gov. Phil Bryant, has also been widely rumored as a likely pick by President Donald Trump for one of Mississippi’s two U.S. Attorney spots.
Democrats, who do not currently hold a statewide elected office in Mississippi, have at times struggled to field competitive candidates. But many suspect former Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley, who ran against Reeves in the last gubernatorial race, might try again. State House Minority Leader Robert Johnson is often mentioned as a potential lieutenant governor candidate.
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