Former Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn is expected to announce Tuesday, April 14, that he will run for governor, Mississippi Today reported. The news outlet said it obtained an invitation to an announcement event sent to supporters.
A representative for Gunn did not respond to a request for comment, Mississippi Today reported.
Gunn, a Republican, represented the Clinton area in the state House for 20 years and served 12 of those years as speaker, Mississippi Today reported. He was the first Republican to hold the office since Reconstruction, the report said.
At a recent Capitol ceremony, Gunn told attendees he wanted to help develop the next generation of Mississippians and make the state the “best place to live and work.” “I am not riding off into the sunset, but I will be riding into the sunrise,” he said, according to the report. Mississippi Today also credited Gunn with helping lead the effort to replace the state’s former flag and with shepherding House passage of a bill that severely restricted abortion in Mississippi — legislation the outlet said ultimately led the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade and eliminate the constitutional right to an abortion.
Mississippi Today reported Gunn would join Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gipson, who announced a bid last year, in the 2027 governor’s race. The outlet said others interested in running include State Auditor Shad White, Attorney General Lynn Fitch, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann and businessman Tommy Duff.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
