Mississippi State Rep. Price Wallace has died at age 64, House Speaker Jason White announced. White described Wallace as a friend and colleague and expressed his condolences on social media.
Wallace represented District 77, which includes parts of Rankin and Simpson counties, since 2018. He served as chair of the House Constitution Committee, where he worked to restore Mississippi’s ballot initiative process after it was overturned by the state Supreme Court in 2021.
Although Wallace’s legislation to reinstate the initiative process did not pass the Senate, White noted his efforts to restore the constitutional right for Mississippians to influence state policy. Wallace was also known for wearing a cowboy hat in his official photos and within the Capitol. He was a poultry farmer and served on the House Agriculture Committee.
Several colleagues and officials shared messages of support after his passing. Rep. Fred Shanks called Wallace a “stand-up man,” and Mississippi Department of Transportation Executive Director Brad White said Wallace was like family. Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gipson described him as “a good man” who will be missed.
Wallace is survived by his wife, Cindy, children, and grandchildren. In addition to his legislative work, he was a Simpson County election commissioner and a board member at the Church of Mendenhall. The cause of death has not been disclosed.
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
