Mississippi State Senator Dean Kirby to retire; Lee Yancey announces bid for District 30 seat

Mississippi State Senator Dean Kirby will not run for a 10th term in 2027, ending a career that began in 1992. The Senate Pro Tempore, who represents District 30, announced his decision to step down, citing his upcoming 80th birthday, according to a statement from his office.

Kirby has been a prominent figure in the state Senate, serving as Pro Tempore since 2020. He oversees Senate operations and chairs the Rules Committee, while also serving on several other committees, including Corrections, Drug Policy, Finance, Insurance, Judiciary A, Medicaid, and Municipalities. An active Republican, he has been involved in party politics since the 1970s and was first elected after redistricting following the 1990 Census.

Following Kirby’s announcement, State Rep. Lee Yancey, a former state senator, declared his intention to run for the District 30 seat. Yancey previously served in the Senate from 2008 to 2012 and returned to the House in 2020. He currently chairs the House Business and Commerce Committee and sits on multiple other committees.

Yancey expressed his gratitude for Kirby’s leadership and said he is eager to serve the district further. “I believe it is the best way for me to do more for Rankin County,” he said. The announcement drew praise from colleagues across the Capitol, including State Sen. Brice Wiggins and State Rep. Bubba Carpenter.

With Kirby’s retirement plans made public, other candidates may enter the race ahead of the January filing period for the 2027 legislative and statewide elections.

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