Former Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn is eyeing the state’s highest elected office years after stepping away from his role in the legislature.
Gunn, who retired from the House in January 2024, is expected to announce his 2027 bid for governor on April 14 in his hometown of Clinton. SuperTalk Mississippi News obtained an invitation to a “campaign kick-off” event that will be held at the Clinton Visitors Center with a fundraising reception to follow.
Gunn was first elected to the Mississippi Legislature in 2003, representing portions of Hinds and Madison counties in the House. In 2012 he became the first Republican to hold the position of speaker since Reconstruction. He held the post until his retirement after choosing not to seek reelection.
In his time presiding over the House, Gunn notably oversaw a successful effort to change Mississippi’s former controversial state flag, implement what was the largest tax cut in state history at the time of passage, and give K-12 educators the largest pay raise on record.
Gunn was also influential in the passage of Gestational Age Act in 2018, banning virtually all abortions after 15 weeks in Mississippi. The act was directly involved in the Dobbs. v. Jackson Women’s Health Clinic case that saw the U.S. Supreme Court overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision.
Roughly 16 months out from gubernatorial primaries, Gunn is current Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gipson’s lone challenger on the Republican side, though more announcements are expected soon. Other potential GOP candidates include Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, Attorney General Lynn Fitch, State Auditor Shad White, and billionaire business tycoon Tommy Duff.