Mississippi Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell will soon step down from his current office.
Tindell, who launched a bid for attorney general at the state level last week, announced on Monday’s episode of Mornings with Richard Cross that he is working with Gov. Tate Reeves on a plan to resign as commissioner. Though he did not provide a specific timeline for that decision, Tindell said an announcement will likely come toward the end of the calendar year, giving Reeves some time to mull prospective replacements.
“We’re coordinating with the governor on an exit strategy. I imagine by the end of the year, I will have stepped down as commissioner,” Tindell said. “We’ve made that known [to the governor]. We’re giving him a little time to figure out who that next commissioner should be.”
In Mississippi, the governor appoints the public safety commissioner. Tindell was appointed by Reeves to oversee the Mississippi Department of Public Safety in May 2020. Before that, Tindell held multiple titles, including state senator, assistant district attorney, and private lawyer.
In the meantime, the commissioner said he will be working double duty to fulfill the obligations he has in his current role while also vouching to be Mississippi’s top attorney. Tindell assured Mississippians that he would do his best to balance both being commissioner and running for office, to the point where the public is adequately being served.
“In the meantime, I’m going to try to balance both of these things,” Tindell said. “We’re still a year out. It’s very early in this process. Last week, I took the week off and did some things on the campaign trail. This week, it’s going to be a bit more of a normal week in the office, doing the things I typically do as commissioner.”
Tindell isn’t the only Mississippi elected official seeking another office. Currently, Attorney General Lynn Fitch and Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gipson are vying for governor, while Secretary of State Michael Watson is stumping for lieutenant governor. Party primaries will be held next August, with the general election occurring in November.