Former Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn is officially in the governor’s race.
Gunn, who retired from the state House of Representatives in January 2024, launched his 2027 bid for the state’s highest office Tuesday evening in his hometown of Clinton. He also released his first campaign ad, explaining his return to politics.
I’m proud of my record of helping bring new life to Mississippi. Now, I’m running for Governor because it’s time we make it the envy of the nation.
And I hope you’ll join me: https://t.co/9ARk8rEqQf pic.twitter.com/s2YKAvz76s
— Philip Gunn (@PhilipGunnMS) April 14, 2026
Gunn was first elected to the Mississippi Legislature in 2003, representing portions of Hinds and Madison counties. 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 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 the 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.
“We did big things. Schools went from last to competitive with the best. Taxes were lowered. With strong Republican leadership, we made our state more competitive. Mississippi has new life, and now I feel the call to serve again,” Gunn said as part of his campaign announcement. “We can build on what we’ve done, and we can do more.”
If elected governor, Gunn vows to work with the state legislature to eliminate property taxes, expand homestead exemptions for seniors, and slash the grocery tax.
Gunn, who was present at a $12 billion data center expansion announcement by Amazon last week, also said he will fight to ensure that data centers “pay their fair share” and do not pass on higher energy costs to consumers. Mississippi already has laws in place to protect consumers from rate increases, and Entergy, the state’s largest electric utility, assures that investments by major data centers are actually saving customers money.
“I’m proud of the record we have of bringing new life to my home state,” Gunn continued. “Now it’s time we make Mississippi the envy of the entire nation.”
A little over a year 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.
