The 2027 race for state auditor in Mississippi is busying with two more candidates expressing their intentions to run for the soon-to-be-vacant seat.
After former Republican state Rep. Nick Bain announced his candidacy in his hometown of Corinth last week, two others have confirmed they are seeking the office: Republican state Sen. Daniel Sparks and Adams County Supervisor Kevin Wilson. Wilson, most recently an unsuccessful candidate for U.S. House, will also run as a Republican.
Sparks recently told crowds in DeSoto County and Rankin County of his plans but will hold an official campaign launch later this month. Wilson, on the other hand, announced at a political gathering in Madison County on Wednesday.
All three are looking to replace Shad White, whose team confirmed to SuperTalk Mississippi News on Wednesday that he is not seeking another term as state auditor and will announce which office he will run for at a later date. White has been publicly mulling a run for governor since last summer.
Sparks has served in the state Senate since 2020 and chaired the Senate Economic and Workforce Development Committee during this year’s session. He was also vice chaired the Senate Judiciary B Committee. The Republican from Belmont has frequently been called on by Republican Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann to lead the conversation regarding the state’s public employees’ retirement system and has played a critical role in trying to shore up the system’s unfunded liability. He is an attorney by trade.
Wilson, who is a Natchez-based independent oilman, entered the political scene in 2019 when he earned a spot on the Adams County Board of Supervisors. He was later elected as the board’s president and has recently turned his attention to higher office. During this year’s congressional primaries, he was narrowly beat by Ron Eller in the U.S. House District 2 GOP race.
Bain has been active on the campaign trail with stops in Meridian, Hattiesburg, Jackson, Pearl, Olive Branch, and Cleveland, among other places. He also received an endorsement from former Republican Gov. Phil Bryant earlier this week.
As of now, no Democrats have announced their intentions to run for state auditor but that’s expected to change as the 2027 cycle moves closer. Primaries will be held next August with the general following in November.
The office of state auditor in Mississippi investigates fraud, embezzlement, and public corruption while assessing state agencies, school districts, and universities to ensure compliance with legal and financial standards. An overarching goal of the office is to ensure taxpayer dollars are not misspent.
