The GOP field for Mississippi’s next governor continues to widen with State Auditor Shad White being the latest to enter the race.
After teasing for months that he was considering a run for governor, White officially launched his candidacy on Monday. The first millennial to serve in a statewide office in not only Mississippi but also the Deep South, White was appointed auditor by former Gov. Phil Bryant after the 2018 resignation of former State Auditor Stacey Pickering. Along with his elected role, White is a captain in the Mississippi National Guard and served in the Middle East earlier this year.
“I’m a Christian. I’m a husband. I’m a father to three little kids. I’m a soldier. I deployed this past year to the Middle East for Operation Epic Fury,” White said in a video posted to social media. “I’m a Trump supporter who has never wavered. I’m the state auditor whose team uncovered record amounts of fraud, waste, and abuse in Mississippi state government, and today, I’m a candidate for governor of our beautiful state.”
Since being appointed to the auditor’s office, White has won two statewide elections. He ran unopposed in 2019 and defeated Democratic challenger Larry Bradford convincingly in 2023. In his role, White has notoriously boasted that he is willing to ruffle feathers and shake up Mississippi’s political establishment to ensure taxpayer money was not being abused.
As auditor, White oversaw investigations into the misspending of taxpayer funds and the arrests of numerous public officials. His office was also involved in the investigation into the largest public welfare scandal in Mississippi history, where millions of dollars intended for poor and needy families were taken by those overseeing the funding and spent on entirely unrelated affairs. Within that scandal, White notably challenged NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre for his alleged involvement.
White’s team also uncovered what it believed to be more than $335 million in wasteful spending by state agencies. The effort, called “Project Momentum,” found that agencies were overspending on information technology contracts, state-funded vehicles, insurance for government buildings, and large office spaces.
If elected governor, White promises to continue tackling public corruption, lower taxes, and make sure that the state is spending taxpayer money efficiently. On education, he said he will promote classroom curriculum that prepares Mississippi’s youth for the workforce rather than indoctrinating them with political ideologies. He also vows to curb illegal immigration and prosecute violent criminals to the fullest extent of the law and to protect the state’s farmlands.
“We’re going to support President Trump’s efforts to get illegal immigrants out of this country, and heck, I’ll even send illegals to the liberal states who say they want them,” White said. “We will have the toughest laws in the country on violent criminals. We will have the toughest laws in the country on politicians who steal your money. We will make sure that our foreign adversaries are not allowed to control our farmland.”
White joins Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gipson, former House Speaker Philip Gunn, and Attorney General Lynn Fitch in the Republican candidate pool for governor. On the Democratic side of the aisle, civil rights advocate Priscilla Till and former state trooper Ivana Williams have tossed their hats in the ring to hold the state’s highest office.
As for who will replace White as auditor, three individuals have entered the GOP race for the position. Former state Rep. Nick Bain, state Sen. Daniel Sparks, and Madison County finance lawyer Phil Buffington Jr. are running for the state office.
Party primaries will be held next August with the general election following in November.
