Neshoba County Fair expected to draw 2027 election speculation

NESHOBA COUNTY, Miss. (WLBT) - Mississippi’s next statewide election is still a year away, but at the Neshoba County Fair, the talk is already turning to 2027.

While the official speaking schedule is limited, organizers and strategists say there will still be plenty of politics on the grounds.

“This year is what I call a calm before the storm year… the storm will be ’27,” said Hayes Dent, president of Hayes Dent Public Strategies.

Dent said most Mississippians aren’t focused on the maneuvering yet, but insiders are watching closely for hints about who could jump into higher office.

“There’s probably less than 1,000 people really focused on the palace intrigue,” Dent said.

The intrigue comes as rumors swirl around who will or won’t run for higher office.

“The fair has typically not been a place where people have come out and said, ‘Hey, I’m going to do this, or I’m going to do that.’ But it could be a great opportunity for the people who are rumored to be going to be a candidate,” Dent said.

The current statewide officials who have yet to announce next steps include Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, Attorney General Lynn Fitch and Auditor Shad White, all of whom have been rumored to run. White isn’t on the schedule, but his office confirms he is in the Mississippi Army National Guard and is currently deployed to the Middle East.

Rep. Scott Bounds, president of the Neshoba County Fair, said the official speaking list comes with rules.

“Our policy states that to be considered for an invitation to speak, you either got to be a statewide official or a qualified candidate or your district has to geographically encompass all or part of the show of account,” he said.

Bounds said they toyed with the idea of opening it up to those who’ve announced but decided to stick with their long-standing policy.

“It’s sort of a method to our madness, but it cuts down on confusion, and we want to be consistent with who we invite and who we can’t,” he said.

That explains why candidates like Philip Gunn for governor or Nick Bain and Daniel Sparks, who are running for auditor, don’t appear on the slate. They have announced, but the technical qualifying period doesn’t start until January.

That doesn’t mean other candidates won’t be around the fairground.

“I have had communication with a lot of people who have announced, and they plan to be here to campaign,” he said.

To view a copy of the full political speaking schedule, click HERE.

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