NESHOBA COUNY FAIR — Republicans state Auditor Shad White and Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann threw a little political shade at each other, and both indicated they have 2027 gubernatorial aspirations at the Neshoba County Fair on Wednesday.

Hosemann told a crowd Wednesday that Mississippi’s next step in tax cuts should be reducing the state’s 7% tax on groceries – the highest levy of its kind in the nation.

Hosemann made the commitment Wednesday – the first of two days of political speaking at the historic Neshoba County Fair – to make reducing the grocery tax a priority during the upcoming 2025 legislative session, which begins In January.

White, who spoke before Hosemann under the balmy tin-roofed Founders Square Pavilion, also endorsed a cut to the grocery tax.

“It is time to lower the grocery tax,” Hosemann said before a sparse crowd for the off-election year political speeches. “We can do this. This is the year (2025 session) to do that.”

Hosemann pointed out that a $525 million cut in the income tax passed in 2022 will be completely phased in during the next two years. A cut in business taxes, costing the state about $42 million annually, will be phased in by 2029. He said a reduction in the 7% tax on groceries should be Mississippi’s next step.

White agreed, saying that because of the high cost of food, a reduction in the grocery tax would be big boost for families.

But White blamed Hosemann, as presiding officer of the Senate, for killing legislation that would ban the expenditure of public funds at universities for diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. He said the efforts are a waste of taxpayer money.

He said some Mississippi Republican officials should act more conservative and “a little less like Joe Biden,” an apparent jab at Hosemann given the context of his speech.

After his speech, Hosemann was asked about White’s comments. He said he did not hear them, but added he was surprised White was at the fair.

“I thought he would be on a book tour,” Hosemann said, referring to the the state auditor releasing a book next week on the misspending of at least $77 million in federal welfare funds, part of an ongoing criminal investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice.

The 77-year-old Hosemann indicated that he intends to seek another political office in 2027 when his second term as lieutenant governor ends. Constitutionally Hosemann cannot seek a third consecutive term as lieutenant governor.

On Wednesday, he did not say which office he might pursue, though, in the past Mississippi Today has reported he is considering a run for governor.

‘We have a vision for Mississippi. We have been at it since 2008 …,” said Hosemann who previously served as secretary of state. “If people still want us, we want to continue to work.”

White was more succinct about his political ambition to media after his speech: “I’ll be honest with you, I am seriously considering a run for governor in the next election.”

Earlier on Wednesday, Democratic Central District Public Service Commissioner De’Keither Stamps called on 81-year-old President Joe Biden to step down and for Vice President Kamala Harris to assume his role. He said Harris should select the Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson as her vice president for the remainder of this term, which ends in January. He said such a move would unify the country.

He said Biden should resign to avoid “tarnishing” his long tenure of public service.

Central District Transportation Commissioner Willie Simmons, also a Democrat, called on the Legislature to appropriate an additional recurring revenue source – presumably a tax increase — for his agency to deal with road and bridge needs. Simmons said the other two transportation commissioners, both Republican, also believe more recurring revenue should be directed to road and bridge needs.

 

By Bobby Harrison, Mississippi Today