White Enters Mississippi Governor Race
State Auditor Shad White pledges tax cuts and prison terms for corrupt officials in his Monday announcement.
By Ella Cox ·
Mississippi State Auditor Shad White entered the 2027 gubernatorial race on Monday morning in Jones County. He held the announcement at Studio5Fifty in Laurel, a venue filled with supporters eager to hear his platform for the next administration.
White framed his candidacy around a promise to reduce government spending and target what he described as the influence of the "good old boys" in Jackson. He cited his current role as evidence of his ability to find mismanagement, stating that his office has recovered $75 million in taxpayer funds. "We are getting closer and closer to bringing a corrupt system down, and if you send me to the governor’s mansion, I will finish the job," White told the crowd. "I promise you that."
The auditor defined his political stance explicitly, telling voters, "So just to get it out of the way, I am a pro-Trump conservative." He outlined a plan he called his "contract with Mississippi," which includes specific tax reductions for working households. White said he would cut car tax fees and grocery taxes while freezing property taxes. He also committed to eliminating income taxes without adding new fees to offset the revenue loss.
On education, White proposed shifting more state money directly into classrooms and increasing teacher salaries. He criticized diversity, equity, and inclusion programs at universities, though he did not detail specific policy changes in that area. His stance on law enforcement focused on violent crime and financial misconduct by public officials.
White emphasized harsh penalties for officials who misuse public funds. "If you steal our money, our taxpayer funds, you’re going to P-R-I-S-O-N, prison. You’re going to prison when I’m governor," he said. He also stated his intention to send undocumented immigrants to states he characterized as liberal. These proposals sit alongside his personal background; White is from Sandersville, attended Northeast Jones High School, and holds degrees from the University of Mississippi, the University of Oxford, and Harvard Law School.
White referenced his military service and his family as motivations for entering the race. The election is scheduled for 2027, and White is the first state official to formally declare a bid for the top executive office in Mississippi.
