Republican State Representative Jeffrey Guice (HD 114) has announced that he will run for Mayor of Ocean Springs during the 2021 municipal election. He is the second sitting legislator in Jackson County who has announced a run for a mayoral seat next year.
State Representative Jeramey Anderson (HD 110) announced in November that he would vie for the Mayor of Moss Point as a Democrat.
The Ocean Springs mayoral seat is currently held by Shea Dobson, also a Republican. Dobson defeated longtime Democrat Mayor Connie Moran in the 2017 cycle, pulling off an upset win few imagined possible at the time. Dobson was a 30 year old political newcomer facing the seasoned Moran twice his age.
In a release, Guice said his hometown deserves better and he believes he has the experience that will give the Coast city a competitive advantage.
“Ocean Springs deserves and needs leadership with experience in both business and government,” the state representative who just won his fourth term in the Mississippi House said. “With 30 plus years as an Ocean Springs Businessman and 13 years (4 terms) as State Representative, I am uniquely qualified to fill the role as an experienced leader.”
Guice is not the only candidate challenging Dobson. Another Republican has announced their candidacy for the Ocean Springs mayoral seat.
Former Land Trust of the Mississippi Coastal Plain board member Melanie Allen announced her intention to challenge Dobson in September, saying then that she looked forward to earning the Republican nomination and sharing her vision for Ocean Springs.
“Our community is at a crossroads,” Allen said in her announcement. “Ocean Springs is no longer what we were and we are not yet all we can become. We cannot simply rely on our reputation for another four years. We must have a clear vision.”
Municipal Primary Elections in Mississippi are April 6, 2021 with the General Election set for June 8, 2021.
Frank Corder
