Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, left, listens as his GOP gubernatorial runoff opponent former Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Bill Waller Jr., replies to a question during their televised debate in Jackson, Miss., Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2019. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis - Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
Bill Waller Jr. will not seek election in the 2023 cycle for governor.
Bill Waller Jr. has publicly addressed the rumors that he would potentially challenge Governor Tate Reeves for Mississippi’s top job for a second time. Waller told Mississippi Today that he would not run again in 2023.
The confirmation comes just days before the February 1st qualifying deadline.
“After talking with my family and supporters, and after much prayer and soul searching, I have decided not to run for governor,” Waller told Mississippi Today on Monday afternoon.
Waller had previously gone on the record saying he was considering a run and entering the Republican primary.
In the 2019 three-man Republican Primary, pulled in 33 percent of the vote which forced a runoff with then-Lt. Governor Reeves. Reeves went on to obtain over 50 percent of the vote against Waller in that runoff, winning 54% to 46%. Reeves then went on to defeat Democrat Jim Hood in the November General Election.
Waller served as a State Supreme Court Justice from 1997 to 2019. He also served as Chief Justice for 10 years. He is the son of former Governor William “Bill” Waller Sr. and a native of Jackson.
One challenger – Dr. John Witcher – has so far emerged for Reeves in the Republican Primary.
