Mike Hurst tapped to be next Mississippi Republican Party chairman

• Frank Bordeaux is not seeking re-election as MSGOP chairman after serving in the role since 2020. Governor Reeves is supporting Hurst as the state party’s next leader.

Mike Hurst could soon have a new title – chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party.

That word came Wednesday morning after current party chairman Frank Bordeaux made it known Tuesday that he would not seek re-election at the state convention on May 11th. Bordeaux has led the state GOP since October 2020.

Hurst must be formally approved as chairman by members of the Mississippi State Republican Party Executive Committee, but he does have the support of Governor Tate Reeves, which is key.

In a statement shared by Hurst on Wednesday, he said he was humbled and honored to be asked to serve as chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party.

“I want to thank Governor Reeves for his support, Chairman Frank Bordeaux for his incredible leadership, and the staff of the MSGOP, raising our party to new heights and achieving so much for our conservative principles over the last number of years,” Hurst said. “Our future is bright in Mississippi, and I hope I can play a small role in making our state and our party even better in the future.”

In a letter to Governor Reeves, Bordeaux said he was proud of the work of the party in recent years, including initiatives to reach Mississippians of all backgrounds with their conservative message and shared values. Bordeaux also backed Hurst as the next chairman.

“Despite seeing historic investments by national democrats in our state elections this past cycle, the MSGOP elected more Republicans up and down the ballot than at any time in our state’s history,” Bordeaux wrote to Reeves. “While it is bittersweet to be turning the page on this chapter of my life and our Party, I am confident that under your leadership and the leadership of Mike Hurst, our Party will continue to grow and enjoy electoral success for years to come.”

Hurst was the Republican nominee for Attorney General in 2015 but lost the General Election to former Democratic AG Jim Hood. Hurst went on to be appointed by former President Donald Trump to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi from 2017-2021. He resigned that office following the election of President Joe Biden (D), soon thereafter joining Phelps Dunbar as a partner in the law firm’s Jackson office.

His wife, Celeste, won the House District 75 seat in 2023, and is currently serving her first term in the Mississippi Legislature.

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UPDATE: Governor Reeves issued the following statement Wednesday afternoon:

“Mike will do an incredible job leading the Mississippi Republican Party, and I’m thrilled to offer him my complete and total endorsement. He is a principled conservative with a track record of fighting for Mississippi and Republican values. He has done an outstanding job raising funds for the Party as the Chairman of the United Republican Fund, and I look forward to working with him to continue to grow the MSGOP and increase our capacity to get conservatives elected to every level of government.

“I want to express my sincere appreciation to Frank for his service to the Party over the last four years. Despite record investments from far-leftout-of-state activists and donors to flip Mississippi blue last year, Mississippi Republicans won more seats than ever in our state’s history at the county, legislative, and statewide levels. Frank’s hard work and devotion to his position of Chairman was the driving force behind that.”