Lt. Gov. Hosemann, Auditor White tease future plans, highlight work in Neshoba speeches

• State Auditor White wants DEI spending to stop. Lt. Gov. Hosemann recaps legislative successes. Both have their eyes on the next elected office.

Two statewide elected officials took the stage at the Neshoba County Fair on Wednesday morning as political speeches got underway on Founders Square. 

State Auditor Shad White (R) touched on the need to eliminate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) spending in Mississippi’s public universities, allowing those funds to be used “for more important needs.”

Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann (R) touted recent legislative accomplishments. Hosemann’s list of highlights included more funding for infrastructure and education as passed by lawmakers. He also reiterated his belief that public schools should move to a modified calendar and restrict access to cellphones during the school day.

Both state leaders teased potential runs for office when their current terms expire. 

White talks DEI, considering gubernatorial run

According to Auditor White, millions are spent on DEI within the state’s public universities. He said previous attempts to pass legislation to repeal DEI spending have always been killed, naming Lt. Governor Hosemann as a main culprit. 

“Every time that bill comes up, it gets killed somehow,” White told the crowd.

He added that other states such as Alabama and Tennessee have already ended DEI funding, while Mississippi continues to put money in that bucket, with some DEI staffers drawing incomes above that of the Governor and Lt. Governor. 

“Stop spending money on DEI and start spending it on stuff that matters, common sense stuff,” White said. 

He also told fairgoers that Mississippi spends a higher percentage of education funding on K-12 administrative expenses than any other state in the South, while teacher pay lags behind other states. The problem is especially exacerbated, White said, by teachers continuing to reach into their own pockets to cover classroom expenses.

Auditor White also took a moment to recap the successes of his office, noting that his team has exposed $300 million of recurring annual waste. He said those funds could be used to pay for more law enforcement officers and supplement future income and grocery tax cuts.

Looking ahead to the 2027 election cycle, White, who turns 39 years old this year, told reporters and those in attendance that he’s considering a run for higher office in three years.

“I’ll be honest with you, I’m seriously considering running for Governor next election,” White said.

Hosemann talks legislative funding, possible run for another office

Lt. Governor Hosemann led off his Neshoba speech mentioning the $380 million the Legislature provided to the Mississippi Department of Transportation for road and bridge maintenance, along with $250 million for new highways in the state. He also highlighted the increase in K-12 education funding provided as part of the new Mississippi Student Funding Formula that passed both legislative bodies last session. The new formula does away from the Mississippi Adequate Education Program.

In terms of fiscal responsibility, Hosemann pointed to the state’s ability to save $700 million in rainy day funds and $400 million for hurricane relief money in the state wind pool. 

“We continue to run this state like a business, that’s what you expect from us,” Hosemann said under the pavilion.

Other accomplishments touted by the Lt. Governor included passage of the SAFER Act to protect women while using facilities in public places, reductions in the franchise tax that help businesses, and the state’s efforts to reduce the income tax, a measure that passed in 2022.

In the upcoming 2025 session, Lt. Governor Hosemann plans to consider reducing the sales tax on groceries while continuing to improve the state’s workforce through various means such as pushing for free community college and better healthcare options for working Mississippians, alluding to taking another attempt at Medicaid expansion.

When specifically asked how pursuing the passage of Medicaid expansion would look next year given that the Senate refused to drop its insistence on a work requirement, Hosemann indicated that such a bill would be discussed just as they are each session – through negotiation.

Just as he’s done over the past year, Hosemann again urged school districts to consider shifting to a modified calendar. He said a majority of teachers support the change, which shortens summer break but provides longer periodic breaks throughout the school year.

Another education change Lt. Governor Hosemann wants to see is reducing access to cellphones while students are in school. To Hosemann, too much time on their cellphone causes children to have more instances of depression and bullying, distracting them from the instruction provided in the classroom. 

In other education inspired legislation, Hosemann touched on the law that allows retired teachers to return to the classroom while still drawing their state retirement for up to five years. He added that it will address the current teacher shortage, which is estimated to be at 5,000 educators statewide.

Now in his second term as Lt. Governor, Hosemann, 77, mentioned after his fair speech that he is considering a run for another elected office, but declined to elaborate on which office that may be.