Former lawmaker Bill Denny dies

• Denny served in a variety of key roles during his time in the Mississippi House, notably authoring legislation to create the CCID and overseeing redistricting.

Former eight-term State Representative Bill Denny has died at the age of 94.

Denny served in the Mississippi House of Representatives as a Republican from 1988 to 2020. He credited former Mississippi Republican Party leader Billy Mounger for recruiting him to run in his first race for the Legislature.

The former lawmaker was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and a retired banking executive.

During his tenure, Denny served in a variety of key roles in the House, perhaps most notably overseeing legislative redistricting efforts and authoring the legislation to create the Capitol Complex Improvement District (CCID). He was also the House Republican Majority Leader.

Former Speaker of the House Philip Gunn, who in 2012 became the first Republican to wield gavel in the chamber since 1876, told Magnolia Tribune on Monday that Denny was a mentor to him as a freshman legislator.

“Bill Denny was an outstanding legislator and represented his people very well. He was a mentor to me when I first got elected in 2004,” Gunn said.

As Speaker, Gunn appointed Denny to lead the House’s redistricting efforts.

“He did an outstanding job of redistricting in 2012. It was so good, in fact, that the Obama Justice Department approved the redistricting maps on our first attempt,” Gunn recalled. “This is a testimony to the competency and ability of Bill as a legislator.”

Gunn called Denny “a true friend,” and said, “We will miss him.”

Denny lost his 2019 re-election bid to then-Democrat Shanda Yates by less than 200 votes. He was 89 at the time. Yates has since switched to be an Independent and is currently serving in her second term.