Watson to announce 2027 election plans

• Rumors are swirling that two-term Secretary of State will announce a bid for Lt. Governor next week. His $2.5 million campaign fund would make him the immediate front-runner.

Secretary of State Michael Watson (R) will make a campaign announcement Tuesday, April 7 as he turns his attention to the 2027 statewide election cycle.

Watson said earlier this year that he would not be seeking a third term as Secretary of State.

The Secretary, who is expected to announce a run for Lt. Governor, said Wednesday he will be hosting 11 stops across Mississippi next week to speak to supporters.

Current Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann (R), a former three-term Secretary of State, is term limited and will not be seeking re-election to the office in 2027.

“From my time in the State Senate, to my service now as your Secretary of State, I have always strived to represent our conservative values,” Watson said. “Next week, I will be making a special campaign announcement for the future, and I would be honored if you will join me at one of the events near you.”

Watson will make his initial appearance and announcement Tuesday morning in Pascagoula, where he attended high school, before going to Gulfport, Hattiesburg and Jackson. Then on Wednesday, Watson will be in Meridian, Starkville, Tupelo and Oxford. Thursday, Watson has announced stops in Olive Branch, Cleveland, and Brookhaven.

Watson is currently in his second term as Mississippi’s 36th Secretary of State. Prior to taking office as Secretary of State, he served three terms in the State Senate representing Senate District 51 in Jackson County. He attended the University of Mississippi, where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and a law degree.

Watson’s January 2026 campaign finance report showed him with $2.5 million cash on hand, putting him near the top among Mississippi officials in terms of fundraising dollars to begin a 2027 statewide bid. His name ID and deep war chest make him an immediate front-runner should be announce a run for Lt. Governor.

While there has been lots of talk and interest in the governor’s race, Watson has been one of, if not the only name consistently mentioned as a viable Republican candidate for Lt. Governor.

The other name that has arisen this year as a possible GOP candidate for Lt. Governor is State Senator Briggs Hopson, the Senate Appropriations Committee chairman. Hopson reported just over $800,000 cash on hand in January.