- Buffington joins the open seat race with two candidates who announced earlier this year, former State Rep. Nick Bain and State Senator Daniel Sparks. Auditor Shad White is not seeking re-election to the office.
Financial advisor and attorney Phil Buffington announced a run for Mississippi State Auditor on Tuesday, joining the race to succeed outgoing Auditor Shad White.
White has publicly said he does not intend to seek re-election in 2027 and has been mulling a run for governor.
Buffington joins the open seat race with two candidates who announced earlier this year. Former State Rep. Nick Bain made his intentions known in the spring while State Senator Daniel Sparks entered the race soon thereafter. All three are running as Republicans.
Buffington has been active in Republican politics, particularly in central Mississippi where he also advises financial institutions throughout the U.S. on federal and state banking laws and regulations as a partner with Balch and Bingham LLP.
No Democrats have announced a run for State Auditor as of yet. Party leaders have said they will unveil names of those seeking statewide offices after the November 3 midterm election.
“I’m running for Mississippi State Auditor because I believe the people of Mississippi deserve a person who wants to make sure your tax dollars are not wasted or stolen and a government that is transparent, accountable, and responsible with every taxpayer dollar,” Buffington said in a statement.
He went on to say that leadership in Mississippi means more than holding an elected office.
“It also means helping prevent fraud, earning trust and protecting taxpayer dollars, and developing a vision for the future,” Buffington said. “The Auditor’s office should be about professionalism. It should be about protecting the public trust and working with others to make government better for all.”
Buffington said his campaign would focus on continued proactive fraud prevention, strict regulatory accountability, robust cybersecurity standards for state financial systems, and transparent support for local community infrastructure.
He wants to bring private-sector internal control standards to state agencies to stop financial abuse before it starts and ensure taxpayer funds are used as efficiently as possible.
Magnolia Tribune will sit down with Buffington to provide a deeper look into his campaign and experience next week just as was done with Bain and Sparks.
