Mississippi GOP selects former US Attorney to lead party

The Mississippi Republican Party has a new leader.

Jackson-based attorney Mike Hurst was chosen to lead the state GOP by party members Saturday during the state organization's annual chairman's luncheon in Jackson. Days before the meeting, previous party chair Frank Bordeaux announced on Facebook that he was resigning.

In his announcement, Bordeaux also endorsed Hurst as the logical successor to the chairmanship.

"It’s been a great run, but it’s time for me to pass the torch," Bordeaux said. "I’ve decided not to seek re-election as Chairman of the MSGOP during this year’s convention. I’ve given all I had, and it’s time for a new leader with a fresh perspective. That leader is Mike Hurst. Mike is a great man, a strong conservative and has a proven track record of advocating for and defending conservative ideas."

Bordeaux had been leading the party since 2020, and within the last four years, he said he and his team have helped to elect more Republicans to local, state and congressional positions than in any other four-year term.

Bordeaux also headed up the party during the COVID-19 pandemic, and he played a role in helping steer voters and support to Republican members within Mississippi.

As for a reason to his leaving, Bordeaux simply said he had given the party all he had.

"It hasn’t been without its challenges," Bordeaux said. "I’ve spent a lot of time on the road and away from my family and have had to make tough decisions where the best choice wasn’t clear. But despite these things, it’s been the honor of my life to lead the MSGOP and fight for the values and principles we all believe in."

In a statement made last week, Reeves thanked Bordeaux for his service to the party and also publicly endorsed Hurst.

"Despite record investments from far-left out-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," Reeves said. "Frank’s hard work and devotion to his position of chairman was the driving force behind that. I’m thrilled to offer Mike Hurst my complete and total endorsement to be the next chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party. He is a principled conservative with a track record of fighting for Mississippi and Republican values."

Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, who was present at the luncheon Saturday, had similar words for both Bordeaux and Hurst.

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"Being chairman is a tough, uncompensated job which takes a significant amount of personal time," Hosemann said. "(Frank Bordeaux's) leadership through part of the pandemic and the recent statewide election has been pivotal to bringing organization, unity and success to the (state GOP) across the state. We appreciate Frank's service and look forward to continuing his efforts under the guidance of Mike Hurst."

Hurst had previously worked as the chairman of the United Republican Fund. Professionally, Hurst works as an attorney for Phelps Dunbar LLP, a Jackson-based law firm. He previously served as a United States Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi under the Donald Trump administration from 2017 to 2021 after serving as an assistant attorney in the office from 2006 to 2015.

He served as the director of the Mississippi Justice Center and general counsel for the Mississippi Center for Public Policy from 2016 to 2017. In 2015, he ran against Jim Hood in the state attorney general race, but he lost.

Hurst told the Clarion Ledger he was honored to have been endorsed by so many of the state party's leadership, and he believes that with the help of the party, he can move the state in a more conservative direction.

“I am humbled and honored to have been elected to serve as chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party, which has done so much to advocate and fight for the values and principles that we hold dear as Mississippians," Hurst said via text. "I want to thank Governor Reeves for his support, Chairman Frank Bordeaux for his incredible leadership, and the staff of the MSGOP, who have achieved so much for our conservative principles over the last few years. Our future is bright in Mississippi, and I hope I can play a small role in making the lives of Mississippians, our state, and our party even better in the future."

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Grant McLaughlin covers state government for the Clarion Ledger. He can be reached at gmclaughlin@gannett.com or 972-571-2335.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mike Hurst selected to lead Mississippi Republican Party