Mississippi, Maine Gubernatorial Races Take Shape

Mississippi Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gipson has announced his candidacy for the 2027 governor’s race, positioning himself as an early and staunchly conservative entrant in the anticipated Republican primary to succeed term-limited Gov. Tate Reeves. In Maine, former House Speaker and Mills administration official Hannah Pingree has launched her campaign for governor in the 2026 Democratic primary, joining a field with Angus King III, Shenna Bellows, and Troy Jackson. Pingree, daughter of U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, highlights priorities such as housing, healthcare, climate resilience, and economic opportunity, drawing on her experience leading the Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future. Both Pingree and King are part of a trend of political legacies shaping the Maine race, as the children of prominent congressional figures. Early polling shows King and Bellows leading among likely Democratic voters, with Pingree also seen as a significant contender. The gubernatorial contests in both Mississippi and Maine are now taking shape, featuring high-profile candidates and policy debates that will define the upcoming election cycles.