Billionaire Tommy Duff, as he considers a run for Mississippi governor in 2027, has formed a political action committee to help elect Republicans to city and legislative offices this year, likely to increase his influence as a political powerbroker.
Jordan Russell, a longtime Republican operative who has led several federal and state campaigns, is director of the PAC, which was formed in December.
Russell told Mississippi Today in a statement that Duff founded the PAC to support conservative candidates and advance policies that promote “opportunities, freedom, faith-based values and prosperity across Mississippi.”
“We are planning a significant investment in multiple races in our state to ensure strong, conservative leadership at every level of government,” Russell said.
Duff, a Hattiesburg resident and the co-wealthiest Mississippian along with his brother Jim, has been involved in state politics for decades, but mostly behind the scenes as a megadonor and philanthropist. He recently finished an eight-year stint on the state Institutions of Higher Learning Board, first appointed by former Gov. Phil Bryant.
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He’s travelled around the state in recent months meeting with political and business leaders, potentially laying the groundwork for a gubernatorial run. Duff also appeared at last year’s Neshoba County Fair and made the rounds at the state’s premiere political gathering.
Duff and his brother turned a small, struggling company into Southern Tire Mart, the nation’s largest truck tire dealer and retread manufacturer. They created Duff Capitol Investors, the largest privately held business in Mississippi, with ownership in more than 20 companies, including KLLM Transport, TL Wallace Construction and Southern Insurance Group.
Duff has recently said he’s still weighing a run for governor, but his creation of a PAC that could garner support from many down-ticket Republicans would appear to be a concrete step in that direction. Duff’s entrance into a gubernatorial race would likely cause numerous potential candidates — particularly those who have looked to him for large campaign donations — to wave off.
While statewide elections are still two years away, municipal elections will take place this year and several special legislative races will happen as well.
Rep. Charles Young, Jr., a Democrat from Meridian, died on December 19, and Rep. Andy Stepp, a Republican from Bruce, died on December 5. Sen. Jenifer Branning, a Republican from Philadelphia, was sworn into office yesterday for a seat on the Mississippi Supreme Court. Special elections will take place later this year to fill these vacancies.
A federal three-judge panel also ruled last year that the Legislature must create new state Senate and House maps with Black-majority districts and conduct special elections in 2025 under those newly created districts.
The court ordered legislators to create a majority-Black Senate district in the DeSoto County area in north Mississippi and one in the Hattiesburg area in south Mississippi. The panel also ruled the state must create a majority-Black House district in the Chickasaw County area in northeast Mississippi.
However, the Legislature will also have to tweak many districts in the state to accommodate for the new Black-majority maps. State officials in court filings have argued that the redrawing would affect a quarter of the state’s 174 legislative districts.
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