Mississippi secretary of state, GOP’s Watson, seeks 2nd term

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Republican Michael Watson filed qualifying papers Wednesday to run for a second time period as Mississippi secretary of state, ending hypothesis that he may as an alternative problem Gov. Tate Reeves within the GOP major.

Watson had advised The Related Press on Monday that he would announce his intentions by early subsequent week on the newest. On the time, he declined to say which workplace he would search.

“Whereas I imagine Mississippi can be extra affluent with higher management on the high, management that fostered teamwork versus micromanagement, management that cared extra for Mississippi than politics, I’m not at peace leaving the work we’ve began right here on the Secretary of State’s workplace as a result of there’s much more to be executed,” Watson mentioned in an announcement Wednesday.

One Democrat, Shuwaski Younger, has introduced as a candidate for secretary of state. Watson is the one Republican operating for that workplace up to now. Republican incumbents within the different seven statewide places of work, together with Reeves and Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, had already filed qualifying papers.

The secretary of state is Mississippi’s high elections official. The workplace additionally regulates charities and handles registration of firms.

Watson served three phrases as a state senator in coastal Jackson County earlier than defeating former Hattiesburg mayor Johnny DuPree within the 2019 secretary of state’s race. Watson succeeded Hosemann, who was secretary of state for 3 phrases.

Watson has launched initiatives to empower companies to fight human trafficking and has criticized proposals for the federal authorities to set new guidelines for voter registration and mail-in voting. President Joe Biden and different Democrats have known as for laws to broaden entry to ballots by means of updates to federal election legal guidelines.

Younger labored as an exterior engagement coordinator for the U.S. Division of Homeland Safety throughout the Obama administration. He ran unsuccessfully for a U.S. Home seat in central Mississippi in 2022. He mentioned he needs to make modifications round early voting and on-line voter registration, however that may require approval from Mississippi’s Republican-controlled Legislature.

Feb. 1 is the qualifying deadline for statewide places of work, state district places of work, legislative seats and county places of work. Get together primaries are Aug. 8, with runoffs Aug. 29. The overall election is Nov. 7, with runoffs Nov. 28.