2015 Mississippi gubernatorial election

The 2015 Mississippi gubernatorial election took place on November 3, 2015, to elect the governor of Mississippi. Incumbent Republican governor Phil Bryant ran for re-election to a second and final term in office. This is the highest percentage that a Republican has ever won in a gubernatorial election in Mississippi.
The election gained national news coverage and attention due to the unexpected Democratic nominee selection of truck driver and former firefighter, Robert Gray, who had not had any political experience prior to his candidacy.
To date, this is by far the best performance by a Republican in a gubernatorial election in Mississippi. This is also the last time that the following counties have voted Republican for governor: Clay, Marshall, Quitman, Sharkey, and Tallahatchie.

Background

Mississippi is one of nine states and territories that has lifetime limits of two terms for its governor. In 2011, with incumbent Republican governor Haley Barbour term-limited, Republican Lieutenant Governor Phil Bryant was elected to succeed him. Bryant won the Republican primary with 59% of the vote and then defeated the Democratic nominee, Hattiesburg Mayor Johnny DuPree, with 61% of the vote.

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

Phil Bryant, incumbent governor
Mitch Young

Declined

Chris McDaniel, state senator and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2014
Michael Watson, state senator

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

Robert Gray, truck driver and retired firefighter

Valerie Short, physician
Vicki Slater, attorney

Declined

Travis Childers, former U.S. representative and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2014
Jim Hood, Attorney General of Mississippi
Bill Luckett, Mayor of Clarksdale and candidate for governor in 2011
Dick Molpus, former Secretary of State of Mississippi and nominee for governor in 1995
Brandon Presley, Commissioner for the Northern District of the Mississippi Public Service Commission and former mayor of Nettleton

Reform Party nomination

Candidate

Shawn O'Hara, perennial candidate

General election

Polling

Poll source	Date administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Phil Bryant	Jim Hood	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	July 10–13, 2014	691	± 3.7%	44%	33%	—	22%

Poll source	Date administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Phil Bryant	Brandon Presley	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	July 10–13, 2014	691	± 3.7%	49%	26%	—	25%

Poll source	Date administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Phil Bryant	Valerie Short	Other	Undecided
Mason-Dixon	April 21–23, 2015	625	± 4%	63%	28%	3%	6%

Poll source	Date administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Phil Bryant	Vicki Slater	Other	Undecided
Mason-Dixon	April 21–23, 2015	625	± 4%	61%	30%	2%	7%

Results

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

By congressional district

Bryant won three of four congressional districts.

District	Bryant	Gray	Representative
	73%	26%	Trent Kelly
	49%	50%	Bennie Thompson
	69%	30%	Gregg Harper
	76%	23%	Steven Palazzo