After serving in the Mississippi House of Representatives since 2010, Rep. Scott DeLano (R) has decided that he will not seek re-election.
DeLano represents Harrison County (District 117), but after a long time away from his commercial Real estate business, he says that it’s time to stay home for a while.
“I’ve left my business for 10 years to do this, and I’ve chosen to get back into the private sector. I’ve always been in public service in one shape, form or fashion, and I will probably continue that another time, but it’s time to close this chapter and see what the next chapter of my life brings,” he said.
Coming from the Coast, DeLano has recognized the importance of ongoing recovery efforts from Hurricane Katrina and the BP Oil Spill during his time in the Legislature.
For a long time, lawmakers debated the future of the $750 million of settlement funds from BP. During the August Special Session, a bill was passed which sends the majority of those funds to the Coast. Serving as a voice for his district during that process is something that was important to DeLano, and with that done, he feels that it is the right time to step away.
“This is something that has been very important for our district, and I felt like it was something I needed to get done,” he said. “Now that it is done, I think the Gulf Coast delegation has strong leadership in the House, and it’s easier for me to step away and let someone step in and continue on to help South Mississippi become the best it can be.”
The outgoing Representative discussed the impactful relationships that he made during his time in Jackson, specifically with Speaker of the House Philip Gunn.
“Philip Gunn has been an incredible mentor to me, and I appreciate everything that he has done,” he recalled.
DeLano didn’t rule out a return to politics and mentioned that he could possibly explore the idea of running for a seat in the state Senate, but for now, he wants to return to his business.
DeLano will serve during the upcoming Legislative Session, which begins in January, and he stated that cybersecurity will be a main focus of his when they get back to the Capitol.
