Two days after his victory in Mississippi’s gubernatorial election, Governor-Elect Tate Reeves has announced that Brad White will lead his transition team ahead of the 2020 inauguration.
In a news release, Reeves’ campaign described White as one of Mississippi’s most experienced, influential, and battle-tested leaders—having served as the Chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party, Chief of Staff of the Mississippi Department of Audit, Chief of Staff to Senator Thad Cochran, and Chief of Staff to Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith.
“Brad is a good friend, trusted advisor, and political giant. There is perhaps no one who knows Mississippi as well as he does. He loves the people of this state and he has been a true servant of Mississippi for many years. I am honored to have him join our team. He will play a critical role as we get to work for all the people of Mississippi,” said Governor-Elect Tate Reeves.
White said that he’s ready to help Governor-Elect Reeves get to work on implementing his vision for Mississippi.
“Tate Reeves has proven that he knows how to get things done, and I’ll be proud to be a part of that effort. There is a lot of important work to do so that the Reeves administration can deliver on his promises: improving education, creating more jobs, and helping Mississippi to reach its full potential. We are all eager to get to work,” said Brad White.
White has been a fixture in Mississippi politics for decades, dating back to his role as President of the Mississippi Teenage Republicans in 1995. He served as Chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party from 2008 to 2011. After that, he took a senior role in state government as the chief of staff for the Mississippi Department of Audit. After serving as the state director for US Senator Thad Cochran, he became his chief of staff in 2016. White currently serves as chief of staff to Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith. A graduate of Bellhaven University and son of Simpson County, White has consistently delivered for Mississippi throughout his career.
UPDATE:
With White now returning to Mississippi, Senator Hyde-Smith has named Doug Davis, a longtime associate and former state senator, as her incoming chief of staff.
“Doug Davis has the legislative, political, and personal abilities needed to administer my Senate offices. I believe he will serve me and all Mississippians well as my chief of staff,” Hyde-Smith said. “I am also grateful to Brad White for his leadership and skills, which have been invaluable to me.”
Hyde-Smith, the twice-elected Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce and a former state senator, was appointed in April 2018 to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.). She subsequently won a special election in November 2018 to become the first woman elected to represent Mississippi in Washington, D.C.
Davis, a DeSoto County native, was chief of staff to Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann from 2013 to 2018 before joining the Hyde-Smith’s Senate staff as a senior advisor.
The Mississippi College graduate served in the Mississippi State Senate from 2004 to 2011, where he chaired the Appropriations Committee and the Universities and Colleges Committee. In addition, Davis worked on business development, marketing, and compliance at First Security Bank from 2001 to 2013.
