During an appearance on the Paul Gallo show hosted by Kipp Gregory, Senator Michael Watson announced that he will be running for the office of Secretary of State in 2019.
Watson referenced Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann’s speech at the Neshoba County fair when he said that he would not run again for the position of Secretary of State.
“It was pretty cool when he said that he wouldn’t seek re-election, people started booing,” Watson said. “Then he said, ‘but you will see me higher on the ballot,’ people started cheering.”
Watson is a Jackson County native and currently represents District 51 in the Mississippi Senate.
“I think the announcement that Secretary Hosemann made was a good one, I’m excited that he is moving up and really excited that he is leaving that Secretary of State race open,” Watson said. “I’ve been on the phone a great deal the last three weeks and have been very encouraged with people saying, ‘look we really like what you bring to the table, we would like to see you run for Secretary of State,’ so, I think that’s the office that I am zoned in on and I am excited about it.”
While Watson said that an official announcement would come later this fall, he said he is excited about the future and believes it is the right thing to do.
Watson is a practicing attorney and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Mississippi. He is married to the former Lauren Emswiler, and they have three daughters, Gracie Pierce, Annie, and Cora Elizabeth. He’s a member of First Presbyterian Church in Pascagoula.
