SCOOP: Trump-Allied Mississippi AG Running for Governor

Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch will announce her candidacy for governor of the state, the Daily Signal can first report. 

“It is just such a proud moment to be able to even announce my candidacy for governor, and it’s always about making the tough choices and putting innovative ideas into action,” Fitch told the Daily Signal in an interview. 

Fitch served two terms as state treasurer before becoming Mississippi’s first female attorney general in 2020. If elected, she would become the state’s first female governor, as well. 

“I’m excited having that knowledge base to be able to bring to the governor’s office again, understanding the complexity of state government,” she said, “understanding how we, as we work together, can make a lot of great positive things happen in our state.”

She has been a strong ally of the Trump administration, partnering with the Department of Health and Human Services to stop human trafficking and help locate missing foster children. 

Under Fitch’s leadership, Mississippi was the first state to pilot Operation Hope, which aims to rescue foster children before they are trafficked. 

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“We’re leading the nation in that call, so now we’re able to go out and train other states, give them our best practices on how to stand up human trafficking task force,” she said, “and certainly when the president was looking for a state to lead that cause, we have done that in the state of Mississippi with the fentanyl as well, the opioid epidemic.” 

In a campaign video obtained by the Daily Signal, Fitch describes herself as a “Trump conservative who shares your Mississippi values.”

“As governor, I’ll focus on making life more affordable, our communities safer, our economies stronger, while protecting our core values of faith, family, and freedom,” she says.

Fitch has also opposed the expansion of the abortion pill regimen. She joined a coalition of 22 attorneys general in signing an amicus brief supporting Louisiana’s lawsuit against the Food and Drug Administration for allowing the abortion pill to be available by mail. 

After assuming office in 2020, Fitch became the public face of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the landmark case that overturned Roe v. Wade and eliminated the federal right to abortion. In July 2021, Fitch filed the merits brief in Dobbs, explicitly arguing that Roe and Planned Parenthood v. Casey should be overruled.

“What an amazing experience to have been a part and led the team for the Dobbs case to overturn Roe v. Wade and protect life,” she said. “It was a very bold and strategic move by the state of Mississippi, and very successful. But we immediately launched into exactly what we said we do: empower women and promote life.”

Fitch’s Empowerment Project helps pregnant women and mothers find the support they need. She also participates in Mississippi Access to Maternal Assistance, a website to help connect needy families with resources. 

She was also the first attorney general in America to sue to keep biological males from competing in girls and women’s sports. 

Fitch is the fourth Republican to announce her candidacy in the gubernatorial election. She already has the endorsement of the leading pro-life group Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America. 

She joins Andy Gipson, the Mississippi commissioner of agriculture and commerce; former state Rep. Philip Gunn; and Shad White, the state auditor of Mississippi, in the race. No Democrat has thus far announced a campaign.

Fitch says she will “never back down from a fight.”

She said she will prioritize “making life more affordable for Mississippians, safer communities, and economic development.” 

Fitch described Mississippi as a “hidden jewel.” She said she hopes to follow in the footsteps of recent Republican governors, including the current Gov. Tate Reeves, who is term-limited. 

“I feel like my service is not done, and I want to continue to bring really bold strategic planning to our state because we’ve been, in the past, a hidden jewel,” she said. “I mean, what an amazing state we have! But I’m ready to take it to the next level.”