Mississippi State Auditor Shad White announced Monday that he is running for the Republican nomination for governor in 2027, campaigning on a promise to challenge political insiders, eliminate government waste, and reduce taxes for Mississippi families.

White announced in Laurel, Mississippi, releasing a campaign video in which he described the state's political establishment as a single "good-old-boys club" despite its two-party system. He accused government officials of attempting to prevent his office from investigating waste and misspending, pledging to dismantle what he called a network of insiders if elected.

The auditor's campaign draws heavily on his years of disputes with lawmakers over the authority of his office. In 2025, Republican state Sen. David Parker introduced Senate Bill 2847, legislation that White argued would significantly weaken the State Auditor's ability to investigate government spending.

The proposed measure would have restricted the auditor's ability to examine nonprofit and for-profit organizations receiving taxpayer money, generally requiring audits of organizations receiving at least $10 million in government funds while allowing discretionary audits of those receiving less. It also sought to remove the auditor's authority to file lawsuits against individuals who refused to repay funds identified as stolen or misspent, and would have limited outsourced audits to financial statement reviews.

White publicly opposed the legislation, arguing it would prevent his office from uncovering fraud and waste. The bill was ultimately killed in February 2025 after advancing through the legislative process. The dispute became another point of tension between White and Republican lawmakers in Jackson, including Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, who oversees the state Senate.

White's tenure as auditor has also been defined by his investigations into Mississippi's massive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families welfare scandal, in which approximately $96 million in federal assistance was misspent. His office has pursued efforts to recover taxpayer funds, including a legal dispute involving former NFL quarterback Brett Favre. White has also clashed with Attorney General Lynn Fitch over which office has the authority to pursue lawsuits seeking repayment of misspent money.

A supporter of President Donald Trump, White has made clear that he intends to maintain that political alignment throughout his campaign. He has also proposed using savings recovered from government waste to provide tax relief, including lower grocery taxes and vehicle registration fees, as well as property tax freezes and continued reductions to the state income tax.

White joins an expanding Republican field seeking to replace term-limited Gov. Tate Reeves. Other announced Republican candidates include Attorney General Lynn Fitch, Agriculture and Commerce Commissioner Andy Gipson and former House Speaker Philip Gunn. The 2027 gubernatorial election is scheduled for November 2.