Charles Delbert Hosemann Jr. (born June 30, 1947) is an American politician and attorney who has been the lieutenant governor of Mississippi since January 2020. From 2008 to 2020, he served as the secretary of state of Mississippi.
Delbert Hosemann | |
|---|---|
 Hosemann in 2019 | |
| 33rd Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi | |
| Assumed office January 14, 2020 | |
| Governor | Tate Reeves |
| Preceded by | Tate Reeves |
| 35th Secretary of State of Mississippi | |
| In office January 10, 2008 – January 14, 2020 | |
| Governor | Haley Barbour Phil Bryant |
| Preceded by | Eric Clark |
| Succeeded by | Michael Watson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Charles Delbert Hosemann Jr. June 30, 1947 Vicksburg, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Education | University of Notre Dame (BA) University of Mississippi (JD) New York University (LLM) |
In his time in elected office, Hosemann has sparred with President Donald Trump, telling Trump to "jump in the Gulf" when the Trump administration sought Mississippi's voting records to identify non-citizens voting.[1]
Early life
editHosemann was born in Vicksburg in western Mississippi. He received his Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 1969 from the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. In 1972, he earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi School of Law in Oxford. In 1973, he obtained specialization in Taxation at New York University. Hosemann lives in the capital city of Jackson, where he is a partner with Phelps Dunbar LLP.[2]
Secretary of State of Mississippi (2008–2020)
edit
In the Republican primary election on August 7, 2007, Hosemann received 54 percent of the vote, defeating former mayor of Columbus Jeffrey Rupp and State Representative Mike Lott of Petal. In the general election on November 6, 2007, Hosemann defeated Democrat Robert Smith in the race for Secretary of State.[3] He became the first Republican Secretary of State for Mississippi since James Hill in 1878.
He took office on January 10, 2008,[4] succeeding Democrat Eric Clark. During the campaign, he took advantage of his unusual name in order to gain name recognition.
The Mississippi Legislature had officially ratified the 13th Amendment in 1995, but the Secretary of State's office had failed to officially notify the National Archives at that time. Doctors Ranjan Batra and Ken Sullivan of the University of Mississippi Medical Center noticed the oversight in 2013 and informed Hosemann, who quickly submitted the appropriate documentation. This action made Mississippi the 36th and most-recent state to ratify the 13th Amendment.[5]
Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi (2020–present)
edit2019 election
editHosemann ran for lieutenant governor of Mississippi in the 2019 Mississippi general election. In the Republican primary, he defeated Shane Quick and won the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor.[6] In the general election, Hosemann defeated Democrat Jay Hughes, a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives.[7] He was sworn-in to the office on January 14, 2020.[8]
As Lt. Governor, Mississippi's agriculture commissioner accused Hosemann of passing a law that allows China, Russia, and other foreign adversaries to own Mississippi farmland.[9] Over 700,000 acres of Mississippi farmland is owned by foreign actors.[10]
Hosemann angered conservative senators when he gave 13 committee chairmanships to Democratic state senators.[11] Hosemann supports increased infrastructure spending and allowing local authorities to increase gas taxes.[12][13] He has supported raising state employees' pay.[14]
Hosemann has previously killed bills to allow prayer at school sporting events.[15] Hosemann protected the rights of transgender Mississippians by killing bills that would have taken away their right to play sports with their identified gender.[16]
2023 election
editOn November 7, 2023, Hosemann defeated his Democratic opponent Ryan Grover in the 2023 Mississippi lieutenant gubernatorial election, winning reelection for a second term.[17][18]
Political involvement
editHosemann was a candidate for election to the Mississippi's 4th congressional district in 1998.
After the resignation of Senator Thad Cochran in March 2018, it was speculated that Governor Bryant would name Hosemann as Cochran's successor,[19] but eventually Bryant appointed Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Cindy Hyde-Smith instead.
In 2018, at the Neshoba County Fair, Hosemann announced he would not seek re-election for Secretary of State in 2019.[20]
In 2019, Hosemann announced his candidacy for Lt. Governor.[21]
Personal life
editHosemann is married to Lynn L. Hosemann, and together they have three children.[22]
Electoral history
edit| Mississippi Secretary of State Republican Primary Election, 2007 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Delbert Hosemann, Jr. | 102,093 | 53.8 |
| Republican | Mike Lott | 61,697 | 32.5 |
| Republican | Jeffrey Rupp | 17,838 | 9.4 |
| Republican | Gene Sills | 8,128 | 4.3 |
| Mississippi Secretary of State Election, 2007 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Delbert Hosemann, Jr. | 425,228 | 58.24 |
| Democratic | Robert "Rob" Smith | 304,918 | 41.76 |
| Mississippi Secretary of State Republican Primary Election, 2011 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Delbert Hosemann, Jr. | 231,077 | 83.36 |
| Republican | Ricky Dombrowski | 46,114 | 16.64 |
| Mississippi Secretary of State Election, 2011 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Delbert Hosemann, Jr. | 719,734 | 100.00 |
| Mississippi Secretary of State Election, 2015 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Delbert Hosemann, Jr. | 436,313 | 61.38 |
| Democratic | Charles Graham | 253,307 | 35.64 |
| Reform | Randy Walker | 21,165 | 2.98 |
| Mississippi Lieutenant Governor Election, 2019 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Republican | Delbert Hosemann, Jr. | 524,757 | 60.0 |
| Democratic | Jay Hughes | 349,627 | 40.0 |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Delbert Hosemann, Jr.(incumbent) | 478,525 | 61.5 | N/A | |
| Democratic | Ryan Grover | 300,118 | 38.5 | N/A | |
| Total votes | 778,643 | 100.00 | |||
| Republican hold | |||||
References
edit- ^ Pender, Geoff. "Hosemann tells Trump commission 'go jump in the Gulf' on voter records". The Clarion-Ledger. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
- ^ "Phelps Dunbar LLP: Attorney Profile". Archived from the original on May 16, 2008. Retrieved November 8, 2007.
- ^ "Hosemann ready to get to work | clarionledger.com | The Clarion-Ledger". Retrieved December 21, 2022.
- ^ Byrd, Shelia (January 11, 2008). "7 statewide officials take oath of office". Hattiesburg American. pp. 3A, 9A.
- ^ Blum, Sam (February 18, 2013). "Mississippi ratifies 13th amendment abolishing slavery ... 147 years late". The Guardian. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
- ^ Amy, Jeff (July 24, 2019). "Hosemann faces Quick in GOP lieutenant governor primary". Associated Press. Archived from the original on July 24, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
- ^ Zhu, Alissa (November 5, 2019). "Mississippi election: Delbert Hosemann wins race for lieutenant governor". The Clarion-Ledger. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
- ^ Pettus, Emily Wagster (January 10, 2020). "7 of 8 statewide officials inaugurated". The Greenwood Commonwealth. Associated Press. pp. 1, 12.
- ^ Agriculture, Commissioner of; Gipson, Commerce Andy (July 22, 2024). "GIPSON/Legislature Must Slam Door Shut on Foreign Land Ownership". The Neshoba Democrat. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
- ^ Ulmer, Sarah (November 29, 2023). "Mississippi study committee on foreign farmland ownership releases final report". Magnolia Tribune. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
- ^ Pender, Geoff (December 1, 2022). "McDaniel blasts Hosemann as too liberal, weighs Lt. Gov. run". Mississippi Today. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
- ^ Harrison, Bobby (December 19, 2019). "Hosemann rejects statewide gas tax increase, looks to improve health care, provide teacher, state employee raises". Mississippi Today. Retrieved July 16, 2023.
- ^ dhadmin (December 23, 2019). "Lt. Governor-elect Delbert Hosemann discusses preparations for the 2020 legislative session". Delbert Hosemann Lt Gov. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
- ^ Bologna, Giacomo (January 7, 2020). "Mississippi Legislature: Here's what Delbert Hosemann plans to do as lieutenant governor". The Clarion Ledger. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
- ^ "Taylor: McDaniel v. Hosemann - Who's the Real Outsider?". Press Register. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
- ^ "Taylor: McDaniel v. Hosemann - Who's the Real Outsider?". Press Register. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
- ^ "Mississippi Lieutenant Governor Live Election Results 2023". www.nbcnews.com.
- ^ Tanneeru, Manav. "2023 Elections | CNN Politics". CNN.
- ^ "Sen. Thad Cochran is resigning — opening up another Republican seat this November". Vox. March 5, 2018. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
- ^ Ulmer, Sarah (August 2, 2018). "Delbert Hosemann at Neshoba: He won't be running for SOS again, but his name will be higher up on the ballot". Magnolia Tribune. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
- ^ Harrison, Bobby (January 9, 2019). "Hosemann announces bid for lieutenant governor - 'where I can make the most difference'". Mississippi Today. Archived from the original on July 23, 2019. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
- ^ "Delbert Hosemann | clarionledger.com | The Clarion-Ledger". Retrieved December 21, 2022.
- ^ "Mississippi Lieutenant Governor Live Election Results 2023". www.nbcnews.com.
- ^ Tanneeru, Manav. "2023 Elections | CNN Politics". CNN.