Mississippi College Graduate Phil Bryant Elected Governor

Gov.-elect Phil Bryant speaks to supporters after victory Nov. 8.

Gov.-elect Phil Bryant will be well-prepared when he goes to work to revitalize the state’s economy, upgrade education and develop friendships at the Capitol over the next four years.

That’s the consensus of political analysts and supporters at his alma mater, Mississippi College, after the 56-year-old Republican cruised to victory over Hattiesburg Mayor Johnny Dupree Tuesday night.

Bryant received 61 percent of the statewide vote with 39 percent going to his Democratic rival to end the campaign to succeed Republican Gov. Haley Barbour.

Like the Salvation Army’s pledge to work to “do the most good,” Bryant said he’s ready to tackle the state’s top job and put together a number of initiatives to move Mississippi forward. It ranges from crafting a “smart budget act” at the Capitol to redesigning schools to teach students to learn a trade and get a job.

“There is so much we want to do,” Bryant told hundreds of cheering supporters at a Jackson hotel as U.S. Reps. Gregg Harper and Alan Nunnelee joined him on stage to celebrate the victory. “What an amazing ride this has been,” said the Brandon resident after Barbour introduced him to the festive crowd of GOP supporters.

Twenty years earlier, the Moorhead native was wrapping up his winning campaign for the Mississippi House and urging voters to elect the late Republican Gov. Kirk Fordice.

Republicans are now the dominant force in Mississippi politics, and Bryant is ready to lead the GOP, while reaching out to Democrats at the Capitol starting in January 2012.

“He’s very much in command of state government,” said MC political science professor Glenn Antizzo of the former state auditor and ex-Mississippi House member. “There will be a seamless transition.”

Bryant says he sees opportunities ahead to forge relationships with the business community to drive the state’s economic growth and vows to make Barbour a key player on Mississippi’s team.

A well-respected leader in national Republican circles, Barbour has remained a popular Mississippi governor who successfully guided the state following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and steered thousands of jobs to the Magnolia State the past eight years. Some political insiders believe the Yazoo City native will be on the vice presidential short list in 2012.

“Phil has mighty big shoes to fill following Haley Barbour,” says MC Student Government Association President Taylor Stringer, who joined the Bryant victory party with fellow students who served as campaign volunteers.

“However, he has been taught by the best, Haley. His experience as state auditor and lieutenant governor will help him skip the learning curve and go straight to work,” says Stringer, a 21-year-old senior from Tylertown. “He is ready to take charge and make Mississippi a better place for everyone.”

At Mississippi College, Bryant obtained his master’s in political science after earning degrees at Hinds Community College and the University of Southern Mississippi.

In recent months, he’s been an active supporter of the Christian university’s new physician assistant program that enrolls 29 graduate students. Bryant has pushed to create scholarships to enable members of the Mississippi National Guard become P.A. students. The program trains professionals to work under the supervision of physicians and addresses the state’s critical healthcare needs.

“This is a great day for Mississippi’s healthcare providers, and more importantly, their patients,” said Dr. Bob Philpot, chairman of the Mississippi College Department of Physician Assistant Studies. “We look forward to working with the Bryant Administration to significantly improve the impact of his proposal for a healthier Mississippi by training physician assistants to enhance the physician-led healthcare teams.”

Increasing the number of physician-PA teams will result in healthier communities and boost their economic well-being, Philpot said.

In his victory speech, Bryant smiled and pointed out his November 8^th election win turned out to be a pretty nice birthday present for his wife, Deborah. They are the parents of two children.

Once the celebration subsides and he takes the oath of office on January 10, Bryant should prove to be a very effective governor, says Ron Howard, MC’s vice president for academic affairs and a political professor on the Clinton campus.

“Phil Bryant has the political experience, commitment to the people of Mississippi and vision for the future development of this state to be a remarkable governor,” Howard said.

He steps in with a weak USA economy facing 9 percent unemployment. “Given the economy today, he has his work cut out for him,” Howard said. “But I am confident he is ready for the challenges ahead.”

Bryant, who outspent DuPree 7-to-1, was facing the first African-American candidate to win a major-party nomination for Mississippi governor. On election night, the audience applauded when he said both gubernatorial candidates stayed away from attack ads. Bryant said he looks forward to working with DuPree and others to promote a better Mississippi.