Secretary of State Michael Watson on Monday announced he will not run for reelection in 2027, further fueling the speculation that he will run for lieutenant governor next year.

Watson, a Republican, said at the Stennis Institute’s Capitol Press Forum that while he won’t run for secretary of state again, he will “still be on the ballot” next year. 

“We have really gotten to the point where we feel like we’ve done our duty,” Watson said. We’ve done our work at the secretary of state’s office. I can walk out of there feeling like I’ve left the place better than I found it.” 

Watson, 48, represented Jackson County in the state Senate for three terms. He later won a bid in 2019 to become secretary of state and was easily reelected to a second term in 2023.

Since serving as secretary of state, Watson has championed measures to ensure only U.S. citizens vote in Mississippi elections, to strengthen the state’s campaign finance laws and to repeal onerous “red tape” regulations on businesses.

Watson is the second statewide official to reveal at least part of his future political plans, though Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann and Gov. Tate Reeves are prevented from running for another term in their current offices because of term limits. State Agriculture and Commerce Commissioner Andy Gipson has announced he is running for governor next year.

The lieutenant governor has enormous sway over the legislative process and is the presiding officer of the Senate. The chamber’s rules allow the lieutenant governor to appoint people to lead legislative committees and refer bills to specific committees.