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In the House, he was considered one of the most [[Social conservatism|socially conservative]] representatives.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> He supported bills against [[gun control]] and worked to allow individuals to more easily sue government agencies for gun bans or other policies believed to infringe on [[Right to keep and bear arms|gun rights]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pender |first=Geoff |last2=Gates |first2=Jimmie E. |date=February 8, 2016 |title=Miss. lawmaker displays pistol to protest gun legislation |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2018/02/08/miss-lawmaker-displays-pistol-during-gun-debate/322114002/ |access-date=April 12, 2024 |work=[[USA Today]] |agency=[[The Clarion-Ledger]]}}</ref> He expressed desire to make Mississippi a "[[constitutional carry]]" state to allow [[Open carry in the United States|open]] or [[concealed carry]] without a permit.<ref name=":3" /> He authored a bill banning [[abortion]] after 15 weeks, the nation's most restrictive abortion ban at the time.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Gates |first=Jimmie E. |title=Gov. Phil Bryant names Rep. Andy Gipson ag commissioner |url=https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/politics/2018/03/29/andy-gipson-ag-commissioner/469168002/ |access-date=2024-04-12 |website=The Clarion-Ledger |language=en-US}}</ref> As commitee chair, he killed a bill that would have made [[domestic violence]] grounds for divorce, though he later allowed a bill to pass after public pressure.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Pender |first1=Geoff |date=28 March 2017 |title=Mississippi passes domestic abuse divorce reform |url=http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/politics/2017/03/28/legislature-divorce-reform/99749172/ |accessdate=29 March 2017 |publisher=Jackson Clarion-Ledger}}</ref><ref name=":2" /> He championed legislation that would prohibit discrimination against anyone whose belief is that marriage is [[Same-sex marriage in the United States|between a man and woman]].<ref name=":3" /> He worked to pass [[criminal justice reform]] by granting greater discretion to judges and expanding the use of [[Drug court|drug courts]], as well as legislation that sought to reduce [[Recidivism|repeat offenders]], abolish [[Debtors' prison|debtor prisons]], and study [[Sentencing disparity|sentencing disparities]].<ref name=":3" /> He opposed [[Medicaid coverage gap|medicaid expansion]].<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Harrison |first=Bobby |date=2023-08-03 |title=No statewide official endorses Medicaid expansion at Neshoba |url=http://mississippitoday.org/2023/08/03/no-statewide-official-endorses-medicaid-expansion-at-neshoba/ |access-date=2024-04-12 |website=Mississippi Today |language=en-US}}</ref>
In the House, he was considered one of the most [[Social conservatism|socially conservative]] representatives.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> He supported bills against [[gun control]] and worked to allow individuals to more easily sue government agencies for gun bans or other policies believed to infringe on [[Right to keep and bear arms|gun rights]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pender |first=Geoff |last2=Gates |first2=Jimmie E. |date=February 8, 2016 |title=Miss. lawmaker displays pistol to protest gun legislation |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2018/02/08/miss-lawmaker-displays-pistol-during-gun-debate/322114002/ |access-date=April 12, 2024 |work=[[USA Today]] |agency=[[The Clarion-Ledger]]}}</ref> He expressed desire to make Mississippi a "[[constitutional carry]]" state to allow [[Open carry in the United States|open]] or [[concealed carry]] without a permit.<ref name=":3" /> He authored a bill banning [[abortion]] after 15 weeks, the nation's most restrictive abortion ban at the time.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Gates |first=Jimmie E. |title=Gov. Phil Bryant names Rep. Andy Gipson ag commissioner |url=https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/politics/2018/03/29/andy-gipson-ag-commissioner/469168002/ |access-date=2024-04-12 |website=The Clarion-Ledger |language=en-US}}</ref> As commitee chair, he killed a bill that would have made [[domestic violence]] grounds for divorce, though he later allowed a bill to pass after public pressure.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Pender |first1=Geoff |date=28 March 2017 |title=Mississippi passes domestic abuse divorce reform |url=http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/politics/2017/03/28/legislature-divorce-reform/99749172/ |accessdate=29 March 2017 |publisher=Jackson Clarion-Ledger}}</ref><ref name=":2" /> He championed legislation that would prohibit discrimination against anyone whose belief is that marriage is [[Same-sex marriage in the United States|between a man and woman]].<ref name=":3" /> He worked to pass [[criminal justice reform]] by granting greater discretion to judges and expanding the use of [[Drug court|drug courts]], as well as legislation that sought to reduce [[Recidivism|repeat offenders]], abolish [[Debtors' prison|debtor prisons]], and study [[Sentencing disparity|sentencing disparities]].<ref name=":3" /> He opposed [[Medicaid coverage gap|medicaid expansion]].<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Harrison |first=Bobby |date=2023-08-03 |title=No statewide official endorses Medicaid expansion at Neshoba |url=http://mississippitoday.org/2023/08/03/no-statewide-official-endorses-medicaid-expansion-at-neshoba/ |access-date=2024-04-12 |website=Mississippi Today |language=en-US}}</ref>
[[File:Rep. Michael Guest with Philip Gunn and Andy Gipson.jpg|thumb|Andy Gipson with former Speaker of the House [[Philip Gunn|Phillip Gunn]] and U.S. House Rep. [[Michael Guest (politician)|Michael Guest]].]]


=== Agriculture Commissioner ===
=== Agriculture Commissioner ===

Revision as of 20:25, 12 April 2024

Andy Gipson
8th Agriculture and Commerce Commissioner of Mississippi
Assumed office
April 2, 2018
GovernorPhil Bryant
Tate Reeves
Preceded byCindy Hyde-Smith
Member of the Mississippi House of Representatives
from the 77th district
In office
January 8, 2008 – April 2, 2018
Preceded byClint Rotenberry
Succeeded byPrice Wallace
Personal details
Born
James Andrew Gipson

(1976-12-21) December 21, 1976 (age 47)
Flowood, Mississippi, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseLeslie Gipson
EducationMississippi College (BA, JD)

James Andrew Gipson (born December 21, 1976) is an American politician from Mississippi. He is the current Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce. A member of the Republican Party, Gipson served as a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives from the 77th District from 2008 until his appointment as Agriculture Commissioner in 2018.

A native of Flowood, Mississippi, Gipson is an alum from Mississippi College and has worked as a farmer and attorney. In the Mississippi house, he was considered one of the most socially conservative representatives.[1][2] He supported bills in favor of gun rights, abortion restrictions, traditional marriage, and criminal justice reform. As commissioner, he has made statements against medicaid expansion and in vitro fertilization.

Early life and education

Gipson was born on December 21, 1976 in Flowood, Mississippi.[3][4]

He graduated with a bachelor's degree in political science at Mississippi College in 1999 and earned his juris doctorate at Mississippi College School of Law in 2002, graduating first in his class. While in law school, he was the editor-in-chief of the Mississippi College Law Review. He subsequently worked in private law practice at Jones Walker LLP, where he specialized in securities, banking, communications and insurance.[5][1]

He is married to Leslie Gipson and has four children. He lives on a farm in Braxton, Mississippi.[1] He is an ordained minister and works as a pastor.[4]

Political career

State Representative

A Republican, Gipson was elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives for the 77th district in 2007, besting Democratic challenger Dale Berry 58% to 40%.[1] He took office in 2008, and served until 2018.[3][5] While in the house, he served as chairman of the Judiciary B committee from 2012 to 2018 and the Ethics committee from 2016 to 2018. He also served on the House Agriculture, Appropriations, Ways and Means, County Affairs, Insurance, Municipalities, and Transportation committees.[4]

In the House, he was considered one of the most socially conservative representatives.[1][2] He supported bills against gun control and worked to allow individuals to more easily sue government agencies for gun bans or other policies believed to infringe on gun rights.[6] He expressed desire to make Mississippi a "constitutional carry" state to allow open or concealed carry without a permit.[2] He authored a bill banning abortion after 15 weeks, the nation's most restrictive abortion ban at the time.[2] As commitee chair, he killed a bill that would have made domestic violence grounds for divorce, though he later allowed a bill to pass after public pressure.[7][1] He championed legislation that would prohibit discrimination against anyone whose belief is that marriage is between a man and woman.[2] He worked to pass criminal justice reform by granting greater discretion to judges and expanding the use of drug courts, as well as legislation that sought to reduce repeat offenders, abolish debtor prisons, and study sentencing disparities.[2] He opposed medicaid expansion.[8]

Andy Gipson with former Speaker of the House Phillip Gunn and U.S. House Rep. Michael Guest.

Agriculture Commissioner

On March 29, 2018, Governor Phil Bryant announced that he would appoint Gipson to the office of Mississippi Agriculture and Commerce Commissioner, succeeding Cindy Hyde-Smith, who was appointed by Bryant to serve in the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy left by Thad Cochran.[2] He was sworn in on April 2 to complete Hyde-Smith's uncompleted term.[1]

In the 2019 Mississippi elections, he was elected with 59% to 41% of the vote against Democrat Rickey Cole.[9] He ran for reelection in 2023 and touted accomplishments of government consolidation within the agency, help grow international markets, and fought regulatory restrictions.[10] He won 58% to 42%.[11] As commissioner, he has visited all 82 counties, created a branding inivitative for domestically grown products, created a county correspondent program to allow easier access to agency officials, and created a workforce development program to connect individuals to agricultural internships.[5]

He made statements against in vitro fertilization, calling it “the greatest assault on the cause of life that we’ve seen in Mississippi in a long time.”[12] He has maintained his opposition to medicaid expansion.[8] He was against involving his agency in medical marijuana legalization.[13]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Nave, R. L. (March 29, 2018). "Rep. Andy Gipson moves into Ag Commissioner job". Mississippi Today. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Gates, Jimmie E. "Gov. Phil Bryant names Rep. Andy Gipson ag commissioner". The Clarion-Ledger. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Andy Gipson". Mississippi State Legislature. Archived from the original on February 28, 2016.
  4. ^ a b c Stribling, Will (July 3, 2019). "Andy Gipson Bio". Mississippi Today. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c "About Andy Gipson, Commissioner of Agriculture & Commerce". Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
  6. ^ Pender, Geoff; Gates, Jimmie E. (February 8, 2016). "Miss. lawmaker displays pistol to protest gun legislation". USA Today. The Clarion-Ledger. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
  7. ^ Pender, Geoff (March 28, 2017). "Mississippi passes domestic abuse divorce reform". Jackson Clarion-Ledger. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
  8. ^ a b Harrison, Bobby (August 3, 2023). "No statewide official endorses Medicaid expansion at Neshoba". Mississippi Today. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
  9. ^ "Andy Gipson". Ballotpedia. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
  10. ^ Pender, Geoff (November 6, 2023). "Election preview: Ag Commissioner Andy Gipson faces challenger Robert Bradford on Nov. 7". Mississippi Today. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
  11. ^ "Mississippi Election Results". The New York Times. November 7, 2023. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
  12. ^ Paffenroth, Sophia (March 7, 2024). "Mississippi Ag chief: IVF bill will lead to 'back door abortion, cloning'". Mississippi Today. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
  13. ^ Pender, Geoff (January 26, 2022). "'Long time overdue': Mississippi Legislature sends medical marijuana bill to governor". Mississippi Today. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
Party political offices
Preceded by Republican nominee for Agriculture and Commerce Commissioner of Mississippi
2019, 2023 		Most recent
Mississippi House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the Mississippi House of Representatives
from the 77th district
2008–2018 		Succeeded by
Price Wallace
Political offices
Preceded by Agriculture and Commerce Commissioner of Mississippi
2018–present 		Incumbent
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