Dean Kirby elected to second term as Senate’s second-in-command

Sen. Dean Kirby, a Republican from Pearl, will serve another four-year term as “the senators’ senator.”

Kirby, who was first elected to the Senate in 1992, was selected unanimously Tuesday on the opening day of the 2024 session by the 52 members of the Mississippi Senate to serve as the Senate president pro tempore. His selection as the Senate’s second-in-command was not a surprise, and he faced no opposition.

Kirby, who is an insurance agent, has served the past four years in the post. The Senate pro-tem is a constitutionally created position, and second in the line of succession to the governor, behind the lieutenant governor but ahead of the speaker.

“It is an honor to serve as pro-tem,” Kirby said. “I appreciate the confidence other senators have placed in me. As you know, being elected pro-tem is to serve as the senators’ senator. I have worked hard to try to be that. Maybe that is why I did not have any opposition.”

Kirby also said he has enjoyed working with Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, whom he referred to as “a workaholic” who makes his job easier. The lieutenant governor presides over the Senate.

The pro-tem is normally a close ally of the lieutenant governor, and Kirby has certainly served that role for Hosemann, who was elected to his second term in the post in the November general election. While Kirby, as others have, referred to the pro-tem as the senators’ senator who serves as a voice for Senate members, traditionally the lieutenant governor has influence over who is selected for the post. And this year, Kirby had the backing of Hosemann as he did four years ago.

Besides presiding over the Senate in the absence of the lieutenant governor, the pro-tem also chairs the Senate Rules Committee and oversees much of the day-to-day operation of the Senate staff.

On Tuesday, Kirby was placed in nomination by fellow Rankin County senator, Republican Josh Harkins. His nomination was seconded by Democratic Sen. Hillman Frazier of Jackson and Republican Sen. Brice Wiggins of Pascagoula.

Harkins said Kirby’s “character, his integrity his enthusiasm … make him a great candidate for this position.”

In seconding the nomination, Frazier said: “In this body you have two types of horses: the show horse and work horse. The show horse does stuff for attention. Sen. Dean Kirby is, in fact, a work horse. He works very hard to get things done … He puts policy over personal politics. He is respected by this body.”

Kirby has held multiple key positions during his long tenure, including chairmanships of both the Finance and Public Health committees.

But he said serving as pro-tem “is the best thing I have ever done. Being the president pro-tem has been the highlight of my career.”

PODCAST: Sen. Dean Kirby talks in late 2019 about serving in Senate leadership role

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