Incumbent Republican Governor Phil Bryant won re-election to a second and final term in office.

[2] Retired firefighter Robert Gray, physician Valerie Short and attorney Vicki Slater ran for the Democratic nomination.

[8][9] Mississippi Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley was a potential Democratic candidate[10] but instead ran for re-election.

[6][15] State Representative Mark Baker and attorney, author and former Madison County Supervisor Andy Taggart declined to run.

[25] Pickering was challenged in the Republican primary by Mary Hawkins-Butler, the Mayor of Madison.

[9] Fitch won in the primary and proceed to win in the general election against Reform party candidate Viola McFarland.

[33] For the Republicans, Brent Bailey and attorney and 2003 candidate for Governor Mitch Tyner ran in the primary.

[34][35] Other potential Republican candidates were former State Senator and candidate for State Treasurer in 2011 Lee Yancey and Jason Cochran, a utility construction company project manager, the son of former Commissioner Nielsen Cochran and nephew of U.S.

Senator Thad Cochran[33] Bruce Burton and State Representative Cecil Brown ran for the Democrats.

[34][36] Robert Amos originally qualified as a Democratic candidate for this seat, but switched to run for the Central District of the Transportation Commission.

[40] Thomas Blanton filed to run as the Democratic candidate and received the nomination unopposed.

Hernando Mayor Chip Johnson announced that he would run for the Republican nomination, but he withdrew from the race following Tagert's loss in the Congressional election.

[46] A special election for Mississippi's 1st congressional district was held to fill the term left by the vacancy created by the death of Alan Nunnelee.

[49] The top-two primary was held on May 12, with Democrat Walter Zinn and Republican Trent Kelly advancing.