Dewey Phillip Bryant attended Council McCluer High School his junior and senior years.

Bryant was appointed to serve as State Auditor by Governor Kirk Fordice following the resignation of Steve Patterson.

[8] In 2007, he was elected Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi, defeating the Democratic Party candidate, State Representative Jamie Franks.

At the time, the state had a single abortion clinic, served only by out-of-state doctors who lacked in-state admitting privileges.

[12] Governor Bryant ran for re-election in 2015, facing off against Mitch Young in the Republican primary, carrying 91.7 percent of the vote.

[13] On November 5, Bryant faced the Democratic nominee, truck driver Robert Gray, winning with 66.6 percent of the vote.

[citation needed] On April 5, 2016, Bryant signed House Bill 1523, the HB-1523, which allows government employees and private businesses to cite religious beliefs to deny services to same-sex couples seeking a marriage license.

[15] The governor said on Twitter that HB-1523, "merely reinforces the rights which currently exist to the exercise of religious freedom as stated in the First Amendment to the U.S.

The previous director of Mississippi's welfare agency, John Davis, who admitted to being involved and is currently working with authorities, was appointed by Phil Bryant.

[25] Bryant subsequently sued Mississippi Today, the outlet which broke the story, and its lead reporter, Anna Wolfe, alleging defamation.

[26] In May 2024, a Madison County Circuit Court judge ordered Mississippi Today to identify sources and produce information related to statements its staff made against former Governor Phil Bryant.