▁H urr icane ▁K atr ina ▁and ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁Deep water ▁Hor izon ▁oil ▁sp ill , ▁the ▁state ' s ▁largest ▁dis aster s ▁since ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 7 ▁Mississippi ▁River ▁flo ods . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁H att ies burg ▁mayor ▁Johnny ▁Du P ree ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁African - American ▁to ▁be ▁nominated ▁as ▁a ▁Dem ocrat ▁for ▁governor . ▁ ▁Republican ▁lieutenant ▁governor ▁Phil ▁Bry ant ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁defeat ▁Du P ree ▁in ▁the ▁general ▁election ▁with ▁ 6 1 % ▁of ▁the ▁vote . ▁ ▁In ▁doing ▁so , ▁Bry ant ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁Republican ▁to ▁succeed ▁an ▁out going ▁Republican ▁governor . ▁ ▁Bry ant ▁was ▁re elect ed ▁with ▁ 6 7 % ▁of ▁the ▁vote ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁the ▁highest ▁percentage ▁ever ▁received ▁by ▁a ▁Republican ▁candidate ▁for ▁governor ▁in ▁Mississippi . ▁ ▁Since ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 1 st ▁century , ▁Republic ans ▁have ▁done ▁similarly ▁well ▁in ▁other ▁state wide ▁offices . ▁ ▁Edd ie ▁Brig gs ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁Republican ▁lieutenant ▁governor ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁alongside ▁Kirk ▁Ford ice ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 1 . ▁ ▁This ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁awk ward ▁arrangement ▁where ▁Brig gs ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁appoint ▁Republican ▁chair men ▁to ▁comm itte es ▁in ▁the ▁State ▁Senate ▁despite ▁Democr ats ▁holding ▁the ▁majority . ▁ ▁He ▁lost ▁re e lection ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 5 . ▁