Jenifer Branning to seek Supreme Court seat

State Sen. Jenifer Branning has announced she will seek a seat on the state Supreme Court.

Branning, a Republican Senator from Philadelphia, said Thursday she has qualified for the District 1, Place 3 seat held by Judge Jim Kitchens of Crystal Springs.

Branning, who represents District 18 comprising Leake, Neshoba, and Winston counties, was first elected to the Senate in 2016.

She is in private law practice in Philadelphia.

Branning said in a statement:

"Today, I qualified for election to the Mississippi Supreme Court – District 1, Place 3. Mississippians expect and deserve to have judges that fairly and equally apply the laws to all of our citizens.

"They also expect their judges to be responsible and to represent their values. I am confident that my experience as an attorney of 20 years and as a current legislator make me uniquely qualified to serve the people of District 1 in the Mississippi Supreme Court. Just as our citizens expect consistency, integrity and efficiency in the application of our laws, so does the business community. I am proud of the conservative, pro-business record I’ve had in the legislature, and I look forward to earning the votes of the people in District 1 in the upcoming months."