Dean Kirby

Dean Kirby

Republican Party

Mississippi State Senate District 30

Tenure

1992 - Present

Term ends

2028

Years in position

32

Compensation

Base salary

$23,500/year

Per diem

$166/day

Elections and appointments

Last elected

November 7, 2023

Education

Bachelor's

La Salle University

Personal

Religion

Christian: Baptist

Profession

Business owner

Contact

Official website

Personal LinkedIn

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Dean Kirby (Republican Party) is a member of the Mississippi State Senate, representing District 30. He assumed office in 1992. His current term ends on January 4, 2028.

Kirby (Republican Party) ran for re-election to the Mississippi State Senate to represent District 30. He won in the general election on November 7, 2023.

Kirby was selected to serve as president pro tempore at the start of the 2020 legislative session and re-elected unanimously at the start of the 2024 legislative session. Mississippi Today's Bobby Harrison said the president pro tempore is "normally a close ally of the lieutenant governor, and Kirby has certainly served that role for [Lt. Gov. Delbert] Hosemann . . . traditionally the lieutenant governor has influence over who is selected for the post. And [in 2024], Kirby had the backing of Hosemann as he did four years ago." The president pro tempore presides over the Senate when the lieutenant governor is not present, chairs the Rules Committee, and is second in the line of gubernatorial succession behind the lieutenant governor.

Kirby was born on November 21, 1946, in Lake City, Arkansas. Kirby attended and played basketball at Mississippi College before earning a B.A. from LaSalle University in 1969. He opened Dean Kirby Insurance Agency in 1979 and owned the firm until he retired in 2016.

Kirby was elected to the Senate in 1992. In each election from 2007 to 2023, Kirby was unopposed in both the Republican primary and general election. Kirby faced a primary challenger in 2003, who he defeated with 70% of the vote. Mississippi Today's Bobby Harrison said Kirby "has held multiple key positions during his long tenure, including chairmanships of both the Finance and Public Health committees."

During Kirby's 2024 nomination for the leadership position, Sen. Hillman Frazier (D) said of Kirby: "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."

Biography

Kirby attended Mississippi College, and earned his B.S. from La Salle University. His professional experience includes owning and operating Dean Kirby Insurance Agency.

Committee assignments

2023-2024

Kirby was assigned to the following committees:

• Compilation, Revision and Publication
• Congressional Redistricting Committee, Chair
• Economic and Workforce Development Committee
• Finance Committee
• Senate Insurance Committee
• Interstate and Federal Cooperation Committee
• Judiciary, Division A Committee
• Senate Legislative Budget Committee
• Reapportionment Committee, Chair
• Local and Private Committee, Vice Chair
• Senate Rules Committee, Chair
• Reapportionment Committee, Vice Chair
• Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review Committee

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2020-2021

Kirby was assigned to the following committees:

• Senate Insurance Committee
• Interstate and Federal Cooperation Committee
• Judiciary, Division A Committee
• Senate Legislative Budget Committee
• Local and Private Committee, Vice-Chairman
• Senate Rules Committee, Chairman
• Economic and Workforce Development Committee
• Legislative Budget Committee
• Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review Committee
• Finance Committee

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2019-2020

Kirby was assigned to the following committees:

• Legislative Budget Committee
• Housing Committee
• Senate Corrections Committee
• Finance Committee, Vice-Chairman
• Highways and Transportation Committee
• Senate Insurance Committee
• Judiciary, Division A Committee
• Interstate and Federal Cooperation Committee
• Public Health and Welfare Committee, Chairman

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2015 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Kirby served on the following committees:

2012-2013

In the 2012-2013 legislative session, Kirby served on these committees:

2010-2011

In the 2010-2011 legislative session, Kirby served on these committees:

Sponsored legislation

The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.

Elections

2023

See also: Mississippi State Senate elections, 2023

General election

General election for Mississippi State Senate District 30

Incumbent Dean Kirby won election in the general election for Mississippi State Senate District 30 on November 7, 2023.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Dean Kirby (R)	100.0	10,781

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 10,781
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Mississippi State Senate District 30

Incumbent Dean Kirby advanced from the Republican primary for Mississippi State Senate District 30 on August 8, 2023.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Dean Kirby	100.0	5,787

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 5,787
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

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Kirby received the following endorsements.

• Patriot Parents

2019

See also: Mississippi State Senate elections, 2019

General election

General election for Mississippi State Senate District 30

Incumbent Dean Kirby won election in the general election for Mississippi State Senate District 30 on November 5, 2019.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Dean Kirby (R)	100.0	13,278

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 13,278
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Mississippi State Senate District 30

Incumbent Dean Kirby advanced from the Republican primary for Mississippi State Senate District 30 on August 6, 2019.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Dean Kirby	100.0	8,592

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 8,592
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2015

See also: Mississippi State Senate elections, 2015

Elections for the Mississippi State Senate took place in 2015. A primary election was held on August 4, 2015, and the general election was held on November 3, 2015. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was February 27, 2015. No Democratic candidates filed for election. Incumbent Dean Kirby was unopposed in the Republican primary. Kirby ran unchallenged in the District 30 general election.

2011

See also: Mississippi State Senate elections, 2011

Kirby won re-election to the Mississippi Senate District 30. He ran unopposed in the primary on August 2 and in the general election on November 8, 2011.

2007

See also: Mississippi State Senate elections, 2007

On November 6, 2007, Dean Kirby ran unopposed for District 30 of the Mississippi State Senate.

Dean Kirby raised $41,100 for his campaign.

Mississippi Senate, District 30
Candidates		Votes	Percent
Dean Kirby (R)		13,499	100%

Campaign themes

2023

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Dean Kirby did not complete Ballotpedia's 2023 Candidate Connection survey.

2019

Dean Kirby did not complete Ballotpedia's 2019 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Dean Kirby campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2023*	Mississippi State Senate District 30	Won general	$167,104	$0
2019	Mississippi State Senate District 30	Won general	$155,150	N/A**
Grand total			$322,254	N/A**
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards and State legislative scorecards in Mississippi

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states.  To contribute to the list of Mississippi scorecards, email suggestions to [email protected].

2023

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2023, click [show].

In 2023, the Mississippi State Legislature was in session from January 3 to April 1. Business and Industry Political Education Committee Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business and economic issues. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues. The Institute for Legislative Analysis Legislators are scored on their adherence to the limited government principles of the U.S. Constitution.

2022

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2022, click [show].
In 2022, the Mississippi State Legislature was in session from January 4 to April 5. Business and Industry Political Education Committee Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business and economic issues.

2021

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show].

In 2021, the Mississippi State Legislature was in session from January 5 to April 1. Americans for Prosperity Mississippi Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues. Business and Industry Political Education Committee Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business and economic issues. Club for Growth Foundation Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues. National Federation of Independent Business Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

2020

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show].

In 2020, the Mississippi State Legislature was in session from January 7 to October 10. The session was suspended effective July 1, 2020. It had been previously suspended from March 18 to May 7. The session reconvened from August 10 to October 2. Business and Industry Political Education Committee Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business and economic issues. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

2019

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show].

In 2019, the Mississippi State Legislature was in session from January 8 through March 29. Americans for Prosperity Mississippi Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues. Business and Industry Political Education Committee Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business and economic issues. National Federation of Independent Business Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

2018

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show].

In 2018, the Mississippi State Legislature was in session from January 2 through March 28. ACLU Mississippi Legislators are scored by the ACLU on their whether their votes on bills "promote racial, cultural, and economic justice." Business and Industry Political Education Committee Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business and economic issues. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

2017

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show].

In 2017, the Mississippi State Legislature was in session from January 3 through March 29. There was also a special session June 5. ACLU Mississippi Legislators are scored by the ACLU on their whether their votes on bills "promote racial, cultural, and economic justice." Americans for Prosperity Mississippi Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues. Business and Industry Political Education Committee Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business and economic issues. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

2016

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show].

In 2016, the Mississippi State Legislature was in session from January 5 through April 21. ACLU Mississippi Legislators are scored by the ACLU on their whether their votes on bills "promote racial, cultural, and economic justice." Americans for Prosperity Mississippi Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues. Business and Industry Political Education Committee Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business and economic issues. Empower Mississippi Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to education. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

2015

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show].
In 2015, the Mississippi State Legislature was in session from January 6 through April 2. Business and Industry Political Education Committee Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business and economic issues. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

2014

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show].

In 2014, the Mississippi State Legislature was in session from January 7 through April 2. Business and Industry Political Education Committee Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business and economic issues. Empower Mississippi: Senate and House Legislators are scored on their votes on education bills. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

Personal

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Kirby and his wife, Jean, have three children.

See also

2023 Elections

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External links

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Officeholder

Mississippi State Senate District 30

Website

Personal

LinkedIn

Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by -	Mississippi State Senate District 30 1992-Present	Succeeded by -

[show]

Current members of the Mississippi State Senate

Leadership

Senators

District 1

Michael McLendon (R)

District 2

David Parker (R)

District 3

Kathy Chism (R)

District 4

Rita Parks (R)

District 5

Daniel Sparks (R)

District 6

Chad McMahan (R)

District 7

Hob Bryan (D)

District 8

Benjamin Suber (R)

District 9

Nicole Boyd (R)

District 10

Neil Whaley (R)

District 11

Reginald Jackson (D)

District 12

Derrick Simmons (D)

District 13

Sarita Simmons (D)

District 14

Lydia Chassaniol (R)

District 15

Bart Williams (R)

District 16

Angela Turner-Ford (D)

District 17

Charles Younger (R)

District 18

Jenifer Branning (R)

District 19

Kevin Blackwell (R)

District 20

Josh Harkins (R)

District 21

Bradford Blackmon (D)

District 22

Joseph Thomas (D)

District 23

Briggs Hopson (R)

District 24

David Jordan (D)

District 25

Walter Michel (R)

District 26

John Horhn (D)

District 27

Hillman Frazier (D)

District 28

Sollie Norwood (D)

District 29

David Blount (D)

District 30

Dean Kirby (R)

District 31

Tyler McCaughn (R)

District 32

Rod Hickman (D)

District 33

Jeff Tate (R)

District 34

Juan Barnett (D)

District 35

Andy Berry (R)

District 36

Brian Rhodes (R)

District 37

Albert Butler (D)

District 38

Gary Brumfield (D)

District 39

Jason Barrett (R)

District 40

Angela Hill (R)

District 41

Joey Fillingane (R)

District 42

Robin Robinson (R)

District 43

Dennis DeBar (R)

District 44

John Polk (R)

District 45

Chris Johnson (R)

District 46

Philman Ladner (R)

District 47

Joseph Seymour (R)

District 48

Mike Thompson (R)

District 49

Joel Carter (R)

District 50

Scott DeLano (R)

District 51

Jeremy England (R)

District 52

Brice Wiggins (R)

Republican Party (36)

Democratic Party (16)