Former Sen. John Polk of Hattiesburg Dies at 77
Former state Sen. John Polk, R-Hattiesburg, died Monday at the age of 77, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann announced.
“The Senate and I have lost a close friend, confidant, and outstanding person in former Sen. John Polk of Hattiesburg,” Hosemann wrote. “We will always remember him for his unwavering dedication to Mississippi, his strong convictions, and his willingness to say what needed to be said even when it was difficult.”
Polk served 14 years in the Senate, representing parts of Lamar and Pearl River counties from 2012 until his retirement in January 2026, after a federal panel of judges ordered his district redrawn. He chaired the Senate Business and Financial Institutions Committee and was vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and also sat on the Medicaid, Education, and Accountability, Efficiency, and Transparency committees.
A Columbia native, Polk graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1974 and went to work in his family's business, serving as an executive of Polk's Meat Products.
During last week's special session, senators were told Polk was receiving hospice care. “John has been a man of humility, integrity, and quiet strength throughout his service,” said Sen. Josh Harkins, R-Flowood, who shared the news at the request of Polk's wife, Jan. Upon announcing his retirement in April 2025, Polk told colleagues his time in the Legislature was “the best 14 (years) of my life.”