Dye, whose funeral will be held on Thursday, passed away Sunday morning while in Ridgeland hospice care. Dick Hall, Central District Transportation Commissioner, stated that Dye was content with his position as lieutenant governor. Hall was also a member of the state Senate during Dye’s tenure. “I don’t recall a conversation in which he discussed running for governor,” said State Senator Hob Bryan, D.Amory. While he couldn’t say with absolute certainty that Dye never intended to become governor, he stated that he didn’t think Dye would ever run for the office. Ronnie Musgrove, Phil Bryant, and Eddie Briggs won, while Dye lost his re-election bid for lieutenant governor. Tate Reeves (the incumbent lieutenant governor) is the Republican front-runner to be the next governor. The Republican front-runner for governor in 2019 is Tate Reeves, the incumbent lieutenant governor. Amy Tuck was once considered a strong candidate to become Mississippi’s first female governor after two terms as lieutenant governor. However, for various reasons, it was never possible for her to run. While there were many instances in which lieutenant governors ran for governor before Dye, some notable changes took place either right after Dye’s tenure of lieutenant governor and made it more likely that Dye would use the office as a stepping stone. The most notable of these were the changes that restricted the term limit for the lieutenant governor from two consecutive terms, and gave the governor the ability to serve two consecutive terms. Political observers had believed that the fact that the term limit for lieutenant governor was not set and that governors couldn’t serve consecutive terms gave lieutenant governor greater power than the governor before those changes. A number of factors led to the perception that the governor of Mississippi had a weaker position than the Legislature. Recent years have seen the governor enjoy more power due to court cases and other factors such as the rise of partisan politics. Dye, a conservative Democrat served three four-year terms before being overthrown by Republican Briggs in 1991. Dye was portrayed as a Jackson politician who sought power and took advantage of it during that election. The symbol for the alleged abuse of power in TV commercials was the cushy, oversized chair at the podium of the lieutenant governor. Bryan and Hall both said Dye was powerful, and did exercise that power. However, Dye also appointed committee chairs and gave them wide leeway. Bryan stated that Dye sought consensus. Hall stated that Dye, who was elected to the Senate in 1987 following three terms in Congress, created an Environmental Committee. Hall was appointed chair of the committee because of his experience, despite being one of four Republicans in the chamber. Hall claimed that he complained about being appointed to the Education Committee, where he didn’t want to serve. Dye said that he needed Hall there, and to stop complaining. He was a freshman who was being given the chair of a committee. Hall stated, “He was as good as any guy I have ever served with, I think he’s a great leader.” Roger Wicker, a Tupelo Republican and U.S. senator, stated that Dye was one of the most distinguished public servants he has ever met. He was a huge contributor to infrastructure, reform, education, and health care. He was also a great husband to Donna and a great dad. “I am honored to have been counted his friend.” Bradford Johnson Dye Jr. was the longest-serving lieutenant governor of the state’s history. He served between 1980 and 1992. He was present at some important events in the Senate, such as the passage of the 1987 four-lane Highway Bill. This bill passed over the veto by the then-Gov. Bill Allain and 1982’s passage of the then-Gov. William Winter’s landmark Education Reform Act. A lawsuit was filed against Dye to clarify Dye’s powers as lieutenant governor. In the 1980s, a lawsuit was filed against Dye alleging that the office of lieutenant Governor was in violation of the separate powers clause in the state Constitution. The post was given powers and duties in both legislative and executive branches of the governor’s offices. Although the Constitution granted the lieutenant governor limited powers in the Constitution, the Supreme Court ruled that it was permissible for the Legislature to confer additional powers upon the office if it so wished. The traditional powers given to the lieutenant Governor include the ability to name Senate committees and the ability assign bills. These powers greatly expand the power of the office. Bryan was not considered a key ally to Dye. He led an effort to get a group senators to intervene in the lawsuit. They claimed that historical precedent gave the Senate authority to grant those powers to Dye. Bryan stated that the Senate adopted the Constitution in 1890s, giving the powers to the lieutenant governor. It was sensible to have an elected official from the state with this power rather than a single senator who is elected from one of the districts and granted that authority by other members of Senate. Bryan stated that “when I arrived and observed the Senate,” he had little to complain about the way the rules were being applied. Dye was also the state treasurer, and in 1960s America’s powerful senator James Eastland and Governor were his proteges. John Bell Williams. Dye later admitted that he supported the segregationist efforts made by state political leaders during that time. In the 1980s, Dye was elected lieutenant governor. He was known for his support of segregationist efforts in Mississippi.