Audio recording is automated for accessibility. Humans wrote and edited the story. Amid a hectic week of crafting a multi-billion dollar state budget, most of the Capitol on Wednesday paused business to witness the unveiling of former House Speaker Philip Gunn’s portrait that will hang in the entr ance to the House chamber.  Gunn is a Republican who represented the Clinton area in the House for 20 years. For 12 of those years, he served as speaker, one of the most powerful positions in state government. He was the first Republican speaker since Reconstruction.  The painting features Gunn sitting in an armless olive-green chair with brass rivets. In the upper-left corner, it features a painting of Mississippi’s newly changed state flag. As speaker, Gunn helped lead the charge for Mississippi to scrap its former flag containing a Confederate battle emblem and adopt its current flag.  “When I first saw it, it was like looking in the mirror,” Gunn told reporters.  Former Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn’s portrait was unveiled Wednesday, March 25, 2026, at the state Capitol in Jackson. Gunn, a Republican from Clinton, served as speaker from 2012 to 2024. Credit: Richard Lake/Mississippi TodayFormer Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn speaks at the unveiling of his portrait Wednesday, March 25, 2026, at the state Capitol in Jackson. The Republican from Clinton served as leader of the 122-member House from 2012 to 2024. Seated, left to right, are portrait artist Jason Bouldin, current House Speaker Jason White, Gov. Tate Reeves and Gunn’s wife, Lisa Gunn. Credit: Richard Lake/Mississippi TodayMississippi House Speaker Jason White, left, Gov. Tate Reeves, Lisa Gunn and former Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn at the unveiling of Gunn’s portrait at the Mississippi Capitol on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, in Jackson. Gunn led the Mississippi House from 2012 to 2024. Credit: Richard Lake/Mississippi TodayFormer Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn’s portrait was unveiled Wednesday, March 25, 2026, at the state Capitol in Jackson. Gunn, a Republican from Clinton, served as speaker from 2012 to 2024. Credit: Richard Lake/Mississippi TodayFormer Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn, left, and Senator Sollie B. Norwood, a Democrat from Jackson, at the unveiling of Gunn’s portrait Wednesday, March 25, 2026, at the state Capitol in Jackson. The Republican from Clinton served as leader of the 122-member House from 2012 to 2024. Credit: Richard Lake/Mississippi TodayGov. Tate Reeves, left, and former Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn at the unveiling of Gunn’s portrait at the Mississippi Capitol Wednesday, March 25, 2026. Gunn, a Republican from Clinton, led the 122-member House from 2012 to 2024. Credit: Richard Lake/Mississippi TodayFormer Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn and current Speaker Jason White attend the unveiling of Gunn’s portrait on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, at the state Capitol in Jackson. Gunn, a Republican from Clinton, was speaker from 2012 to 2024. White, a Republican from West, was speaker pro tempore from 2020 to 2024. Credit: Richard Lake/Mississippi TodayFormer Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn at the unveiling of his portrait at the Mississippi State Capitol, Wednesday, Mar. 25, 2026 in Jackson, Miss. Gunn served as Speaker of the Mississippi House from 2012 to 2024. Credit: Richard Lake/Mississippi TodayArtist Jason Bouldin speaks at the unveiling of former House Speaker Philip Gunn’s portrait Wednesday, March 25, 2026, at the Mississippi Capitol in Jackson. The portrait by Bouldin will be displayed in the lobby of the House chamber. Credit: Richard Lake/Mississippi Today The painting does not show Gunn wielding a gavel or inside the House chamber, which is the typical fashion for portraits of past speakers. Jason Bouldin, the portrait artist, said he chose to showcase Gunn in that fashion to portray his overall sense of generosity and calmness.  In addition to changing the state’s flag, Gunn will likely be remembered for leading the House in its passage of a bill that restricted abortion in the state. That legislation led to the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade and ending a constitutional right to an abortion.  The former speaker said other items he views as policy achievements are rehabbing road and bridge infrastructure, increasing salaries for public school teachers and cutting the state’s income tax.  The end of Gunn’s speech sounded like a prelude to a future campaign announcement. He told attendees at the Capitol ceremony that he wanted to be part of an effort that helps build up the next generation of Mississippians and continue to make the state the “best place to live and work.”  “I am not riding off into the sunset, but I will be riding into the sunrise,” Gunn said.  Regardless of whether Gunn chooses to run for statewide office, his portrait will hang in the Capitol alongside other past speakers, as is the typical custom. Whenever the 122 elected House members enter the chamber during a session, they will likely view Gunn’s image.  Current House Speaker Jason White told Mississippi Today that he believes the portrait captures his predecessor’s “down-to-earth” nature and his bold leadership style. When he views the painting, White said he’ll remember how Gunn led “from the front” and not “from the side or the back.” “I can only hope to kind of get close to that mark,” White said. “For us, when you see that, you remember that guy and that leader, and it’s a good memory.” ...read more read less