Ghannon Burton

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Ghannon Burton

Republican Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

March 12, 2024

Education

Bachelor's

Mississippi State University, 1993

Graduate

Air War College, 2013

Military

Service / branch

U.S. Marine Corps

Years of service

1991 - 2021

Personal

Religion

Christian

Profession

Pilot

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Ghannon Burton (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. Senate to represent Mississippi. He lost in the Republican primary on March 12, 2024.

Burton completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Ghannon Burton served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1991 to 2021. He earned a bachelor's degree from Mississippi State University in 1993, a graduate degree from the University of Tennessee in 2005, and a graduate degree from Air War College in 2013. His career experience includes working as a pilot.

Burton has been affiliated with the following organizations:

• Church of Christ
• Tishomingo County Republican Party
• Mississippi For America First

Elections

2024

See also: United States Senate election in Mississippi, 2024

General election

General election for U.S. Senate Mississippi

Incumbent Roger Wicker defeated Ty Pinkins in the general election for U.S. Senate Mississippi on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Roger Wicker (R)	62.8	763,420
		Ty Pinkins (D)	37.2	451,981

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,215,401
= 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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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Mississippi

Ty Pinkins advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Mississippi on March 12, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Ty Pinkins	100.0	82,264

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 82,264
= 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 U.S. Senate Mississippi

Incumbent Roger Wicker defeated Ghannon Burton and Dan Eubanks in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate Mississippi on March 12, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Roger Wicker	61.4	152,086
		Ghannon Burton	24.8	61,387
		Dan Eubanks	13.8	34,238

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 247,711
= 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

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Burton in this election.

Pledges

Burton signed the following pledges.

• Taxpayer Protection Pledge, Americans for Tax Reform

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Ghannon Burton completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Burton's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Timothy Ghannon Burton "The Colonel" is a Mississippi Native who is a recently retired United States Marine Corps Colonel with 30 years of Service. He flew F-18's, Graduated from TOPGUN, Test Pilot School and he is a 2 time Commander with 5 Combat Deployments as a Veteran of Afghanistan, Iraq and Kosovo. He has numerous awards including the Bronze Star, Air Medal with Combat V, Legion of Merit and Meritorious Service Medal. He is a Christian, Husband and Grandfather married to the same wonderful Mississippi lady for over 30 years.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Inflation is out of control and so is our Federal Government. We can do better. The Federal Government has lost all respect for the citizens of the United States.
• We must secure our boarder. We can do better. Senator Wicker did not support President Trump's border wall, yet supported the Biden administrations green new deal which compounded inflation
• Drill baby drill! We can do better. We must re-establish full spectrum energy dominance. This is critical to getting our nation back on track and free from malignant foreign influence.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am deeply concerned about the future of our Country. I can't see anyway that we live in a free country while Senators like Senator Wicker stand by and do nothing while our Federal Government is weaponized against its people. We have a two tier justice system... One for those favored by the corrupt ruling class and another for those who want government to serve its citizens. 65% of Americans and 85% of Republicans believe that the 2020 election was rigged and stolen. Senator Wicker voted to certify an election that a clear majority knows was rigged and stolen. He certified it even though President Trump provided him with all the data he needed to see that it was rigged. Our country is now suffering because there is no accountability back to the people. The people who are wielding the power are those that rigged and then covered up the rigged election. As such all the tools of government are now being used to suppress those who seek accountability. Foreign actors and influencers like the Chinese Communist Party and the World Economic Forum are now exploiting this vulnerability and our country, that we love so much, is being deconstructed... Deconstructed morally, financially and militarily. We can very easily fix this with new leadership that is willing to call out the corruption, get our economy back on track and make sure that our government servants all put America First. We can do better.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Read the Bible we are currently in the advanced stages of Political Warfare (Kerry K Gershaneck) with the CCP we must establish a moral foundation and replace the current set of leaders in the United States with those who have accept the declaration and constitution as it their sacred duty to preserve our Republic. Those who are operating in our Government for self serving money and power are being exploited by our adversaries. This will be a long battle as generations of marxist poison have effected our universities.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Courage, with out courage there is no other characteristic or principle that matters because you won't be able to count on them to be who they said they were.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Courage, intellect, faith and grace.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Holding the Government accountable to SERVE the citizens and protect their God given rights, too many think the governments job is to rule and they.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I think the first historical event that I remember was when Regan was shot.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I was a Carpenter with my Father's construction Company.

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Our Government has been throughly corrupted by foreign malign influences from primarily the Chinese Communist Party and the World Economic Forum. Many other foreign actors have exploited this corruption. The most challenging and critical thing will be getting our country back on moral and patriotic footing. John Adams said very clearly that this country was designed for a moral people. Amoral people (people who don't know the difference between men and women) are easily manipulated. As such, our institutions have been infiltrated and corrupted by destructive and subversive marxist critical theory.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

Term limits are going to be necessary to stop the political corruption. Further, I believe we should return the election of the Senators back to the state legislatures. I do not think we would need term limits if we had fair secure elections. Many states have elections that are blatantly corrupted.

What qualities does the U.S. Senate possess that makes it unique as an institution?

Our country is in desperate need of courageous leadership. I have a life time of leadership and service including 5 combat deployments. I have served twice as a Commander at home and in Combat. Most of the things that are going wrong is because we have too many politicians who are in positions of power who are either corrupt or too weak morally to call out the corruption.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for senators to have previous experience in government or politics?

Yes, I have 30 years serving in the Military, highly engaged in the state of Mississippi with the organization I founded, Mississippi for America First. I have a masters in National Security Study for the Air War College where we focused on Russia and Ukraine for the year.

What do you think of the filibuster?

A critical tool that allows for individual Senators to hold the Government accountable and to stop legislation that doesn't have the deep support of the American people

Is there a particular senator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Harry Truman. Although he was a Democrat, he was brilliant at routing out corruption and holding the Government accountable to serve the American people.

How would you evaluate a judicial nominee?

What is their experience?

Do they interpret the constitution as written?
What is the depth of their character?

Are they brilliant?

What kind of relationships would you build with other senators?

One of respect, they will know that where I stand, no hidden agenda and they will know when I tell them I will do something I will do it.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Yes, however you don't and should not abandon your principle. You need to be able to sell/defend whatever it is you are doing transparently to the people who you represent BEFORE you make policy decisions.

How should the U.S. Senate use its investigative powers?

The US Senate should use its investigative powers in a transparent and very aggressive manner. The US Senate should bring Federal Agencies abusing the citizens of the United States to a halt when they fail to follow the law, act politically or do anything that brings disrepute onto the people of the United States. The Senate should not just demand but secure personal responsibility for those who act in a manner detrimental to the United States, its laws or who abuse the rights of US Citizens.

What criteria would you apply when deciding whether to confirm presidential appointees to their Cabinet?

Does the nominee have the skill for the Job?

Does the nominee have the best interests of the American People in mind?
Does the nominee have a history of service that can be vetted?
Does the candidate believe firmly in the founding ideals of our Constitution?

Does the candidate have an agenda other than executing the duties of the office?

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign website

Burton’s campaign website stated the following:

“	SECURE THE BORDER A nation without a secure border is no nation at all. We must deport all aliens who have entered our country illegally since the senior Senator from Mississippi allowed the Biden administration to open up our border. Further, we must reinstate the successful policies of the Trump administration and complete the border wall, which Senator Roger Wicker voted against. This will stop the killing of 100,00 US citizens a year due to drugs like fentanyl, made in China, flowing through an open border. Colonel Ghannon Burton, places a high priority on fortifying our nation’s borders. Recognizing that a secure border is crucial for safeguarding national sovereignty and ensuring the safety of American citizens. Colonel Burton advocates for a comprehensive approach to border security. His proposed policies would empower border enforcement officials to do their job with existing manpower and resources. Furthermore, Colonel Burton emphasizes the need for comprehensive immigration reform that addresses the complexities of the system while preserving the rule of law. With a steadfast commitment to finding common ground and a resolute dedication to safeguarding the interests of American citizens. STOP INFLATION We need to return the country to full spectrum energy dominance as it was under the Trump administration. We had low gas prices and reasonable food prices. Those two key elements are the largest contributors to inflation as felt by most Americans. Further, Colonel Ghannon Burton, a dedicated conservative and Patriot with a vision for economic stability, stands poised to tackle these and other pressing issues. We can bring down prices while we reestablish critical domestic supply chains. With a keen understanding of fiscal policy and a commitment to conservative principles, Colonel Burton aims to implement a multifaceted approach to curbing inflationary pressures. His proposed strategies encompass prudent monetary policy, advocating for responsible government spending, and fostering an environment conducive to private sector growth. By advocating for policies that strike a balance between regulatory restraint and free-market innovation, Colonel Burton aims to foster an environment where businesses can thrive, wages can grow, and the purchasing power of American citizens can be safeguarded while we regain our independence from a corrupted global market. He is a tenacious formidable candidate poised to make a meaningful impact in the fight against inflation. RESTORE OUR MILITARY We must restore our military to a color blind Meritocracy where all service members from the most Senior General to the newest enlistee are judged on the potential for service and promoted based on their God given talents, character, and ability to serve and not the color of their skin. Colonel Ghannon Burton will move to aggressively eradicate destructive marxist theories, such as ‘critical race theory’ and promotions based on ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ that the Biden administration injected into our DOD military and civilian personnel systems. Current policies implemented by the Biden administration and condoned by Senator Wicker are destructive and demoralizing to our service members and directly affect recruiting and military readiness. The current policies of the Biden administration have led to a historic shortfall in military recruiting. So much so, that the DOD is considering reinstating the draft. The draft they’re considering will include drafting women for first time in our history. We will place paramount emphasis on revitalizing our nation’s military’s personnel readiness as well as our critical war fighting capabilities. We will also stop all vaccinations until we get a comprehensive evaluation of every vaccines effectiveness and a full report of all injuries and side effects; so that we can have a complete transparent risk analysis. This is critical to restore service members confidence in DOD vaccine protocols following what was clearly an unwise, ill advised and unnecessary COVID-19 vaccine mandate. We have to restore both service members, their parent’s and potential service members parent’s confidence in the DOD vaccine program. Recognizing that a robust and well-equipped military is essential for safeguarding national security and upholding American interests around the world, Colonel Burton advocates for a comprehensive approach to rebuilding our armed forces which is tied to clearly stated strategic objectives so that the American tax payer understands where their money is going. Recognizing that Chinese Communist Party is our biggest strategic threat and given its GEO location it is critical that we greatly expand the capacity of the United States Naval Forces and accelerate the modernization of its capability. His proposed policies include strategic investments in modernizing equipment, bolstering joint service level training programs, which will prepare the services for high intensity combat operations while providing adequate resources for military personnel and their families. Colonel Burton also champions the need for a complete review of defense spending to ensure taxpayer dollars are efficiently allocated to strengthen our national defense. Senator Wicker has allowed the Biden administration to sow chaos in the world. With a steadfast commitment to maintaining a strong, capable military, Colonel Ghannon Burton stands as a stalwart advocate for restoring and enhancing the readiness of our armed forces, ensuring they remain a formidable deterrent and stabilizer in a turbulent ever-evolving global landscape. STOP WEAPONIZED GOVERNMENT We currently live in a country with a two-tiered justice system. Senator Wicker has funded DOJ, FBI, and DHS programs which target conservatives, parents, devoutly religious people and political opponents while ignoring left wing violence, attacks on US Courthouses, intimidation of conservative judges and riots which caused immense destruction to multiple communities around the country. It is clear our justice system is being used to enforce a political ideology. This must come to an immediate end. We will defund any agency or program which is being used to promote a political agenda. We must have equal justice under the law. Colonel Ghannon Burton, is dedicated to preventing the weaponization of government power. Recognizing the importance of maintaining checks and balances in a democratic society, he advocates for transparency, accountability, and responsible governance. He emphasizes the need for rigorous oversight to ensure that government agencies and officials do not overstep their bounds or misuse their authority. Colonel Burton is committed to enacting reforms that safeguard the rights and liberties of citizens, while also promoting ethical conduct within public service. With a steadfast dedication to upholding the integrity of government institutions, Colonel Ghannon Burton is a strong advocate for a government that serves the best interests of the American people, free from undue political influence or manipulation and does not seek to rule them. Colonel Burton is convinced we have outstanding public servants in our justice system whose authority and responsibilities have been abused by the current administration. It is his firm belief that those outstanding public servants deeply resent the politicization of their departments.	”
—Ghannon Burton’s campaign website (2024)

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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Ghannon Burton campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	U.S. Senate Mississippi	Lost primary	$218,188	$216,593
Grand total			$218,188	$216,593
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

See also

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Candidate

U.S. Senate Mississippi

Website

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Footnotes

[show]

Mississippi's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Cindy Hyde-Smith (R)

Roger Wicker (R)

Representatives

District 1

Trent Kelly (R)

District 2

Bennie Thompson (D)

District 3

Michael Guest (R)

District 4

Mike Ezell (R)

Republican Party (5)

Democratic Party (1)