Toby Barker
American politician
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Toby Barker (born December 31, 1981) is an American politician and the current Mayor of Hattiesburg, Mississippi. In 2007, he was elected a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives from the 102nd District. At the age of 25, Barker became the then-youngest legislator elected in Mississippi's history.[2] He is a former member of the Republican Party.[3] In 2017, Barker ran as an independent and defeated four-term incumbent Johnny DuPree to become Hattiesburg's 35th mayor.[4]
Toby Barker | |
|---|---|
| |
| Mayor of Hattiesburg | |
| Assumed office July 3, 2017[1] | |
| Preceded by | Johnny DuPree |
| Member of the Mississippi House of Representatives from the 102nd district | |
| In office 2008–2017 | |
| Preceded by | Lee Jarrell Davis |
| Succeeded by | Missy McGee |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 31, 1981 Meridian, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Party | Independent (since 2017) |
| Other political affiliations | Republican (before 2017) |
| Spouse | Kate Northrop |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | University of Southern Mississippi (B.A., 2004; M.A., 2006) Brown University (Master of Healthcare Leadership, 2015) |
| Website | http://www.tobybarker.com/ |
The 2025 mayoral election was held on June 3, 2025, alongside other Hattiesburg municipal races. Barker was eligible for re-election to a third four-year term. Primary elections were canceled, as no one else challenged him for the seat.[5]
Barker is a graduate of The University of Southern Mississippi with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications (2004) and a Master of Science degree in Economic Development (2006). He also holds a Master of Healthcare Leadership degree from Brown University (2015).
