House to pay $110K for Gunn’s assistant

JACKSON — The Mississippi House will pay $110,000 a year to Nathan Wells, a former campaign worker and state Republican Party employee, to act as an assistant to new House Speaker Philip Gunn.

Gunn said the new position is needed to lessen his workload and reduce the political duties of the House clerk, now Andrew Ketchings.

The House Management Committee voted unanimously to hire Wells, a 30-year-old Brandon resident who has assisted Gunn and others in their campaigns. Gunn says he hasn’t decided what to call Wells, but says he needs someone to act as a liaison for him. Gunn noted that the lieutenant governor, who leads the Senate, has a large staff.

The committee voted to pay Ketchings $112,500 a year, about $30,000 less than the previous clerk.