Mississippi will hold two U.S. Senate races this year. That’s very important for our future, and it depends on the voters to make the choices. But with so much going on at once, here’s a rundown to bring you up to speed:
In 2014, State Sen. Chris McDaniel, with heavy funding from national Tea Party groups, nearly defeated longtime U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran, who was clearly declining physically and mentally. Cochran only won a tight runoff because of black voters in Hinds County who traditionally vote Democrat but participated in the Republican runoff because they appreciated Cochran’s history of racial fairness and funding for historically black colleges and universities, and feared McDaniel would not share those views. McDaniel refused to concede the loss and has spent the last four years as an outcast from the GOP establishment, while stoking his supporters on social media.
McDaniel was rumored to run this year for the normal, six-year term against incumbent Republican Sen. Roger Wicker, who was key in the national GOP strategy that increased its power in the Senate and is at the top of his game. Wicker, in turn, began campaigning hard and associated himself with President Donald Trump, who endorsed Wicker.
Cochran’s resignation was imminent, but he held off until just after the qualifying date for Wicker’s seat. That meant McDaniel was forced to jump into the race against Wicker, a strong incumbent who would be difficult to defeat, rather than run in a special election for Cochran’s seat because he didn’t know if Cochran would resign. When Cochran did resign, McDaniel left the Wicker race to run for the open seat, resulting in Gov. Phil Bryant criticizing McDaniel as an opportunist.
Wicker is now left with a Democratic opponent with almost no chance of winning, State Rep. David Baria of Pascagoula, while the real attention is on Cochran’s seat he’s vacating April 1.
Bryant this week left some heads scratching among Republicans in Mississippi and Washington when he appointed Ag Commissioner Cindy Hyde-Smith to fill Cochran’s place temporarily until the November special election. Hyde-Smith is a former Democrat who converted to the GOP in 2010, and McDaniel has hit her heavily based on that point. President Trump has so far declined to endorse Hyde-Smith, who many insiders think lacks the name recognition and conservative bona fides to defeat McDaniel.
Mike Espy, who served in the U.S. House from 1987 to 1993 as the first black congressman from Mississippi since Reconstruction before becoming Secretary of Agriculture, is running as a Democrat.
Andy Taggart, who was former Gov. Kirk Fordice’s chief of staff, has also given strong indications he’ll run. The well-connected attorney and lobbyist would represent the traditional GOP business base versus McDaniel’s populist, Tea Party faction. They’ll all be on the ballot, and if no one gets at least 50 percent plus one vote, the top two will go to a runoff. If nothing else, the crowded ballot ensures Mississippians get exposed to a full slate of ideas.
— Charlie Smith
