JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - Mississippi voters sent Republican Thad Cochran[1] to the U.S. House in 1972 and the U.S. Senate in 1978, and he served on Capitol Hill until frail health prompted him to retire in April of this year.
For most of his 40-year political career, Cochran[2] didn’t have to exert himself in campaigns. He faced a tough race in 1984, with a challenge from Democratic former Gov. William Winter. After that, Cochran[3] cruised back into office on feel-good TV ads and a record of bringing federal money to Mississippi.
The don’t-break-a-sweat approach to campaigning nearly cost Cochran[4] the seat in 2014 as he faced an aggressive competitor, tea party-backed state Sen. Chris McDaniel, in the Republican primary.
Fast forward to 2018.
With less than a month before a special election to fill the final two years of the six-year term that Cochran[5] started, his temporary successor, Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith[6], is holding carefully curated campaign events. That tactic usually worked for Cochran[7], but Hyde-Smith[8] could be doing so at great risk to her own political career because she has never been elected to the Senate.
Republican Gov. Phil Bryant appointed Hyde-Smith[9] to temporarily succeed Cochran[10].
Although she won statewide office as agriculture commissioner 2011 and 2015, Hyde-Smith[11] faces more pressure now in running for U.S. Senate. Two of her three challengers, McDaniel and Democratic former U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy, are raising money and campaigning around the state.
Hyde-Smith[12] has declined invitations to debate, saying she doesn’t want the campaign to interfere if she needs to be in Washington for Senate business.
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