With Governor Phil Bryant’s appointment of Commissioner of Agriculture Cindy Hyde-Smith to replace U.S. Senator Thad Cochran’s seat. Senator Chris McDaniel shared his thoughts on the appointment.
“Today, I was troubled to learn that Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant dutifully followed the orders of the Washington establishment’s Mitch McConnell by appointing Cindy Hyde-Smith to fill the temporary vacancy created by Senator Thad Cochran’s retirement.
Before Commissioner Hyde-Smith was elected to lead the Department of Agriculture, her only legislative experience was that of a Democrat. She ran as a Democrat. She served as a Democrat. She voted like a Democrat. Although her reputation in Jackson was that of a moderate Democrat, the last thing the state of Mississippi needs in Washington is another moderate Democrat.
Knowing the establishment’s opposition to conservatives, it was not at all surprising that they would choose a former Democrat. Nevertheless, I am pleased that Mississippi voters will have a clear choice in November for the open seat for United States Senate. They can choose from among the Democratic candidates or they can vote for a lifelong conservative Republican.
The establishment should have learned their lesson in Alabama. By spending millions of dollars against conservative Mo Brooks, they ended up losing the seat to a Democrat. Now, they are going to appoint one in Mississippi. Instead of unifying around my candidacy, and beating the Democrats, the establishment is once again going to waste millions of dollars of donors’ money over what should have been a safe Republican seat in Mississippi.
Fortunately, Mississippi Republicans now know what happens when the establishment tries to handpick their representatives for them – we end up losing seats and wasting money. The fact is, the DC establishment would rather let a Democrat have the seat than let a conservative win.
Mississippi needs to send a conservative to Washington to drain the swamp, and if elected, that is what I intend to do.”
At 10:00 a.m. Wednesday morning, McDaniel posted a public letter to President Trump regarding the appointment of Hyde-Smith.
Dear Mr. President,
We are urgently writing to you about the newly open United States Senate seat in Mississippi. As you know, our senior Senator Thad Cochran has announced that he will retire as of April 1st, triggering a special election in November.
Our concern is that you are not being well-served by the political advice you may be getting from leadership in Congress.
We do not want what happened in Alabama or Pennsylvania-18 to happen here in Mississippi. Both of those races were disastrous for the Republican Party.
Today, in Mississippi, Governor Phil Bryant intends to nominate Ag Commissioner Cindy Hyde-Smith.
We, the undersigned, oppose this nomination and urge you not to lend your endorsement to her campaign.
Her only experience as a legislator was as a Democrat. She changed her party affiliation because she would not have won a statewide race as a Democrat.
She is very unlikely to make the run-off in November, which is why we are writing to you, asking that you not lend your name to a candidate that is likely to lose.
Thank you for considering our request. We are all supporting you and your agenda to Make America Great Again!
Below are the Republican leaders across Mississippi who have signed the letter to the President:
Adams County
Paul Brown – Current Chairman Adams County GOP
Greg Smith – Current Vice-Chairman Adams County GOP
Sarah Allen – Current Secretary Adams County GOP
Melanie Sojourner – State Senator 2012-2015, Current Exec Committee Member Adams County GOP
Mignon White – Adam County GOP Executive Committee Member
Callon Harrison – Adam County GOP Executive Committee Member
Roy David – Adam County GOP Executive Committee Member
Everard Baker – Adam County GOP Executive Committee Member
Jack Blaney – Adam County GOP Executive Committee Member
Richard Burke – Adams County GOP Executive Committee, Former Delegate to MS State GOP Convention
Bolivar County
Dr. Harry B. Collins – Mississippi Republican Executive Committee Member (1984-2004), Bolivar County Republican Chairman (1980-1988), Bolivar County Republican Executive Committee Member (1976-present)
Carroll County
David Gillon – Member Carroll County GOP Executive Committee
Jo Gillon – Member Carroll County GOP Executive Committee
Bill Downs – Member Carroll County GOP Executive Committee
Reggie Dave’s- Member Carroll County GOP Executive Committee
Robbie Nichols – Former Carroll County Tea Party President
Baird Moor – Current Carroll County Tea Party President
Rob Spiller – Leflore County Republican Party Executive Committee
Choctaw County
Dannie Reed – 2004 – 2012 MS House of Representatives District 34
Clarke County
Greg Mangum – Current Republican Alderman of Stonewall
Covington County
Janice Kervin – Current President Covington County Republican Party, Mississippi Federation of Republican Women State Treasurer
Vince Thornton – Current Treasurer Covington County GOP
Billy Don Mills – Vice Chairman, Mississippi Tea Party
Desoto County
Tom Minyard – DeSoto County Delegate to MS GOP State Convention 2016
Brian Hodges – Trump Desoto County Co-Chair, Desoto County GOP Exec. Committee
Sarah Hodges – Desoto County Republican Women President 2014-2015
Don Abernathy – Desoto County Delegate MS GOP Convention 2016
Franklin County
Harold Leonard – Chairman Franklin County Republican Party since 2000
Anita Leonard – Secretary Franklin County Republican Party since 2008
Caleb Lehmann, Franklin County Republican executive committee, 2016-present
Deirdre Arnold, Franklin County Republican executive committee, 2016-present
Carl Cupit, Franklin County Republican executive committee, 2016-present
Forrest County
Hal Marx – Current Republican Mayor Petal, MS, Forrest GOP Exec Committee 1988 – 200
Lewis Garvin – Forrest County executive committee member
Jennifer West – Hattiesburg Tea Party Organizer
Greene County
Steve McCluskey – Republican Mayor of McLain, Mississippi
George County
John Moran – Former Chairman George County GOP
Justin Estes – Former vice-chair George County GOP, GOP delegate for Trump
Dr. Bettina Moran – George County GOP Executive Committee
Mark McMillian – Former George County GOP Chairman
Harrison County
Dan Carr – Current President Harrison County Republican Club
Phil Harding – Past President Harrison County Republican Club
Ben Bowden – Harrison County Republican Club Board of Directors
Pete Wilson – Harrison County Republican Party Executive Committee Member
Barry Neyrey – President South MS Tea Party
Hinds County
Rita Anderson – Hinds County Republican Women Secretary 2016 – 2017
Carol McCarty – Hinds County Republican Women Member
Laura Van Overschele – Chairman MS Republican Party, Hinds County Republican Women
Holmes County
Ross Aldridge – former Holmes County GOP Chairman, former staff to Gov. Kirk Fordice
Itawamba County
Mary Turner – Chairman, Itawamba County Republican Party
Jackson County
Susan Kelly Garrett – Pres. Jackson County Republican Club 2014-2016, Pres. Jackson County Republican Women 2010-2012
Jasper County
James White – Delegate to 2016 MS Republican Convention
Gloria White – Alternate delegate to Jasper County Caucus 2016
Jones County
Kelvin Smith – Current GOP Elections Committee
Jeffery Williams – Current Ellisville Ward 2 Republican Alderman
Chris Hall – Current Ellisville Ward 1 Republican Alderman
Ola Mitchell – Current Ellisville Republican Alderwoman at Large
Frank Williams – former Ellisville republican Alderman
Lynn Buckhaults – Republican Mayor of Ellisville
Jack Fairchilds – Jones County Republican Party Executive Committee Member
Michael Shotwell – Jones County Republican Party Executive Committee Member
Jerel Wade – Jones County Republican Party Executive Committee Member
Richard Conrad – Jones County Republican Party Executive Committee Member
Steve Campbell – Jones County Republican Party Executive Committee Member
Nancy Bell – President, Jones County Republican Women
Tiffany Parish – First Vice President Jones County Republican Women
Martha Sims – Past President, Jones County Republican Women
Michelle Anderson – Jones Committee Chair, Jones County Republican Women
Kathy Hinton – 1st Vice President, Jones County Republican Women
Charlie Deloach – Past 1st & 2nd Vice President, Jones County Republican Women
Debbie Armour – Member Jones County Republican Women
Lyn Howell – Member Jones County Republican Women
Jess Cooley – President Jones County Teenage Republican Club
Tyler Byrd – Vice President Jones County Teenage Republican Club
Ben West – Jones County Republican Party Executive Committee
Mike Mulkey – Jones County Executive Committee Member
Ron Swindall – Jones County Executive Committee Member
Bryan Beech – Jones County Executive Committee Member
David Valentine – Jones County Executive Committee Member
Bart Gavin – Jones County Chancery Clerk
Allan Hill – Jones County Republican Executive Committee Member
Ken Walters – Jones County Republican Executive Committee Member
Betty Anderson – Past President, Jones County Republican Women
Stella Hall – Past President, Jones County Republican Women
Julie Harper – Corresponding Secretary Officer, Jones County Republican Women
Barbara Stianche – Member Jones County Republican Women
Anthony Gatlin – Jones County Republican Executive Committee
Cary Kimbrell – Jones County Republican Executive Committee
Colonel Herman Seefeld – Jones County Executive Committee
Debbie Phillips – Treasurer Jones County Republican Women
Lauderdale County
Ed Pierce – Lauderdale GOP Executive Committee
Lee County
Rita Buse – Secretary Lee County Republican Club
Grant Sowell – Lee County Republican Club Executive Committee, President Tupelo Tea Party
Shelley Crampton – Lee County Alternate Delegate, MS GOP State Convention
Lincoln County
Mandy Alford – Chairman, Lincoln County Republican Party
Madison County
Keith Plunkett – Former Madison County GOP Executive Committee, Former staff Congressman Gregg Harper
Joy Payne Dixon – Former Vice Chairman, Madison County GOP Executive Committee
Marshall County
George Johnson – Former Vice Chair Marshall County Republican Party
Panola County
Mark Glidewell – Current Panola County GOP Executive Committee Member, 2016 MS GOP State Convention Delegate
Sean O’Neal- Former Panola County Co-chair for Trump 2016
Member Panola County Executive Committee
Robert Mitchell- Member Panola County GOP Executive Committee
Panola County Delegate to MSGOP Convention 2016
Pike County
Jim McCullough – Current Pike County GOP Executive Committee
Rafael Sanchez – Trump Pike County Co-Chair
Pontotoc County
Rickie Turner – Alderman at Large Ecru, MS
Rankin County
Elva Eubanks – Trump Rankin County Co-Chair
Larry Eubanks – Trump Rankin County Co-Chair
Sandra Inman – Executive Director MS Tea Party
Doug Lemon – Former Rankin County GOP Executive Committee Member
Stone County
Amber Johnson – Former Field Representative Phil Bryant for Governor
Pearl River County
Tony Smith – State Senator 2012 – 2015, Current Picayune Alderman
Kevin Burr – Pearl River Trump Chair
Sunflower County
Gene Hill – Chairman Sunflower County GOP
Tate County
Mike Bostic – Current President of Tate County Republican Club
Scott Harrison – Current Vice President of Tate County Republican Club
Pat Nozinich – Current Secretary Tate County GOP
Wayne County
Kolby Busby – Chairman Wayne County republican Party, Trump Wayne County Chair, Former Executive Director Mississippi Federation of College Republicans
Scottie Busby – Wayne County Republican Secretary
Mildred Smith – Wayne County Republican Treasurer
Kayla Giles – Wayne County Young Republican Chairman
Webster County
Chris Hodges – Chairman Webster County GOP
Warren County
Brian Wells – Delegate to the 2016 MS State GOP Convention
Robert Peters – Warren County Republican Executive Committee
