Jackson Free Press

With the announcement that he will seek a seventh term representing Mississippi in the U.S. Senate, Thad Cochran set off an flurry of statements from state and national figures, alike. Here are a few, including one of his opponents.

Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant, in an official release:

“Deborah and I are pleased to hear of Thad’s intention to seek reelection. Sen. Cochran is a pioneer of the Mississippi Republican Party and has been instrumental in helping with my efforts to grow the economy and provide jobs for thousands of Mississippians. After Hurricane Katrina, Thad dedicated his time and influence to our state’s recovery efforts as we rebuilt from the nation’s largest natural disaster. Our state has benefited from Sen. Cochran’s leadership for over three decades. In today’s political environment, we need this experience for Mississippi’s future.”

State Auditor Stacey Pickering, on Y’all Politics.com:

“Congratulations to Senator Thad Cochran in his decision to seek re-election. I look forward to his continued service to the great state of Mississippi. Senator Cochran has been the epitome of an honorable statesman and we are better off because of his service.”

State Senator Chris McDaniel, on Politico.com:

“Sen. Cochran has had a long and distinguished career representing the people of Mississippi,” he said. “I look forward to a positive campaign based on the future of our state, our country and the Republican Party. As a strong conservative, I will fight to bring those values to Washington.”

Club For Growth President Chris Chocola, in the Washington Post:

“Throughout his over 40 years in Washington, Senator Thad Cochran has done some good things for Mississippi, but he’s also done some bad things. He voted to bail out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, voted repeatedly to raise the debt limit by trillions of dollars, and even voted against a resolution that stated Congress has a 'moral obligation' to cut spending."