By Phil West, Special to The Commercial Appeal
Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Mississippi voters returned two Republicans to the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, one winning by nearly 2-to-1 and the other with an 11 percent margin of victory.

Sen. Thad Cochran, 70, easily defeated Democrat challenger Erik Fleming, a former state representative, by 63 to 37 percent with 90 percent of the state’s precincts reporting.

In Mississippi’s other Senate race, Sen. Roger Wicker held a 56-44 percent lead over former Gov. Ronnie Musgrove of Batesville with 90 percent of precincts reporting.

The two were trying to succeed Trent Lott, who retired last December. Republican Gov. Haley Barbour named Wicker to fill the seat until Tuesday’s election.

Cochran has spent 30 years in the Senate and is the senior Republican on the Senate Appropriations Committee.

“I’d hoped we would get a good mandate to return to Washington and do a good job for Mississippi,” Cochran said late Tuesday.

Cochran said he plans to serve his full six-year term.

“I really don’t have any plans beyond that. I want to serve this state effectively,” he said.

Fleming had hoped for a boost if Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama increased black voter turnout, but Cochran’s appeal cuts across lines of race and party. He has had several black staff members and makes appearances at events that attract diverse crowds.

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11/5/2008 2:45:52 AM
Daily Journal 

Republican Thad Cochran won a sixth term in the U.S. Senate, easily defeating Democrat Erik Fleming in Tuesday's election.

Cochran had almost 63 percent of the vote, outpolling Fleming, a former state legislator from Jackson.

The 70-year-old Cochran, a native of Pontotoc, has been in the Senate 30 years. He's the ranking Republican on the powerful Appropriations Committee.

Click here to read the article in the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal.

The Clarion-Ledger • November 1, 2008

Republican U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran, the senior member of Mississippi's congressional delegation, has earned re-election to a sixth term based on his seniority, his service and his ability to be effective in representing Mississippi's interests on the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee.

Cochran, who has served the state in Congress since 1973, faces Democrat Erik Fleming in the Nov. 4 election.

Fleming is a former Hinds County state legislator. With scant financial support from his party, Fleming has waged a game effort against Cochran during the long campaign. He currently works as a paralegal with the Mississippi Immigrants Rights Alliance and was the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2006, gaining 35 percent of the vote against former Republican U.S. Sen. Trent Lott.

But as the ranking GOP member of the powerful Appropriations Committee, Cochran's seniority is simply too valuable to Mississippi to seriously consider making a change.

Cochran chaired the Appropriations Committee before Democrats seized the majority in the 2006 elections and will serve four more years after this current term as ranking minority member should he win re-election.

A full sixth term would give Cochran 36 years in the Senate, matching the record of his predecessor, the late U.S. Sen. James O. "Big Jim" Eastland of Doddsville.

While Cochran and Fleming have argued vigorously the differences of their political parties and their personal philosophies, Cochran speaks well of Fleming and Fleming speaks well of Cochran. Their campaign has been about ideas and ideals.

One of the most unusual and intense congressional campaign seasons in Mississippi history comes to a close in six days, and voters no doubt are ready for it to end.

The Senate race between Roger Wicker, the Republican incumbent by gubernatorial appointment, and Democratic challenger Ronnie Musgrove has been disappointingly negative, dominated by the relentless distortion of attack ads beneath the dignity of two good candidates.

The 1st District congressional campaign between incumbent Democrat Travis Childers, the spring’s special election winner, and second-time Republican opponent Greg Davis has been better than the last round with more focus on issues and less mudslinging.

Sen. Thad Cochran, meanwhile, has campaigned on a high level with his challenger, Democrat Erik Fleming, unable to raise enough money for a high-profile effort.

Here are our choices:

Cochran for Senate – Mississippi’s senior senator has served for 30 years in a manner that has always reflected well on the state. He rose to prominence in the Republican hierarchy, serving for a time as Appropriations chair, but without adopting the bitter partisanship so common in recent years. His influence and friendships extend across party lines and he has been an effective advocate for Mississippi’s interests.

Wicker for Senate – Wicker, like Cochran, has proven that he understands the importance of securing federal discretionary spending producing jobs and prosperity that otherwise would go elsewhere. Some call it pork; we call it investment. He was an effective 1st District congressman who has stayed in close touch with his constituents and deserves a chance to prove he can carry that effectiveness into the Senate over the better part of a full term. Given the likely strengthened Democratic majority in the Senate, that may require a less party-oriented approach on Wicker’s part.

We have considerable respect for the accomplishments of Musgrove, especially as an education-oriented governor and lieutenant governor. But Wicker gets the nod on experience at both the federal and state levels and a proven ability to deliver in areas critical to the economic success of our region and state.

Published: Thursday, October 23, 2008

Austin McAfee | The Daily Mississippian

Sen. Thad Cochran answers Clarion Ledger columnist Sid Salter’s question about the economy Wednesday afternoon in the Overby Center. Cochran answered questions about both the economy and his opponent.

Both Musgrove and Wicker camps hope that presidential turnout lifts Senate candidacies
Sid Salter • ssalter@clarionledger.com • October 19, 2008

Mississippi voters rarely are given the opportunity to choose both their U.S. senators in one election, but circumstances have developed to give them that chance on Nov. 4.

One race is considered a shoo-in for a veteran incumbent. The other is a nip-and-tuck barnburner that has been one of the most-watched U.S. Senate races in the nation - and one of the most negative races in state history.

The state's senior U.S. senator, Republican Thad Cochran, is seeking a sixth term against the challenge of Democrat Erik Fleming, a former Hinds County state legislator. Cochran has served the state in Congress since 1973 - the last 30 years in the Senate.

Fleming, with virtually no financial support from his party, has waged a game effort against Cochran during the long campaign. Fleming is a paralegal with the Mississippi Immigrants Rights Alliance and was the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2006, gaining 35 percent of the vote against former Republican U.S. Sen. Trent Lott.

But as the ranking GOP member of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, Cochran's seniority has led most state political observers to conclude that he will be easily re-elected

Cochran chaired the Appropriations Committee before Democrats seized the majority in the 2006 elections and could serve four more years after this current term as ranking minority member should he win re-election.

A full sixth term would give Cochran 36 years in the Senate, matching the record of his predecessor, the late U.S. Sen. James O. "Big Jim" Eastland of Doddsville.

But the marquee race on the state's general election ballot will be the special election showdown between Republican interim U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker of Tupelo and Democratic challenger former Gov. Ronnie Musgrove of Madison in a special election to fill the unexpired term of Lott, who unexpectedly stepped down from office in 2007 to become a lobbyist.

Republican Gov. Haley Barbour appointed Wicker to serve as interim senator until the special election. Because of the special election status, Musgrove's and Wicker's party identification will not appear on the ballot - but the race has been intensely partisan and intensely personal in terms of the attacks leveled in the race.

Construction set to begin in spring 2009
 
Adam Kazery

Officials conducted the groundbreaking ceremony for a new multi-tenant building at the Thad Cochran Research, Technology and Economic Development Park on Thursday. Sen. Thad Cochran, along with Mississippi State University and Oktibbeha County officials, participated in the ceremony for the new, unnamed facility.

Construction for the $8 million, 42,000-square-foot building will begin in March and should be completed within nine to 12 months. Schafer and Associates has been contracted as architect for the facility.

The research park is home to 1,500 workers, many of whom are MSU employees, and the new multi-tenant building will increase the capacity by 100 to 150 more. The building is expected to be at full occupancy when it opens.

Vice president for research and economic development Kirk Schulz said the tenants of the research park allow MSU students to have a career in engineering and technology without leaving the state.

"We are very excited about the future of the park, the future of Mississippi State and the role it's going to play in economic development and in the partnerships that we have with the county and the city," Schulz said.

Jack Wallace, chairman of the Oktibbeha County Economic Development Authority and MSU graduate, gave a brief address pointing out that the ceremony was spared from the rain predicted that afternoon prior to Schulz introducing Cochran.

Cochran said he is committed to promoting all levels of education throughout Mississippi.

"I'm an equal opportunity appropriator," he said to the crowd gathered under the large white tent among the rolling hills of the park that bears his name. "Mississippi has so many needs and could use the support of the federal government in so many different areas that it is important to not leave any area unexplored."

Cochran said he considered the new building to be representative of the progress.

"We're here to establish another place where those who are interested in turning what you find in the laboratories at Mississippi State University or through the research that's done here into practical applications that create new jobs, new businesses ... with more opportunity in our state and beyond," he said.