MS-Sen: Cochran Considering Retirement?

The Hill reports rumors that Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS) is mulling retirement. Cochran says he won't announce his intentions until after Mississippi's statewide elections next Tuesday, but his comments certainly make retirement sound like a possibility:

When asked Tuesday if he would definitely run for reelection, Cochran told The Hill, “No, I didn’t say that. I’m preparing to run for reelection, but I haven’t made an official announcement.”

Cochran, who turns 70 in December, has laid some of the groundwork for a sixth term in office, stashing nearly $1.1 million in his campaign war chest. However, that is far less than the average of $3.1 million of cash-on-hand for Republican candidates at this point of the election cycle, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Cochran raised only $44,000 in the third quarter.

But two sources in Washington, who are close to Cochran and declined to be named, say the senator may be leaning towards retirement because he has grown weary of the ongoing partisan battles on Capitol Hill.

I read that last part to mean Cochran isn't particularly enjoying the diminished power and influence that comes with life in the minority. After all, I don't remember him complaining when Republicans were on the winning side of such partisan battles.

While an open Senate seat in Mississippi might seem like an uphill challenge for a Democrat, candidates like former AG Mike Moore or former Gov. Ronnie Musgrove could certainly even things out. And at the very least, Mississippi isn't the type of state the NRSC wants to be playing defense considering their precarious situation nationwide. 

12 thoughts on “MS-Sen: Cochran Considering Retirement?”

  1. If Cochran does retire what does Chip do?  He was widely seen as the heir apparent but now that he has announced his retirement to spend time with his family can he unretire to run for Senate?

  2. Mike Moore saying he wants to run for federal office in the future?  Just so we can informedly be excited. 

    How many people announce their announcements about reelection?  So far, those seem to have been retirement announcements. 

  3. ….for a Democrat in Mississippi?  On a PVI basis, Mississippi is not one of the nation’s most Republican states, but it’s always mentioned in the same context as Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming, most likely because of the racial divide and a majority-white population that represents the least persuadable Republican voters in the country.  With that in mind, who would be the “swing voter” that could put Moore or Musgrove over the top in a perfect storm election?  Would it be younger white women?  Older white women?  Rural bubbas?  Suburban yuppies?

    I actually think we’re better off with an open seat in 2008 than we would have been in 2006, particularly in Rudy Giuliani ends up as the Republican nominee, thus potentially suppressing evangelical turnout.  Beyond that, black turnout will naturally be higher in a Presidential year, a fact that Jim Marshall and John Barrow nearly learned the hard way last year in Georgia, and what most likely cost Larry Kissell the North Carolina seat.  On the flip side, the national Democratic candidate is almost certain to lose the state by 15 points, presenting countercoattails.  Does anyone have a strategy to counter that?

    Handicapping those rare competitive races in the South is always informative.  I’m not exactly a Harold Ford, Jr., fan, but it was nonetheless exciting to see him mount an effort to eke out a victory in an increasingly ugly state.  I’m eager to hear thoughts on how the even tougher nut of Mississippi can be cracked.

  4. Former gov Ray Mabus.

    He would be a strong candidate. A poll named his the best governor of the millennium in 99.

    He is also still active in politics and has been a adviser on middle east issues. If Obama win’s he would probably say no because he would likely be a Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs or ambassador. Otherwise I think he would be a top tier candidate.

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