Tough news, sports fans:
Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) said Wednesday that he will seek reelection in 2008, casting aside rumors of his impending retirement.Cochran, who will turn 70 next month, has not raised a lot of money this cycle but had previously said he planned to run for reelection.
“While I delayed making this decision until after our state and local government elections were over, there is no reason to delay any longer,” Cochran said in a statement. “I have enjoyed serving in the Senate, and I am highly honored to have had the support and encouragement to continue this service from friends throughout the state.”
Blah blah blah. Anyhow, this would have been a fun race had former state AG Mike Moore (D) gotten involved. Will he ever have another shot? There was some speculation that Sen. Trent Lott, whose home was destroyed in Katrina, might retire last year, but that of course didn’t happen. Gov. Haley Barbour was just re-elected this year, and Cochran’s seat presumably will be safe next year.
I don’t doubt that Moore is enjoying life right now, but if he wants to get back into politics, what’s his angle?
(Hat-tip: TPM EC.)
I don’t doubt that he is running, but I don’t see anything definitive in that blurb used by the Hill. Am I missing something?
I was getting my hopes up for this one. Repubs got lucky here.
We wouldn’t have had much of a chance there, anyway. Don’t get me wrong– we need to run candidates everywhere. But I never had my hopes too high about this senate seat, even if Cochran had retired. I think Tom Schaller, the author of _Whistling Past Dixie_, has it right– Virginia is the only southern state that will experience Democratic growth in the near future, and that’s because of the growth of the D.C. suburbs. That’s how Tim Kaine and Jim Webb both won, and, with the reverse-coattail effect of Mark Warner, next year’s Democratic nominee may win the Old Dominion. But, other than that, I don’t see much hope in the south. Our resources should go west!
Well, we all know the news that Senator Cochran will be elected to another term. The question now is whether or not he’ll complete his six-year term. My initial reaction is to think that he will complete his term. Thad’s not one to half-ass anything. If he’s elected for six years, he’ll serve six years.
For those crying about a big loss of a pickup, I share your disappointment; however, let’s keep in mind that Cochran works in a VERY bipartisan manor. He and Senator Feinstein are good buddies on the Approps Cmte.
Everyone is right to presume that a Democrat winning in Mississippi is no easy task. Back in 1999, then-Lt. Governor Musgrove worked his ass off trying to win the governor’s mansion. In the end, he won a majority of the vote. He’s still in his early 50s so he has some time left if he wants to get back into politics. As far as Mike Moore goes, he’s still a fighter. Come 2012, if Trent Lott finally calls it quits, anything is possible. We’ll just have to see the state of politics at that time. We have a long time to wait, folks.
http://www.sunherald…
and we lost with only 42%. we went hard right on religion and eaves only did seven percent better than fleming against lott in 06. this, as i see it, means let’s run the most progressive democrat we can find against all INCUMBANTS and hope we can create a strong enough contrast in the parties to build ground. had it been an open race, i’d say run a conservative dem, sacrifices must be made of course, but if we don’t have a chance in hell even if we compromise, why bother?