Cochran released that “I regret my current health challenges.” Cochran stated that he intends to fulfill his responsibilities and obligations to the people and Senate through the completion the 2019 appropriations cycle. After which, he will officially retire from the Senate. Cochran’s health has been a subject of speculation since his 2014 re-election campaign. Gov. Phil Bryant will choose Cochran’s successor immediately. He tweeted: “Today one of Mississippi’s most important public servants shared his plans to retire with me. @SenThadCochran’s service ushered a new era of unprecedented influence in our state, which will benefit generations to follow.” Bryant added in another tweet: “He was a leader and an advocate for all Mississippians.” “I will forever be grateful to Sen. Cochran’s friendship and support during this time of service. Deborah and Kay, we wish them the best as they start this new chapter.” Although it was not surprising given Cochran’s health issues, many were surprised by its timing. Brad White, his chief of staff, said that he was at peace because Sen. Cochran is at peace. “He called me to his house around two hours ago. We sat down together with his wife. We talked about timelines and he was asking questions. He made his decision and we rolled the plan out.” White said, “This morning, when I arrived at work, I didn’t know this would be how it would turn out.” White said, “I’m very pleased that he is going his way on his terms. It’s been the most honorable thing in my life.” The 80 year-old senator was elected to the Senate in 1978. He is currently the longest-serving member of Congress. He is the chairman of Senate Appropriations Committee and oversees the flow of federal funds to Mississippi every year in excess of 100 million. Gov. Gov. Bryant has been mentioned in the past as a possible successor to Cochran, as speculation has increased over recent months. Either the governor could appoint himself or he could resign with expectation that Lt. Governor. Tate Reeves could move up to the governor’s seat and appoint Tate Reeves. Reeves, Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann and other candidates are also possible candidates for the seat. State Sen. Chris McDaniel (R-Ellisville) announced last week that he would be running for the Senate seat currently held in Congress by Sen. Roger Wicker. McDaniel did not rule out the possibility of dropping out of the race to run for Cochran’s spot if it becomes vacant. McDaniel stated that at this point, “we’re like everyone else in this state,” shortly after Monday’s news broke. “We are just watching the unfolding events, trying to predict what will happen tomorrow. Nobody knows. McDaniel said, “You don’t want to exclude options from politics.” “But at the exact same time, Roger Wicker is our opponent. Because we are very different candidates, that race is attractive to us. He has a different record than me, so I look forward to him debating my record at some point. I’m very excited about this race.” D-Bay St. Louis State Rep. David Baria also praised Cochran, but indicated he would not be leaving the race for Wicker. “As a Mississippian I am grateful for all the years of service Senator Cochran has provided our state. I announced my candidacy for the Senate seat currently held in Roger Wicker’s place and have been overwhelmed by the support I have received. “I am focused on winning this race that I have entered.” Trent Lott, a former U.S. Senator, responded to Cochran’s announcement. In 2007, a Senator from Mississippi resigned. He said that he hated it for his sake, because he loved the job and had done a lot of good things for Mississippi. We owe him a lot of gratitude. He earned his retirement. He is passionate about his job and is a tough worker. He would have continued to do the job even if he didn’t have those health problems.” Reeves stated in an email that Senator Cochran’s support for America’s military and its service has made Mississippians’ lives better. He fought tirelessly for Mississippi, from helping farmers get their crops to the market to fighting for citizens in areas that were devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Reeves noted that Cochran earned the respect of both his colleagues and never lost his fight to defend his state. “Elee, I wish Senator Cochran a happy new chapter.” Rep. Steve Palazzo sent a statement via email: “I am grateful that I was able to work with Senator Cochran over these eight years. It is a blessing for Mississippi to have Thad Cochran as its Senator. His commitment to making a difference for Mississippi and the nation will live on forever. He is someone who has made a lasting impact on our nation.” Cochran continues a tradition of Mississippians holding record-setting tenures in the upper house. John Stennis and Jim Eastland, three senators from Mississippi, are among the 16 longest serving senators in U.S. History. Mississippi is the most dependent state on federal dollars in the country, and has had a long history of having a large influence on federal spending. Cochran was the Appropriations chairman between 2005-2007, and is currently serving as chairman since 2015. Between 1987-1989, Stennis was the chairman. Rep. Jamie Whitten, a member of the House, was chairman of House Appropriations from 1979-1993. At 34 years old, Cochran ran for a seat at the U.S. House of Representatives. Four years later, long-time Democratic U.S. Senator James O. Eastland retired, triggering a free-for all, which saw a field that included former Gov. On the Democratic side, Bill Waller and Henry Kirksey, a civil-rights activist, were joined by Trent Lott and Cochran, who were Republicans. Charles Evers (brother of the slain civil-rights leader Medgar Evers) ran as an independent in the general election and finished second to Cochran. Cochran was the first Republican to be elected to the Mississippi statewide office since Reconstruction. Cochran was a member of the Senate Ethics, Judiciary, Labor and Human Resources and Indian Affairs Committees and chaired Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committees. He has been the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee since 2014. Cochran was an expert in agriculture policy and budgets issues. He also earned praise for his ability to direct money to his home state. Cochran convinced his colleagues to allocate nearly $30 billion to the recovery effort after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Mississippi Gulf Coast in 2005. Cochran was sometimes criticised by pork-barrel-spending watchdogs. Citizens Against Government Waste, a conservative group, reported that Cochran was more successful in granting federal earmarks in 2010, a practice that was largely stopped by the Republicans who retook control of Congress in 2011. Cochran faced little opposition during his tenure. Exceptions include runs by former governor. William Winter in 1984, and Erik Fleming (Democratic state Rep.) in 2008. McDaniel was the most formidable challenge that Cochran faced during the 2014 Republican primaries. McDaniel, a tea party Republican who enjoyed broad support, attacked Cochran for being a Washington, D.C., insider and not enough conservative on fiscal and social issues. McDaniel won the June 2014 Republican primary ahead of Cochran, but not enough votes to prevent a runoff. Cochran won support from African Americans and other groups for his support of historically black colleges, universities, and city infrastructure projects to defeat McDaniel. Cochran graduated from the University of Mississippi in 1959 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. He joined the U.S. Navy after college and spent two years in Boston before he enrolled in Ole Miss law school. Cochran was an editor at the Mississippi Law Journal during law school and returned to active service in the summer. He began practicing law in Jackson in 1964, the year he married Rose Clayton. Rose Cochran, who was a resident of a nursing home for over a decade, passed away in 2014. Their two children were Kate, an English professor at Southern Mississippi University, and Clayton, a Madison-based nonprofit fundraiser. In May 2015, Cochran married Kay Webber, his long-time aide. Cochran was the son of Emma Grace and William Cochran (both teachers) who were born in Pontotoc, in 1937. The Cochran family moved south to Jackson in 1946 and settled in Byram. There, they raised cattle. Nielsen, his brother, was a professional baseball player and served as a Jackson City Council member and member of the Mississippi’s public services commission. Contributing: R.L. Nave