“Senator Wicker from Mississippi has been an incredible supporter and help in getting our huge Tax Cut Bill approved and passed. He was also a great help in reducing regs. Trump tweeted, “I am with him in his election victory!” Trump quickly jumped ahead of McDaniel’s expected announcement. The move is similar to Alabama’s special Senate race last year when Trump endorsed Sen. Luther Strange, a Republican incumbent. McDaniel publicly supported Strange, but he lost the GOP nomination later to Roy Moore, an anti-establishment candidate. Moore was defeated by Doug Jones, a Democrat. McDaniel was a vocal Trump supporter, regularly contrasting Wicker’s voting record with Trump’s policies. This has sparked debate on social media about whether the establishment Republicans have hindered the president’s ability to lead. McDaniel asked his followers on Facebook why Roger Wicker would be voted for in January. McDaniel spoke out earlier this year in an interview with Mississippi Today. He said that Trump may endorse Wicker because “Trump is playing chess.” McDaniel said that Trump made the promise to them on the campaign trail and that he believes it. He’s not equivocating, I think. He’s fighting against a monstrous system which doesn’t like his very much. In order to make his point, he has to sometimes endorse the Luther Stranges or the Roger Wickers. McDaniel wrote in November: “Roger Wicker deceives us. McDaniel claims he votes for Trump. But what does this really mean? This is what it means. This is the 96.1 percent that Mitch McConnell votes with Trump, and 96.2 percent for Thad Cochran or Roger Wicker. MOST of the votes were simple confirmations.” Wicker responded to McDaniel’s mud-slinging. He has ran several TV and social media ads highlighting the senator’s 96% voting record with Trump. A Wicker campaign member texted Mississippi Today minutes after the story was posted to inform them that the senator’s voting record now stands at 97%.