The past seven months have included a hard-fought primary campaign.  I am honored to be the Republican nominee for the State of Mississippi.  I accept your nomination!

A lot of people worked very hard campaigning for me, and I am sincerely grateful for that support. Whether you voted for me in the primary or not, I’m now asking everyone to join together so we can win in November. Because, if there is one thing we can all agree on, it’s that Mississippi is worth fighting for!

As your United States Senator, my purpose will be to continue to represent all Mississippians. From every part of the state, no matter your skin color, or how much money you have, it’s my job to represent everyone. I will continue to be accessible, willing to listen, and working to get things done for Mississippi.

And, I will work with anyone—state and local officials, business and community leaders—who have ideas about how to create economic opportunity for Mississippians. That is my continued commitment to you.

If you happened to walk by a television during the past few months, you might have seen or heard some things about me! Some pictures even made me look a little bit “older.” But, I’m not bothered by it……….not too much!

I remember another Republican who spoke at the Fair a few years ago and some people criticized his age. I don’t know about you, but I think Ronald Reagan turned out to be a great President!

Today, as we launch the general election campaign, I want to share with you some of my priorities for the future.

Having access to affordable, quality health care is something we all want.  But, more government control over our lives is not the solution! That’s why I’ve always opposed ObamaCare and have written legislation to repeal it.

ObamaCare has been flawed from the beginning, the implementation has been a disaster, and it’s time to stop it once and for all!

Stopping wasteful spending and reducing our national debt are also top priorities. With a new Republican majority in the United States Senate, I will have the opportunity to serve as Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. In that position, I can do more for Mississippi, and at the same time, work to stop wasteful federal spending.

Making government more efficient and creating an environment of less burdensome regulation will allow the free market to flourish, and create more jobs and prosperity for everyone.

Agriculture is extremely important to our state, and I have had the opportunity to work closely with Mississippi’s farm families. I am pleased to have been a part of writing the recent Farm Bill, which ensures that America continues to have a plentiful and safe supply of food and fiber and forest products. Mississippi’s farmers are worth fighting for, and we should never take for granted how much farmers contribute to our quality of life.

As we have seen recently, the world continues to be an unpredictable and dangerous place. It is more important than ever that America maintain its military strength to defend our freedom.

I served on active duty in the United States Navy, and I fully appreciate how our men and women in uniform—and our veterans—deserve our support. I am grateful to all of the Mississippians who play key roles in our national defense.

I will also keep working to make sure the military bases across our state are up-to-date and strong.  They are good for our country and good for our local communities as well.

We should also support the industries that support our military forces.  Raytheon in Forest and Ingalls Shipbuilding on the Coast are good examples. These jobs help provide the training and resources needed for our national security.

Making sure we are safe and secure within our own borders is also very important. But, we have an immigration crisis on America’s southern border, and even though the President has tried to ignore the problem, it must be addressed. Money alone will not solve our immigration problem, but solving it will require a commitment to enforce the laws of our land.

I know people get frustrated with Washington. I do too! I share that frustration because there’s so much at stake, and there’s a lot that needs to be done. I also know the best way to change Washington quickly is to elect a Republican majority in the United States Senate in November.

I have been honored with the endorsement of many groups who share our values of more freedom, economic opportunity, and traditional values. I am very grateful to have the endorsement from the National Rifle Association and the National Right to Life organization.

Most of all, I would appreciate your personal endorsement on my behalf to your friends and family. With your help….together….we can make sure Mississippi is a place of great opportunity for our children and grandchildren.

Thank you for your support in the past.  I also need your help and your vote to make sure we win in November.

I am running for reelection because Mississippi is worth fighting for!