This year’s U.S. Senate campaign in our state has garnered a lot of attention in our state and across the country. As we approach the Nov 4 general election, one thing is clear: Sen. Thad Cochran is the choice to best represent the people of Mississippi for the next six years in the U.S. Senate.
Mississippi is a conservative state, and Thad Cochran is a conservative. He also has a substantial amount of seniority, which gives him the ability to address issues we care about in our region including job creation, national defense, infrastructure, education and stopping wasteful spending.
Mississippians are justifiably concerned about excessive federal spending and debt. Thad Cochran is the only person in this race for Senate with the influence to actually do something about it. Republicans are poised to take over as the majority party in the Senate. In that scenario, Sen. Cochran would be Chairman of Appropriations, the committee with more authority to cut wasteful spending than any other.
The economy of Northeast Mississippi has no better friend than Cochran. Govs. Bryant and Barbour credit Cochran’s understanding of Japanese business culture and his ability to cut through federal government red tape as key reasons Toyota ultimately chose our area to expand its North American presence. Thad also personally met with Yokohoma executives and was a big reason their final decision was to locate in Clay County. As chairman of Appropriations, Cochran would be in prime position to continue to advocate for economic development projects in our region.
The Mississippi National Guard and its 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team are integral parts of our nation’s military and the Tupelo region’s economy. Cochran currently serves as vice chairman of the subcommittee in charge of defense spending and used that position to help write legislation that would roll back the Obama administration’s recent proposal to shut down the 155th by 2018. This legislation now has 48 co-sponsors and is on the verge of being enacted thanks to Cochran’s leadership.
The son of teachers, Cochran knows the importance of education firsthand and fights to make sure our public schools have the resources they need to grow and thrive. Schools in Lee County receive nearly $16 million in federal support annually thanks to Cochran. Itawamba Community College, Northeast Mississippi Community College, and Ole Miss Tupelo are also beneficiaries of Sen. Cochran’s work.
When companies are looking to locate in our area, one of their major concerns is infrastructure. Thad is a big reason why the Natchez Trace, future Interstate 22, Highway 6, and the Tenn-Tom waterway are delivering commerce to our region.
Thad is also a leader for Mississippi and our nation on issues important to farmers and ranchers. As one of the writers of the recent Farm Bill, Cochran helps support Mississippi’s farm families and in turn, helps them provide the food and fiber that supports our quality of life.
No matter what your political preference may be, Cochran represents all Mississippians with great skill, energy and dignity that we all can be proud of. Thad Cochran makes good things happen for Mississippi and for our country by finding common ground with people who have diverse views.
Our values are Cochran’s values, which is why I respectfully ask you to join our family in voting for Thad Cochran on Nov. 4.
Glenn McCullough is a former mayor of Tupelo and former chairman of the Tennessee Valley Authority board. He works in the private sector on public issues. Contact him at [email protected].
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