GULFPORT — U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran is no stranger to the Harrison County Republican Club and Harrison County Republican Women and it was evident he had a lot of friends in the crowd at the groups’ meeting Wednesday at the Island View Casino.

“Welcome to the second largest city in the state of Mississippi,” said Gulfport Mayor Billy Hewes III, who introduced the six-term senator. “Also known as Thad Cochran Country.”

Hewes said Cochran, who is in a Republican Party primary race with state Sen. Chris McDaniel, has been a very helpful friend to have in Washington.

“Whether it’s one on one, whether it’s with a group, I have seen him at work at the capital,” Hewes said. “With his colleagues in the party, reaching across party lines to get things done, he understands what it takes to, quite frankly, be effective.”

He called Cochran the difference maker, “from a economic standpoint, a cultural standpoint, from every point from Pascagoula, where you have Ingalls, … to Stennis, one of the most the most influential and effective space agencies in the nation, to here at the port. We’ve done well.”

He said Cochran took the initiative on flood insurance, and Katrina relief.

The senator, he said, met with leaders on the Coast and took their advice to Washington.

“Politics is a team sport and a lot of folks worked both sides of the aisle,” Hewes said of the push to get changes to the Biggert-Waters Act, which overhauled the National Flood Insurance Program. “But Thad Cochran really got the attention of the Senate as a minority member. Majority-minority never mattered to him because he was always there to do the right thing.”

He called Cochran’s work to get Katrina recovery money “one of our finest moments.”

Cochran followed with a stump speech, but spent most of the time talk about others rather than himself.

He praised the economic development and the quality of life of in South Mississippi,

“The strength, the resilience and the optimism of the Mississippi Gulf Coast

are truly inspiring,” he said. “For all you’ve been through to still say, ‘I’m going to make good things happen here in my community, in my town, in our community,”

He said he would support policies at the federal level that would support economic growth and job creation.

“This includes, first of all, a rational federal budget process that leads to lower tax rates,” he said. “Secondly, cooperation with local law enforcement to promote safe neighborhoods. Energy policies that fairly balance our economic and conservation interests. And a health care system that puts patients and their doctors at the center of the decision-making process. And a national defense policy of peace through strength.”

All those got applause from the crowd, but once again the biggest applause line involved the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

“While we’re making legislative decisions, this is a good time for us to repeal legislation known as Obamacare,” he said. “We need to do that and we need to do that now.”

He said the country needs a Republican majority in the Senate to do that.

“And we need to win the White House while we’re at it,” he said.

Cochran got good reviews.

Steve Guyton, who handles appointment to the military academies for U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker and U.S. Rep. Gregg Harper, said Cochran has been very helpful.

“It’s very important to support the senator because of his support for the United States military academies,” he said. “I appreciate all he has done to get appointments for the students on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.”

Bob Usey of Gulfport, who served in the state Senate, said Cochran would be one of the most powerful men in the country if the Republicans take back the Senate.

“And we go way back,” he said.

Jerry Young of Gulfport said she has always supported Cochran, “so I don’t want to quit now.”

“I thought (the speech) was excellent, and the crowd also did by the applause,” she said.

Brian Lamar, an undecided voter from Woolmarket, said though he has been on the Coast only three years, he quickly learned a lot about Cochran.

“He hit on all the topics,” he said. “Economic prosperity is one, the gridlock in D.C. is another issue he talked about. He hit on all the topics people around here are interested in.”Rena Wiggins on Woolmarket said she was glad to hear the phrase “We the people.”

“I respect the Constitution,” she said. “And to know he is going to support it made me proud.”

“It’s up to us — we the people — and we can do it,” Cochran said in his speech.

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