Chris McDaniel supporters pen open letter asking President Trump to oppose Cindy Hyde-Smith
A group of supporters backing Chris McDaniel called on President Donald Trump to oppose Cindy Hyde-Smith’s appointment to the United States Senate.
“Our concern is that you are not being well served by the political advice you may be getting from leadership in Congress,” reads an open letter published Wednesday. “We don’t want what happened in Alabama or Pennsylvania-18 to happen here in Mississippi. Both of those races were disastrous for the Republican Party.”
Hyde-Smith will officially fill retiring U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran’s seat in April and run against McDaniel in November’s special election.
President Donald Trump reportedly has no immediate plans to endorse Hyde-Smith—appointed today by Gov. Phil Bryant to fill U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran’s soon-to-be vacant seat—in November’s special election, according to Politico.
Read the full letter below:
Open Letter to President Donald J. Trump
Dear Mr. President,
We are urgently writing to you about the newly open United States Senate seat in Mississippi. As you know, our senior Senator Thad Cochran has announced that he will retire as of April 1st, triggering a special election in November.
Our concern is that you are not being well-served by the political advice you may be getting from leadership in Congress.
We do not want what happened in Alabama or Pennsylvania-18 to happen here in Mississippi.
Both of those races were disastrous for the Republican Party.
Tomorrow, in Mississippi, Governor Phil Bryant intends to nominate Ag Commissioner Cindy Hyde-Smith. We, the undersigned, oppose this nomination and urge you not to lend your endorsement to her campaign.
Her only experience as a legislator was as a Democrat. She changed her party affiliation because she would not have won a statewide race as a Democrat.
She is very unlikely to make the run-off in November, which is why we are writing to you, asking that you not lend your name to a candidate that is likely to lose.
Thank you for considering our request. We are all supporting you and your agenda to Make America Great Again!
Below are the Republican leaders who have signed the letter to the President. Please sign here to add your name to the petition!
Adams County
Paul Brown – Current Chairman, Adams County GOP
Greg Smith – Current Vice Chairman, Adams County GOP
Sarah Allen – Current Secretary, Adams County GOP
Melanie Sojourner – State Senator, 2012-2015, Current Executive Committee Member, Adams County GOP
Mignon White – Adams County GOP Executive Committee Member
Callon Harrison – Adams County GOP Executive Committee Member
Roy David – Adams County GOP Executive Committee Member
Everard Baker – Adams County GOP Executive Committee Member
Carroll County
David Gillon – Member, Carroll County GOP Executive Committee
Jo Gillon – Member, Carroll County GOP Executive Committee
Bill Downs – Member, Carroll County GOP Executive Committee
Reggie Daves – Member, Carroll County GOP Executive Committee
Robbie Nichols – Former Carroll County Tea Party President
Baird Moor – Current Carroll County Tea Party President
Rob Spiller – Leflore County Republican Party Executive Committee
Clarke County
Greg Mangum – Current Republican Alderman of Stonewall
Covington County
Janice Kervin – Current President, Covington County Republican Party, Mississippi Federation of Republican Women State Treasurer
Vince Thornton – Current Treasurer, Covington County GOP
DeSoto County
Brian Hodges – Trump DeSoto County Co-Chair, DeSoto County GOP Executive Committee
Sarah Hodges – Past President, DeSoto County Republican Women
Franklin County
Harold Leonard – Chairman, Franklin County Republican Party
Anita Leonard – Secretary, Franklin County Republican Party
Caleb Lehmann – Franklin County Republican Executive Committee
Deirdre Arnold – Franklin County Republican Executive Committee
Carl Cupit – Franklin County Republican Executive Committee
Forrest County
Hal Marx – Current Republican Mayor, Petal, Mississippi, Forrest County GOP Executive Committee 1988-2000
Lewis Garvin – Forrest County Executive Committee member
Jennifer West – Hattiesburg Tea Party Organizer
George County
John Moran – Former Chairman, George County GOP
Justin Estes – Former Vice-Chairman, George County GOP, GOP Delegate for Trump
Dr. Bettina Moran – George County GOP Executive Committee
Mark McMillan – Former George County GOP Chairman
Harrison County
Dan Carr – Current President, Harrison County Republican Club
Phil Harding – Past President, Harrison County Republican Club
Ben Bowden – Harrison County Republican Club Board of Directors
Pete Wilson – Harrison County Republican Party Executive Committee Member
Barry Neyrey – President, South Mississippi Tea Party
Hinds County
Rita Anderson – Past President, Hinds County Republican Women
Carol McCarty – Former Chair, Hinds County Republican Women
Laura Van Overschele – Chairman, Mississippi Tea Party, Hinds County Republican Women
Holmes County
Ross Alridge – Former Chairman, Holmes County GOP, former staff to Governor Kirk Fordice
Jackson County
Jeremy England – Current President, Jackson County Republican Club
Susan Kelly Garrett – Past President, Jackson County Republican Club, Past President, Jackson County Republican Women
Lauderdale County
Ed Pierce – Lauderdale County GOP Executive Committee
Itawamba County
Mary Turner – Chairman, Itawamba County Republican Party
Jasper County
James White – Delegate to 2016 Mississippi Republican Convention
Gloria White – Alternate delegate to Jasper County Caucus 2016
Jones County
Kelvin Smith – Current GOP Elections Committee
Jeffery Williams – Current Ellsville Ward 2 Republican Alderman
Chris Hall – Current Ellisville Republican Ward 1 Alderman
Ola Mitchell – Current Ellisville Republican Alderwoman at Large
Frank Williams – Former Ellisville Republican Alderman
Lynn Buckhaults – Republican Mayor of Ellisville
Jack Fairchilds – Jones County Republican Party Executive Committee Member
Michael Shotwell – Jones County Republican Party Executive Committee Member
Jerel Wade – Jones County Republican Party Executive Committee Member
Richard Conrad – Jones County Republican Party Executive Committee Member
Steve Campbell – Jones County Republican Party Executive Committee Member
Nancy Bell – President, Jones County Republican Women
Tiffany Parrish – Vice President, Jones County Republican Women
Martha Sims – Past President, Jones County Republican Women
Michelle Anderson – Jones Committee Chair, Jones County Republican Women
Kathy Hinton – Past Vice-President, Jones County Republican Women
Charlie Deloach – Past Vice-President, Jones County Republican Women
Debbie Armour – Member, Jones County Republican Women
Lynn Howell – Member, Jones County Republican Women
Jess Cooley – President, Jones County Teenage Republican Club
Tyler Byrd – Vice President, Jones County Teenage Republican Club
Ben West – Jones County Republican Party Executive Committee Member
Mike Mulkey – Jones County Executive Committee Member
Ron Swindall – Jones County Executive Committee Member
Bryan Beech – Jones County Executive Committee Member
David Valentine – Jones County Executive Committee Member
Bart Gavin – Jones County Chancery Clerk
Allan Hill – Jones County Republican Executive Committee Member
Ken Walters – Jones County Republican Executive Committee Member
Betty Anderson – Past President, Jones County Republican Women
Stella Hall – Past President, Jones County Republican Women
Julie Harper – Corresponding Secretary Officer, Jones County Republican Women
Barbara Stianche – Member, Jones County Republican Women
Anthony Gatlin – Jones County Republican Executive Committee
Cary Kimbrell – Jones County Republican Executive Committee
Colonel Herman Seefield – Jones County Executive Committee
Debbie Phillips – Treasurer, Jones County Republican Women
Lee County
Rita Buse – Secretary, Lee County Republican Club
Grant Sowell – Lee County Republican Club Executive Committee, President, Tupelo Tea Party
Madison County
Keith Plunkett – Former staff, Congressman Gregg Harper
Marshall County
George Johnson – Former Vice Chair, Marshall County Republican Party
Panola County
Mark Glidewell – Current Panola County GOP Executive Committee Member, 2016 MS GOP State Convention Delegate
Sean O’Neal – Former Panola County Co-Chair for Trump 2016, Member, Panola County Executive Committee
Robert Mitchell – Member, Panola County GOP Executive Committee, Panola County Delegate to MSGOP Convention 2016
Pike County
Jim McCullough – Current Pike County GOP Executive Committee
Rafael Sanchez – Trump Pike County Co-Chair
Rankin County
Elva Eubanks – Trump Rankin County Co-Chair
Larry Eubanks – Trump Rankin County Co-Chair
Sandra Inman – Executive Director, Mississippi Tea Party
Stone County
Amber Johnson, Former Field Representative, Phil Bryant for Governor
Pearl River County
Tony Smith – State Senator 2012-2015, Current Picayune Alderman
Kevin Burr – Pearl River County Trump Chair
Sunflower County
Gene Hill – Chairman, Sunflower County GOP
Tate County
Mike Bostic – Current President, Tate County Republican Club
Scott Harrison – Current Vice President, Tate County Republican Club
Pat Nozinich – Current Secretary, Tate County GOP
Warren County
Brian Wells – Delegate to the 2016 MS State GOP Convention
Robert Peters – Warren County Republican Executive Committee
Wayne County
Kolby Busby – Trump Wayne County Chair, Former Executive Director, Mississippi Federation of College Republicans
Scottie Busby – Wayne County Republican Secretary
Mildred Smith – Wayne County Republican Treasurer
Kayla Giles – Wayne County Young Republican Chairman
Webster County
Chris Hodges – Chairman, Webster County GOP