A prediction first made by Newsmax will almost certainly come true Wednesday, with Mississippi's Gov. Phil Bryant expected to name fellow Republican and State Agriculture Commissioner Cindy Hyde-Smith as the Magnolia State's first-ever woman U.S. senator.
Hyde-Smith, considered a strong conservative will replace Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss., when his resignation takes effect April 1. The announcement of the historic appointment will take place Wednesday afternoon at a train depot in Hyde-Smith's Brookhaven, Mississippi, hometown, Politico reported.
When Cochran, 80, announced his resignation March 5, there were numerous Republicans reported as possible contenders for the appointment. Based on reports from various GOP sources in Mississippi, Newsmax predicted Bryant would turn to fourth-generation cattle farmer and former State Sen. Hyde-Smith.
As we reported at the time, Mississippi is the lone state in the nation never to have had a woman U.S. senator, governor, or U.S. representative.
In 2014, State Sen. Chris McDaniel came within an eyelash of unseating Cochran in the Republican run-off. Earlier this year, he announced he would challenge Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., who is up for re-election this November.
But more recently McDaniel, who has a strong following among grass-roots conservatives, announced he was switching to a race for Cochran's seat no matter who was appointed to replace him.
Under Mississippi election law, Hyde-Smith must compete in a "jungle primary" this Nov. 6 in which candidates compete on the same ballot regardless of party. Should no one win a majority, the top two-getters will compete in a subsequent run-off Nov. 27.
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
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