Miss. Senate victory has AZ implications

Trump supporter’s triumph impedes Flake’s tantrums

With the support of President Trump — who traveled to Mississippi to campaign for her twice in a single day — Republican senate candidate Cindy Hyde-Smith easily defeated Mike Espy, a Clinton-era agriculture secretary and former congressman by a vote of 53.9% to 46.1%.

“As the president said, a vote for Cindy Hyde-Smith is a vote for me,” Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant said as the returns came in Tuesday night. “Mr. President, I know you may be watching. We just voted for you.”

Hyde-Smith’s victory increases the GOP majority in the U.S. Senate to 53 – 47, giving President Trump the edge he needs for judicial confirmations.

In view of Hyde-Smith’s triumph, lame duck Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake’s obstinate threats to hold up senate nominations in the judiciary committee where he has been a member, make him appear even more foolish. Arizona Republicans are aware the single-term senator and obsessive Trump opponent opted out of running for reelection due to embarrassingly low 18% approval ratings in his home state. He was replaced by far-left radical Kyrsten Sinema, who will be an interchangeable obstructionist for Republicrat Flake when the new congress is sworn in January 3, 2019.

Cindy Hyde-Smith fully embraced President Trump, and her victory is an affirmation of that fact. In 2016, Mississippi supported Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton 57.9% to 40.1%. {Place cursor on linked map to see individual state results.)

Hyde-Smith fills the remaining two years of Sen. Thad Cochran’s term, and faces another election in 2020. Cochran, a Republican first elected to the Senate in 1978, retired in April due to what he referred to as “health challenges.” Gov. Phil Bryant appointed Cindy Hyde-Smith (bio) to the seat.