Sen. Thad Cochran will retire April 1

U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran announced Monday he is resigning effective April 1 because of health reasons, ending one of the longest and most storied political careers in Mississippi history.

He is 80.

“I regret my health has become an ongoing challenge. I intend to fulfill my responsibilities and commitments to the people of Mississippi and the Senate through the completion of the 2018 appropriations cycle, after which I will formally retire from the U.S. Senate," Cochran said in a statement.

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“It has been a great honor to serve the people of Mississippi and our country. I’ve done my best to make decisions in the best interests of our nation, and my beloved state. My top concern has always been my constituents in Mississippi. My hope is by making this announcement now, a smooth transition can be ensured so their voice will continue to be heard in Washington, D.C. My efforts, and those of my staff, to assist them will continue and transfer to my successor.”

Cochran's announcement could have a direct impact on U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker's re-election bid. The state's junior senator faces a Republican primary challenge from state Sen. Chris McDaniel, who unsuccessfully challenged Cochran in 2014. McDaniel said last week that he would consider dropping his challenge to Wicker and running in a special election if Cochran were to resign. McDaniel's decision will likely hinge on whom Gov. Phil Bryant appoints to replace Cochran.

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Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Monday said that Cochran's "allies and adversaries have always admired his unfailingly even keel, sober expertise and respectful demeanor."

“Thad knows there’s a big difference between making a fuss and making a difference," McConnell said. "And the people of Mississippi — and our whole nation — have benefitted from his steady determination to do the latter."

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Cochran was first elected to the Senate in 1978, becoming the first Republican in more than 100 years to win a statewide election in Mississippi. He is the 10th-longest-serving senator in U.S. history. Cochran previously served three terms in the House of Representatives, from 1973-1978, before winning an election to replace longtime Sen. James Eastland, who retired.

Cochran, a Republican, was re-elected in 2014 to a seventh six-year term that began in January 2015. He has been serving as chairman of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, a post he had held briefly in the mid-2000s and is scheduled to continue through 2018.

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Cochran, of quiet stately demeanor and known for playing piano to relax in his office, has been called “Gentleman Thad” by his peers in Congress. Time Magazine dubbed him “The Quiet Persuader” for his behind-the-scenes consensus building in the Senate. But he’s also been called the “King of Pork” for securing billions in federal spending for Mississippi.

For many years he drew accolades in Washington for working across the aisle to get difficult measures passed, and back home for “bringing home the bacon” to Mississippi — for projects including federal programs and aid for farmers, buildings and programs at universities, funding for local governments and federal contracts at Pascagoula’s shipyard and military installations.

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For much of his career, Cochran’s work was overshadowed by his junior fellow Republican, former Sen. Trent Lott. Lott rose to power meteorically — then fell — as Senate majority leader playing hard-ball partisan politics and capturing the media spotlight that Cochran eschewed. Cochran continued to toil away, usually behind the scenes.

Mississippi author and journalist Curtis Wilkie wrote recently of Cochran: “During four decades in Washington, Thad has tended to pay attention to his interests in Mississippi and to leave national politics to others. He embraced the Reagan years, even as the Republican Party grew into a formidable power in his state. But he never tried to be a kingmaker."

In Mississippi and other Gulf states, part of Cochran’s legacy is Hurricane Katrina. He held the powerful position of chairman of Appropriations when the storm hit in 2005, and he used his years of consensus building and working across the aisle to convince a reluctant Congress to provide $29 billion in immediate Katrina relief, including an unprecedented $5 billion in discretionary HUD Community Development Block Grant money for Mississippi. This allowed the state to provide homeowner grants for rebuilding. The federal relief he helped secure is credited with preventing financial and social ruin in Mississippi and Louisiana after the hurricane’s destruction.

In his book “America’s Greatest Storm,” former Gov. Haley Barbour recounted how Cochran, after touring the area devastated by Katrina, found Barbour and said, “Tell me what you need, and I’ll do my best to deliver.”

“On the Senate side, Thad Cochran was in charge, and few if any senators were of a mind to question what he wanted to do for the states hit by Katrina,” Barbour wrote of the push for Katrina recovery spending. “… (Cochran) is a quiet, polite gentleman, but he is tough as nails.”

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But the billions of federal dollars Cochran brought to Mississippi over decades that had brought him praise began drawing him criticism as a more conservative wing of the GOP grew in power. Citizens Against Government Waste named him King of Pork for three years in row — 2008-2010 — in its annual report on the now-banned practice of “earmarks,” spending on pet projects. Cochran for 2010 helped negotiate $16.5 billion in earmark spending, including 201 projects with his name on them costing $490 million. From ’08-’10, he earmarked about $2 billion in federal spending for Mississippi.

This put Cochran in the crosshairs of tea party and other conservative groups, and brought the toughest election challenge of his career in 2014. McDaniel challenged him, and national conservative groups pumped millions into the race, considering Cochran a prime target for ouster in the internecine battle for control of the GOP in Washington.

Cochran was notably absent for much of his own primary campaign in 2014, making few personal appearances and prompting questions about his health and ability to serve a seventh term.

Cochran trailed McDaniel in the primary, barely making it into a runoff. Cochran’s team called in decades’ worth of goodwill from his moderate politics and securing federal money for Mississippi programs, winning the GOP runoff primarily with cross-over votes from Democrats and the African-American community and support from the Republican “establishment” in D.C. and Mississippi.

The Cochran-McDaniel race was a nasty as they come, with McDaniel supporters breaking into Cochran’s now-late wife Rose’s nursing home room and secretly videoing her for an online political hit piece accusing Cochran of cavorting with a longtime aide while his wife lay dying. Three men were convicted of the nursing home break-in, and a fourth accused committed suicide.

McDaniel’s team accused the Cochran campaign of vote buying and other skullduggery and McDaniel fought a lengthy, unsuccessful court battle to overturn the election.

Most of Mississippi’s Republican leadership stuck with Cochran during his 2014 campaign.

Gov. Phil Bryant spoke at Cochran’s victory party.

“When I was a young Republican, I began working for a man who was called the gentleman of the Senate,” Bryant said. “This man did things no one else could do. He brought people together, from all walks of life, from all political parties, both sides of the aisle … When Katrina hit south Mississippi, Thad Cochran was there. When we’ve needed him most, this U.S. senator has always been there. It’s rare to find a man that everybody likes, that everyone respects and everyone appreciates.”

Cochran even received an endorsement from Mississippi pro football great Brett Favre, who in an ad said, “Thad Cochran always delivers, just like he did during Hurricane Katrina.”

In December 2014, Rose, Cochran’s wife of 50 years, passed away. She had been in a nursing home since 2000, suffering from progressive dementia and bedridden for many years.

In May 2015, Cochran married his longtime aide Kay Webber in a private ceremony in Gulfport. His relationship with Webber had been the topic of much speculation for years, and McDaniel supporters had accused Cochran of having an affair with her. Cochran had been renting a basement apartment from Webber in D.C. and he and Webber frequently traveled together and attended social events. Cochran’s office had denied any affair, and his staffers denied any knowledge of a possible wedding up to the week before they were wed.

Cochran was reinstated as Senate Appropriations chairman — one of the most powerful positions in Washington — in 2015 after Republicans regained a Senate majority. He had served as chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee from 2003-2005.

Cochran was born in Pontotoc, son of a school principal and a teacher. The family later moved to the Jackson metro area, where he graduated valedictorian of Byram High School. Cochran received a bachelor’s in psychology from the University of Mississippi, where he was on the cheerleading squad.

Cochran served in the Navy from 1959-1961, then returned to the University of Mississippi and got his law degree in 1965.

Cochran had grown up a Democrat, but switched to Republican in the 1960s and worked on Richard Nixon’s presidential campaign in Mississippi in 1968. Local business and political leaders urged him in 1972 to run for the U.S. House seat open from Charles H. Griffin’s retirement. Cochran won in part from high Republican turnout for Nixon in his district.

Had he served out his seventh term, he would have surpassed the late John C. Stennis as the longest-serving senator in Mississippi history.

“Because of his passionate and dedicated service, the people of Mississippi have sent him back time and again,” McConnell said on the Senate floor.

Longtime Mississippi Republican leader and author Andy Taggart recently said of Cochran: “His statesmanship, his fundamental decency, his kind demeanor and his ability to build relationships where others prefer to build walls make it possible for Thad Cochran to get things done that would be impossible for many others to accomplish.”

More reaction to Cochran's resignation

"Today, one of Mississippi’s greatest public servants shared with me his plans to retire. (Cochran's) service ushered in an era of unprecedented influence for our state and will benefit generations to come. He was a leader in Washington and a powerful advocate for every Mississippian. I will always be grateful to Sen. Cochran for his friendship and support during my time of service. Deborah and I wish him and Kay the very best as they begin this new chapter." — Gov. Phil Bryant

“Thad Cochran will go down as one of the greatest leaders in our state’s history. He has been called the ‘quiet persuader’ for good reason. He commands respect through his tireless pursuit to help make Mississippi and our country a better, safer, more prosperous place to live. He has made us proud in so many ways. I wish my friend the best in retirement and thank him for a job well done.” — Sen. Roger Wicker

“Sen. Cochran’s service to our nation has made the lives of Mississippians better, and his support of our military has made America safer. He fought relentlessly for Mississippi from helping our farmers get their crops to market to fighting for our citizens after Hurricane Katrina devastated much of the state. He earned and maintained the respect of his colleagues on both sides of the aisle even though he never shied away from a battle to protect his beloved state. Elee and I wish Senator Cochran and his family well as they enter this new chapter.” — Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves

“There is absolutely no one who has done more for the state of Mississippi than Senator Thad Cochran. He will be missed not only here in our nation’s capital, but also by his constituents across his state. He leaves an outstanding legacy of loyal dedication to his native state and to his country…standing up for our farmers, for industry and business, for our nation’s military, and for our state’s college and universities. He fought hard for Mississippi in the wake of devastating natural disasters, especially making sure Mississippi got her fair share to rebuild the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina." — U.S. Rep. Gregg Harper

“There are no words to describe how important Senator Cochran, a true gentleman and statesman, has been to Mississippi. While he leaves a lasting legacy in agriculture, defense, and Hurricane Katrina recovery, and a huge gap in Senate and national leadership, the citizens of Mississippi experience the largest vacuum in the loss of his public presence and influence on almost every aspect of our personal and political lives. Lynn and I wish him and his family the best in his retirement and welcome him home. Job well done.” — Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann

"Throughout all of this time, from our time working together on the Agriculture Committee to the Appropriations Committee, I knew I could trust Thad because he is a man of his word. The Senate needs more devoted public servants like Thad Cochran, and I am sad to see my dear friend leave." — Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vermont

“My prayers are with Sen. Cochran and I want him to be happy and healthy and have a long and fruitful retirement. Even though we disagree politically, he is a legend in our state and he has my respect.” — State Sen. Chris McDaniel, who opposed Cochran in the 2014 Senate primary

"I commend Senator Cochran for his selfless service to our state and nation over the last forty-five years. Senator Cochran has dedicated his life to serving our country and state, and his contributions helping build Mississippi are unmatched. Like all Mississippians, I wish him the very best in this well-earned retirement." — State GOP Chairman Lucien Smith

"With news of Senator Cochran's departure from the senate, we want to recognize his many years of dedicated service to our state. We also give him our thoughts and prayers with his ongoing health issues." — State Democratic Party statement