Leaving the historic Neshoba County Fairgrounds headed into the August 8 Mississippi primary elections, the marquee race is the choice Republican voters face in the race for lieutenant governor between incumbent Republican Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann and GOP State Sen. Chris McDaniel of Jones County.
Since the outset, the Hosemann-McDaniel race has been exceptionally heated, and the speeches delivered by the two candidates at Neshoba were reflective of the fact that there is not much love lost between the two opponents or their supporters.
Hosemann has been extraordinarily popular with Mississippi voters who have elected him to statewide office four consecutive times (2007, 2011, 2015, and 2019) in general elections and Republican voters statewide have likewise given him strong majorities in his GOP primary races those same years.
In a state where Republican voters care about abortion and gun rights laws, Hosemann has the endorsement of both Right to Life and the National Rifle Association.
Challenging Hosemann is McDaniel, who has represented District 42 in the State Senate since first winning election in 2007 and subsequent races in 2011, 2015, and 2019 (he ran unopposed in 2011 and 2019).
In 2014, McDaniel lost a contentious challenge to then-incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran – nearly pulling off a stunning upset. That challenge came when Cochran was in line to chair the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Cochran was pushed to the limit by McDaniel’s insurgent campaign – a campaign financed largely by out-of-state super political action committees. But in the GOP second primary, Cochran rallied to win the nomination and eventual re-election to his final term in a 45-year career on Capitol Hill that saw him render heroic and historic service to Mississippi and the Gulf South after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
The 2018 U.S. Senate special election race saw McDaniel run third in an open primary race to the ultimate winner U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, who gained the key endorsement of then-President Donald Trump. The self-proclaimed “conservative fighter” earned just 16.7 percent of the vote.
In every statewide Republican primary race and again in the 2018 open primary race, the McDaniel playbook is nothing if not predictable. His opponent always is “not conservative enough” and always fails McDaniel’s political purity test. McDaniel postures as a courageous fighter for conservative values issues and a skilled legislator who can affect real change.
But the reality of the McDaniel legislative record is decidedly different. In almost every one of the four terms (16 years) that McDaniel has sought in the Mississippi Legislature, he’s filed a bill to implement legislative term limits. The bill fails, then he runs for re-election. And as to his supposed legislative superpowers in the State Senate, a study of his actual record shows that McDaniel has rarely been successful in passing substantive legislation.
In the majority of instances in which McDaniel was the principal author of legislation, his Senate colleagues simply allowed his offerings to die in committee. McDaniel was successful in getting resolutions passed honoring school athletic championships or contestants who won pageants. But on balance, there’s been more smooth talk from McDaniel about fighting than actual success.
The 2023 script from McDaniel is familiar. His campaign announcement featured exactly the pitch McDaniel has made before – Hosemann’s insufficiently conservative and fails McDaniel’s conservative purity test.
Why? In part, because Hosemann appointed 13 Senate Democrats as committee chairs. Why? There are 45 Senate committees and 36 Republican senators. Of the Senate's 16 Democrats, 13 hold chair positions. There were also 13 Democrats chairing committees during Reeves’ final four years as lieutenant governor – but McDaniel’s attacks ignore those facts.
While hammering Hosemann with half-truths about his abortion stance and his governance of the State Senate, McDaniel has dodged significant questions about his campaign finance numbers and his own Senate attendance and performance.
Turnout matters in the Hosemann-McDaniel race. McDaniel voters have proven loyal and motivated in his prior statewide bids, so a low GOP primary turnout would tend to favor McDaniel while a moderate to high turnout favors Hosemann.
Mississippi GOP voters have clear choices in the Hosemann-McDaniel race and distinct differences in how the two candidates will lead and govern.
Sid Salter is a syndicated columnist. Contact him at sidsalter@sidsalter.com.
76 comments:
No way I vote for liberal flag boy Hoseman! And he’s been mailing lots of lowbrow trash.
Wow I thought all of this delbert is a democrat talk was bogus but every dem I know is telling me to vote for Delbert and now Sid Salter. I am getting very suspicious now.
I am struggling on this one. I think they both suck and the endless negative campaign looks pathetic for both of them.
Neither option is great, so I am still a swing vote but lean Hosemann. I wish we had a better option for Gov and Lt. Gov. Maybe Shad, McRae, and Watson can run for higher office soon. I am more concerned about someone good challenging RINO Wicker in March!
Dembert
How can anyone be on the fence on this? McDaniel is a human trash can. The end.
If sid is for him then I am not.
Is there a viable third choice?
What a godawful, unmitigated disaster McDaniel would be as LG. Grateful he has no out-of-state money this time around. 53/47 Gilbert.
Sid is spot on, but he left out the fact that McDaniel tore off a mattress tag six years ago.
The $$$timulation of Democrats in 2014 will never be forgotten.
We lost the state flag battle, can't fly that one anymore. But we can fly McDaniel....same thing.
Delbert was outstanding as Secretary of State, easily the best we've ever had. As Lt. Governor, he's not been nearly as good. He's made some fairly sizeable mistakes and miscalculations, but overall, he's been more good than bad.
Delbert isn't as conservative as I'd like him to be lots of times, but on the other hand, McDaniel scares the crap out of me! Talk about a loose cannon! I remember his post-race with Cochran. That was an absolute disaster! I have to admit I voted for him against Thad, but I later regretted my vote after witnessing his antics following his loss. I really thought his political career was over at that point. However, after his rising from the ashes, I believe my vote is with Delbert. I'm inclined to pick the steady hand this time over the bull in the china shop. Change isn't ALWAYS good.
Most of what Sid writes is the truth. There’s just enough shit stirred into what he writes, though, that the discerning reader knows the article doesn’t pass the smell test. And he does it every.single.time and does it for a living. Sid is the perambulatin’ poster child for the Propagandists Union International.
8:43 speaking of trash cans, I'm a guy who voted for Delbert Hosemann last time around but I'm sick to my stomach at the mud-slinging mail pieces he drops in my mailbox every day. I have a trash can by my garage door just for this junk. I've lost a lot of respect for the man who sits with old ladies on park benches.
Most of the time who you vote for comes down to a series of compromises. A back bench, bomb throwing malcontent is not someone I can compromise with.
One has been a competent public servant the other is a sociopath
How anyone that claims to want good government and elect law abiding citizens would even consider McDaniels is beyond comprehension.
That you think Hoseman is anything other than very conservative given his personal and governing record is incomprehensible as well.
I can only think his supporters as criminals who can still vote or will hope not to get caught illegally voting, racists/neo-Nazis or ignorant due to laziness or mental disorders or low IQs.
That in the extreme right search for voting fraud, the ONLY ones caught were convicted criminal who thought their parole ended or GOP extreme right wingers.
If you think all politicians are corrupt, at least admit, that some of them are SO bad, they get caught or their henchman pay the price which mean those politics are stupid and don't care two cents for anyone but themselves!
IF the GOP is so smart, how come you can't get the goods on Democrats and put them in jail anymore? Worse, you've decided the corrupt Dems who changed parties " saw the light, and would go forth and sin no more" without them showing a bit of remorse.
Actions speak louder than BS words. Just remember what Delbert did for the people of Mississippi regarding 16 section lands.
'Wow I thought all of this delbert is a democrat talk was bogus but every dem I know is telling me to vote for Delbert and now Sid Salter. I am getting very suspicious now."
Many of Hoseman's votes will be anti-McDaniel votes. Kinda like Trump got elected with anti-Hillary votes and Biden got elected with anti-Trump votes.
I have never voted for McDaniel in any of his statewide races. However, this election is not the same too me. What I do know is that Delbert was working with several Democrats in Madison to separate from Rankin in the judicial district. Now Delbert says he is fighting to stop it. Only because this came out before the legislative session starts. I know Delbert has lied about this, along with some other politicians, so what else will he mislead us. Once again I hate to say this but I will have to vote for McDaniel.
10 23
What did he do? 16th sect property may be leased and the proceeds go to the school district, so??
I am leaning Mcdaniel this time around but all 10 of you old flag guys realize that it is a dead issue, right?? It's not coming back and Mcdaniel can't do one thing about it.
I will probably hold my nose and vote Digbert int he end, but it will definitely be a vote against McLooney not a vote for Dumbert.
I'm in the "anybody but Delbert" camp. He's dang near 80 years old and needs to take it to the house . He hasn't done anything conservative that I can think of, and it seems like everything he accuses McDaniel of doing is something that he does himself.
I’m willing to give McDaniel a try. He is a narcissist, but as a libertarian, he will respect the will of the people. Hosemann doesn’t. Hosemann is just like every other Washington Rino. He’s going to give a Mitch McConnell speech very soon. Watch.
Hosemann selling out in redistricting large Republican precincts in western Madison the city to Senate representation under John Horhn was the straw that broke the camel's back for me. He screwed Republicans over just like he's gaming the judicial district. I live closer to damn Walter Michel than NE Jackson does but Hosemann saved NE Jackson (and his own neighborhood) from having Horhn's district slide east by f'ing over Madison.
THEN the stupid asses ran NOBODY in the Republican primary to face off against Horhn in the general come November.
Delbert Hosemann can kiss my ass.
8:50a you’re crazy. More like 53/47 McDaniel. Remember Thad only won by a thin margin and it was because there was a concerted effort for Dems crossing over to help push him over. Plus it was a general election not a primary. Hosemann had to pull ridiculous numbers out of Jackson metro, desoto and the coast in order to barely skate. McDaniel has all the rural areas sowed up. Dems are staying in their own primaries bc they have shit candidates for local races.
Does anyone have an example of McDaniel working well with a large cross section of people, such as fellow legislators?
RMQ
Republican voters acting like they have a say and only democrats are sheeple. Delbert will win because the machine wants him to win. You will support their choice or you will be outcast. But you will not matter at the end of the day. Not have you mattered to them in days past.
Chris McDaniel is truly a jackass
Best way to dismantle the MSGOP is to send Delbert Hosemann packing. Surprised that no one in the Mississippi Democratic Party has figured out how to create absolute chaos amongst the Republicans.
McDaniel is a card carrying racist who as an elected official has accomplished ZERO! He doesn’t even show up at the office!
@12:01 PM, got my new voter card.
Saw John Horhn Senate 26 listed as my new district.
Called around to find out what happened.
You nailed it. We were sold out to protect Northeast Jackson.
Next time I get any mail from Repub Party I'm sending it back with choice words.
Me and everyone of my peers is voting McDaniel.
I want chaos and disruption.
The best government is one that governs least.
Delbert Hosemann is very much a Republican, if there is still a such thing as a Republican mainstream. McDaniel is simply something else. Several years ago he would not have been a Democrat as the rest of the conservatives in Mississippi were, he would have been a flaming Dixiecrat, flaming hot. Where is he now? Who knows.
Delbert is the only choice. He was an excellent Sec of State and is an excellent Lt Governor. Chris knows nothing except what Chris wants at the moment. He will lie about anything! Think about how he trashed Tate because he was considering running for Governor. Then he said he would run for "something", decided on this current race, then said Tate wasn't so bad after all, because it benefitted him. What an opportunist! He cannot be trusted. He and Trump are of the same cloth and have destroyed my Republican Party as I knew it. Delbert is for the betterment of Mississippi and can get things done for us!
Watching Hosemann and McDaniel is like watching dumb and dumber. Thanks Mississippi Republicans for turning this election in to a big ass clown show.
“ have destroyed my Republican Party as I knew it”, if it were only true, and the Democrat party with it. It will never be about the citizens, until the two party system is destroyed.
McDaniel has shown you his racist card? Could you describe this card for the rest of us?
“ Thanks Mississippi Republicans for turning this election in to a big ass clown show.”, yeah, but it ain't got anything on the big show that Democrats are putting on in Washington.
Any schmuck whose entire appeal is based on the old flag, "car tags!", or lying about a lifelong Catholic running an abortion clinic has not 1 chance in Hades. His supporters are more Jerry Springer than Jerry Clower. And lying about Hosemann and trying to make him out to be Jerry Mitchell is just idiotic.
A Hattiesburg talk show clown versus a Notre Dame grad and successful guy with a track record of bills passed and a well lived life. Lemme see..... I'll pass on Cletus Et Al.
I'll up you one photo of an old lady in sad shape in a nursing home and throw in a trailer park Ninja for free.
This is an easy choice for me. McDaniel, with all his baggage, has never lied to me. Delbert has. Easy choice.
You can easily tell the Rhinos on here. They start calling people names, clutching their pearls and trying to make believe that someone is an absolute horror while the other is rosebuds and angel farts. If you step back, there is no difference between the crazed left and their hyperbole and those on the right when their power is threatened.
Same names too - rednecks, racists, Cletus, etc.
Delbert’s biggest lie is actually in is own TV ad. “When I make you a promise I keep it “ wow! Promised me a job once elected that never happened ! I choke on vomit every time I see it.
A Lt. Gov who knows about the Great Reset would also know that the Covid Plandemic was a huge scam. I want someone who is on our side and not the side of Klaus Schwab, George Soros, and Yuval Noah Harari. Tater and Delbert totally caved to the Great Reset agenda.
Wouldn't vote for Mcdaniel for dog-catcher - way too much sleaze-factor.
Looks like Hosemann stepped into a big pile of poo poo up in Madison today.
My vote is for Hosemann! He has made things happen. McDaniel is crazy as a switch engine!
Delbert is such a huge disappointment I would vote for McDaniel
Delbert @5:59 & 7:10 PM
Nice try.
#NoMoreRINOS
“Wouldn't vote for Mcdaniel for dog-catcher”, those smart pills you got from Dr. Feelgood must really be working for you. You have already learned McDaniel ain't running for dogcatcher. At a boy.
Delbert snubbed 266 voters today in Madison.
This is how Delbert and the rest of the MSGOP see you all.
You aren't necessary to win the election.
You will obediently vote MSGOP incumbent down the line.
This is why he serves special interests instead of your interests.
Chris McDaniel was there and answered all the questions he could in the time he had.
He's even addressed the issue with the ugly mud-slinging ad that Delbert has been running.
We all can get mad about the mud slinging and the mailers but the fact that we as a voting public are giving this lunatic a leg to stand on is embarrassing. Not to mention that he is running against the only adult in the room and the only person willing to do the work in the state government (excluding shad). There is a reason that Micheal Watson has one of the easiest jobs in the state, bc Delbert revamped that office and stream lined the whole business process while eliminating voter fraud. And as lt governor he has filled our rainy day up and cut taxes while raising teacher pay implementing pre eduction courses, year round school and we are finally Ariel not last in education (somewhere in the 20s in math and reading). Our country is crumbling around us and the state of ms has been booming look at the coast economy. If you really want chaos with a guy who should probably be committed vote for McDaniel but if you want the only honest guy in the state government then like sid said the choice is clear. I don’t always agree with Sid but this choice is about as clear as 1 + 1
I just worried about Madison County being redistricted into Yazoo and Holmes County. If you want to see what the law is like in Holmes County just check out this video. https://youtu.be/MazueQuEYSo
My problem with Delbert is that he appointed around a dozen Democrats to powerful committees in the Senate. We vote Republican, but the Democrats get the spoils.
He also eliminated a Republican district in SW Mississippi and made it Democrat. It had a conservative Republican Senator who did not bend the knee to King Delbert.
Horseman has money to burn in this campaign. He obviously did a lot to help special interests.
Get ALL the RINOs the hell out.... Everyone I know is voting McDaniel for sure. Hosemann had his chance to prove something. We'll all be better off with an ultraconservative - possible asshole, than a confirmed liar and closet Democrat like Douchebert.
Bottom line is that the folks waiting at Mama Hamil’s to talk to Delbert don’t have lobbyists like the defense contractors in The Golden Triangle. And the proxy war with Russian in Ukraine is making them rich so our politicians know where they need to go.
For all the people talking about the Madison County redistricting issue, can anyone show me one shred of proof that this was ever anything more than a rumor???? I’ve asked around and all I get is fingers pointed at certain BOS members, but nothing showing Delbert’s involvement or that it was ever anything more than a rumor that people ran with. I’m a Madison county resident so I’d like to know, but I don’t trust what someone’s political opponent is saying leading up to an election nor do I really trust Mayor Mary bc lord knows if she doesn’t get her way she’ll stir some stuff up.
9:50 why did your man give committee chairmanships to Democrats?
Don't vote (i)incumbent!
@6:50 a.m. McDaniel sure seems upset about that SW Miss district getting re-districted into Bennie Land. We all know the Feds will make sure there is at least one predominantly African-American district in Mississippi so a state with a large population of African-Americans has African-American registration. Perhaps McDaniel has another reason for wanting a republican representing that district??? Call it a hunch!
At 11:41- I know math is hard for McDaniel and his supporters (just look at his campaign finance reports), but Delbert appointed democrats because he literally HAD to because there aren’t enough republicans to fill the 45 committee chairmanships.
There is a senate rule (I know rules/laws are also hard for McDaniel) that says a senator can only be appointed to one chairmanship position. It’s literally simple math. It’s the exact same reason Tate and Phil Bryant appointed the same amount or more democrats during their time as Lt. Governor.
Also, if McDaniel thought it was such a terrible practice, he could have moved to change the Senate Rules (voted on by only Senators) anytime during his 16 years that he participated in the Senate. However, he didn’t because it is not a real issue.
Who all took away the ballot initiative???
1:13 that’s a load of BS. Talk to the Republican senators who would have been willing to serve in more than one chairmanship. You do realize there’s no rule against that, don’t you? It works quite well in other states. Blame it on math if you wish, but it’s a bogus explanation.
Dilbertt the mud slingin’ Democrat has “been extremely popular”??? Come on Sid, who ran against him? Quit playing word games to support your fellow Democrat…. Lesser of two evils doth not equate to “extremely popular.”
FYI- the NRA endorsement is an empty endorsement. The NRA PAC announced years ago that they will always endorse the encumbrance in any election. That is why they endorsed Ray Mabus over Kirk Fordice who happened to be a lLIFE MEMBER of the NRA.
Dilbertt is dirty and plays dirty and I wouldn’t support him for dog catcher…
“I previously supported McDaniel when he ran for U.S. Senate in 2014 but having joined the Mississippi Senate and seeing his lack of work-ethic, I will not support him again. The man is never there when work is being done on legislation or projects,” England told Magnolia Tribune. “He presumably sits in his office writing his next speech to bash his fellow Republicans instead of actually trying to build consensus for good, conservative legislation. He cares most about himself, and he wants to be viewed by his supporters as the last great hope for a conservative Mississippi – and America.” - Rep. Jeremy England (R)
McDaniel avoids most in the Mississippi Legislature because 95% of them are RINOS. Leaders - like eagles - often fly alone, assholes or not. Too many Mississippians think "go along to get along" is Gospel. It's now or never for the Republic. We need bareknuckle leaders to represent the silent conservative majority.
All incumbents need to go. Period.
3:54- I’m not the original poster so I don’t if there’s an actual rule or not, but either way no senator has served as a chairman of two standing committees any time recent, if ever. I don’t know of any state that operates that way but since you do please share. Maybe our rules can be changed to model these state you speak of.
What is fact is that there are 45 committees and only 36 republicans. I have heard McDaniel say multiple times at his events that he would reduce the number of committees ( not appoint members to two committees because he knows that not how it works), but the Senate votes on the number of committees at the beginning of each term. He’s had 4 opportunities to amend the rule to only have x number of committees to solve this “issue” and he hasn’t.
Tate even had 17 democrats as chairman but I have not heard one word from McDaniel in this election or the last about Tate not being a “real conservative” because he appointed 17 democrats to chairmanships. It’s pretty hard to have it both ways…
Cast my Madison County absentee yesterday for Chris McDaniel as a big thank you to Donkey Delbert Hosemann for screwing over my rock ribbed Republican precinct in redistricting to be represented by John Horhn so that the dwindling inconsequential RINO herd in NE Jackson could avoid Horhn themselves.
Up your's Hosemann.
Buddy, you do realize the lie about Madison County involves JUDICIAL redistricting, right? Like who your judges are not who your senator is. It literally has nothing with you represents you in the legislature. You know it’s a bad lie when even the McDaniel supporters can’t keep the lie straight…
Sorry @3:17, you are 100% WRONG.
Republican precincts in western Madison were moved in redistricting from Senate D25, Walter Michel, to Senate D26, John Horhn, so that NE Jackson precincts -- the logical expansion path of Horhn's district to compensate for Jackghanistan's population losses -- could be spared from representation by the Democrat Horhn.
Move away from your keyboard because you obviously don't know jack squat pal. Little wonder you support Donkeycrats like Hosemann.
You know it’s a bad lie when even the McDaniel supporters can’t keep the lie straight…
The bad lie is that Delbert Hosemann is a conservative. He's not. Never was. Not close.
All this garbage about McDaniel not being willing or able to work across the aisle and build consensus...
Meanwhile, Hosemann (who often claims to be a Republican) can't even get together with Republicans in the House of Representatives to give the citizens the right to Initiative and Referendum.
I supported changing the State flag, but Hosemann and Gunn were both bound and determined to NOT give the voters a voice...just as Hosemann is bound and determined that the voters not be able to put issues on the ballot.
The Hose is a little dictator and will not get my family's four votes.
Hosemann = Equivocator = Worthless, not-to-be-trusted politician
Vote accordingly.
Well, Kingfish, the brainwashed McDaniel campaign is alive and well on your blog. You really need some new followers.
You people have NO IDEA what you're talking about. Those of you Madison-ites who got your hurt because he didn't come to your little meeting need to get a grip. A statewide candidate cannot possibly attend every event, and he had already been in Madison County once that day. Campaign schedulers have to make big picture decisions. Delbert must be re-elected. He is the best thing this state has going for it. Chrissy would be a total disaster.
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