Travis Childers of Booneville, the former 1st District U.S. representative, quietly drove to Jackson on Friday to qualify to run for the U.S. Senate seat held since 1978 by Republican Thad Cochran.
“I look forward to the race,” Childers said via phone explaining that he would later kick off his campaign at events across the state.
Childers, a “lifelong” Democrat who stresses his ability to work across the aisle, was longtime chancery clerk of Prentiss County before winning a special election in 2008 to replace Roger Wicker, R-Tupelo, in the U.S. House.
Later in 2008, Childers won the regular election for a full two-year term in the House where he was one of the more conservative Democrats in the chamber.
Childers was defeated in his bid for re-election by then-state Sen. Alan Nunnelee, R-Tupelo, who hammered the Prentiss Countian for his ties to the national Democratic Party in the conservative-leaning 1st District.
On the Republican side, state Sen. Chris McDaniel of Ellisville is challenging Cochran.
Vicksburg resident Bill Marcy, who has run unsuccessfully in two elections as a Republican for Congress, has qualified as a Democrat for the Senate post.
In a news release, Childers said, “I look forward to formally launching my campaign and traveling to every corner of our great state in the weeks to come.
“Mississippians know that I have a solid record of being an independent guy who will work across party lines and stand up to the powers that be when needed. In the U.S. Senate, I will continue to put Mississippi’s middle class first.”
Sunherald
2/28/14
Magnolia Tribune
