Wicker will have at least two Republican opponents for Senate seat. Read more about them

Incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker will face at least two competitors in the GOP primary this year after a state legislator and a retired military colonel filed paperwork last week to run against him.

Wicker, state Rep. Dan Eubanks and retired Marine Corps Colonel Ghannon Burton all qualified to run in the GOP primary, according to Mississippi Republican Party officials.

Wicker, a 72-year-old Tupelo resident, has represented the Magnolia State in the U.S. Senate since 2007. Before the Senate, he served several terms in the U.S. House and in the Mississippi Legislature.

He is currently the top Republican serving on the Senate Armed Services Committee, which has jurisdiction over matters involving the U.S. military. If the GOP gains a majority in the Senate next year, Wicker could be the first Mississippian to lead that committee since John Stennis.

During his latest term, Wicker has opposed legislation that would codify same-sex and interracial marriage, voted against President Joe Biden’s “Inflation Reduction Act,” voted against a measure meant to curb gun violence and opposed efforts to decertify the results of the 2020 presidential election.

He has also supported efforts to send funding to Ukraine, voted for legislation that appropriates new money for infrastructure improvements and supported a measure to give additional funds for the research and manufacturing of semiconductors.

“Sen. Wicker has delivered on critical issues such as fighting to secure the Southern border, strengthening our military, and bringing vital resources back to Mississippi to fix our roads and bridges,” Nathan Calvert, the communications director for the Wicker campaign, said in a statement.

Eubanks, 53, has represented DeSoto County in the state Legislature since 2016 and helped found the Freedom Caucus, a coalition of ultraconservative House members.

Eubanks told Mississippi Today that he decided to challenge Wicker because he disagreed with the senator’s votes to pass several measures to fund the federal government, his strong support of packages sending defense aid to Ukraine and his support of Scott Colom for a federal judgeship.

“I don’t care what party you affiliate with,” Eubanks said. “It doesn’t take much to look at where our nation is headed to realize we’re on a precipice basically.”

Burton is a retired U.S. Marine Corps colonel and a Mississippi native. After serving in the military for around 30 years, Burton returned to the state. He has never held political office.

Two components of Burton’s campaign are working to stop undocumented immigrants from crossing the country’s southern border and implementing economic policies to stop inflation.

“I am honored to return to the state that shaped me and fight for the people who have always been my community,” Burton said in a statement. “Mississippi and America can do better, and I am here to lead that charge.”

The last day for candidates to file paperwork to run for Mississippi’s U.S. Senate seat is Jan. 12. Party primaries will take place on March 12. If neither candidate secures an outright majority, a runoff election will take place on April 2.

The GOP nominee will compete against the Democratic nominee during the general election on Nov. 5. Ty Pinkins is the only candidate so far to have qualified in the Democratic primary.