Right-wing state Sen. Chris McDaniel to run against Delbert Hosemann for MS Lt. Gov.

Far-right firebrand state Sen. Chris McDaniel will be making another attempt at taking down a sitting Republican statewide official, after signing papers Monday to qualify in the race for lieutenant governor.

In a primary campaign that could cast long shadows over the ongoing legislative session, McDaniel, R-Ellisville, will be facing off against current Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, who is finishing his first term as leader of the chamber in which McDaniel serves, and Shane Quick, whom Hosemann defeated in the GOP primary four years ago.

Though weeks apart, both Hosemann and McDaniel qualified to run at the state's Republican Party headquarters before crowds of dozens of supporters. Both also had Republican legislators present. That said, Hosemann's announcement was attended by a majority of members of the Senate Republican caucus, while McDaniel's was attended by some of the more conservative members of the state House.

McDaniel made one thing clear throughout his speech, he is not a moderate.

"We cannot fall for the trap that moderates have set for us. We cannot fall for the trap that Democrats have set for us. There is no honor in compromise. There is only weakness in surrender," McDaniel said. "There's no such thing as a left or a right. It's either up, or it's down."

Conversely, McDaniel characterized Hosemann as a centrist, willing to work with Democrats in the chamber. McDaniel specifically criticized his opposition to eliminating the income tax, his support for extending Medicaid for past-partum mothers and his unwillingness to back unproven election fraud claims made by former president Donald Trump, among others. He has also been openly critical of Hosemann's choice to appoint a number of Democrat committee chairs within the chamber. McDaniel said his own beliefs are unquestionably conservative.

"Unfortunately, the current lieutenant governor does not share those beliefs," McDaniel said. "He has chosen a different path that leads our party into a weaker and a less conservative position. His beliefs align more with the Democratic Party than they do with the party of Reagan and Goldwater."

Senior Advisor for the Delbert Hosemann Campaign Casey Phillips released a statement shortly after McDaniel's speech that defended the lieutenant governor's conservative credentials.

"Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann’s conservative record is clear, implementing Voter ID to secure our elections, delivering the largest tax cut in Mississippi’s history and overseeing a major teacher pay raise. Results matter and Delbert delivers," Phillips said.

This will be the fourth time McDaniel has declared his intent to run against a Republican incumbent and third time he has formally filed to do so.

The state senator ran a contentious campaign against six-term incumbent U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran, in a race that made national headlines. McDaniel ran to the right of the incumbent then too, claiming it was time for a fresh face representing the state. A political ally of McDaniel's was one of four people arrested after they took covert video of Cochran's ailing wife in a nursing home. McDaniel denied any involvement. Cochran ultimately won the race in a runoff by about 2%.

During his speech Monday, McDaniel said he always respected the late Cochran, even if they disagreed, and would like to meet with his family. They have thus far refused to meet with him in the nine years following the scandal. McDaniel said he has changed in the years since and hopes to run a campaign based on policy arguments, rather than personal conflicts.

"I want to be clear about this. I want us to work hard, but I want us to do it the right way. I want to see people out there treat each other with respect and dignity," McDaniel said. "They say a year in politics is an eternity. Well that was nine years ago. Nine eternities. That's water under the bridge."

Then, in 2018, McDaniel announced that he would challenge incumbent Republican Sen. Roger Wicker. However, after Cochran resigned amid health concerns, McDaniel ultimately filed for the special election to fill that seat. He would ultimately come in third in that race, falling more than 20% short of the mark hit by both Cindy Hyde-Smith, who had been appointed to the seat earlier that ear, and Democrat Mike Espy, who finished second.

Phillips pointedly noted McDaniel's electoral history in his statement.

"After being rejected by Mississippians in three failed statewide campaigns, the least effective politician in the state with the largest ego is running again, this time for Lt. Governor," Phillips said.

After telling his family that he loves them, McDaniel apologized to them for the things that come with campaigns. He also indicated that this may be the last time he mounts such a challenge.

"I am sorry that we have to go through this fire once again, but as you know my mother is Irish and my dad is Scottish and I was born to fight," McDaniel said. "I appreciate you all standing beside me, perhaps for the last time, but it's worth a fight."

By filing to run for lieutenant governor, McDaniel is forgoing the chance to run for reelection in the state senate to represent District 42. Candidate filling closes on Wednesday, Feb. 1.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Chris McDaniel qualifies to run for Mississippi lieutenant governor