The Hill: Cochran (R-MS) Mulling Retirement

[Adlai Stevenson]

Jim Herring, chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party, said the party has not lined up potential GOP successors to Cochran because he expects Cochran to run for reelection.

But two sources in Washington, who are close to Cochran and declined to be named, say the senator may be leaning towards retirement because he has grown weary of the ongoing partisan battles on Capitol Hill.

Cochran would not say what is factoring into his decision-making and whether he is leaning towards retirement.

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/approps-members-scramble-as-cochran-mulls-retirement-2007-10-31.html

Would Mike Moore be able to win here in a presidential year?

He would definitely make it a close race and an open seat race here would further weaken the limited financial resources of the NRSC.  If Cochran does retire, then likely Republican candidates could be Congressmen Roger Wicker or Chip Pickering (who is retiring to spend more time with his family) or possibly Lieutenant Governor Amy Tuck.

[Adlai Stevenson]

i hope he doesnt retire.  he is one of my favorite senators.

That said, there is really only one Democrat who could pick up the seat.  If Gene Taylor ran, he would have a good shot, especially if Giuliani is the GOP nominee, and Christian Conservatives stay home.

Former state Attorney General Mike Moore is the most likely Democratic candidate in an open-
seat race.  Moore actually ran against Taylor in the 1989 race for the open seat House race. 

[Adlai Stevenson]

Cochran is one of the GOP's Senators alongside John Warner, Kay Bailey Hutchison, George Voinovich and Kit Bond.  Its a pity that they all seem to be on the way out.