Phil Bryant is expected to appoint state Agriculture and Commerce Commissioner Cindy Hyde-Smith, a fellow Republican, to the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Thad Cochran, according to two Republicans familiar with the situation. She would be the first woman to represent Mississippi in the Senate. Hyde-Smith is expected to occupy the seat at least until a longer-term replacement is elected in a Nov. 6 special election. Still, there were some private doubts Tuesday in Mississippi GOP circles about whether the party would rally around a Hyde-Smith campaign. Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann has also been mentioned by Republicans close to the situation as a possibility for the Senate appointment.

Source: Washington Post March 20, 2018 14:03 UTC