ELLISVILLE, Miss. (AP) - The Latest on a GOP primary challenge to US Sen. Roger Wicker in Mississippi (all times local):
2:40 p.m.
A state lawmaker says he will try to unseat one of Mississippi's U.S. senators in the Republican primary - but he says he might also drop out of the race if the state's other Senate seat comes open sometime soon.
Chris McDaniel announced Wednesday that he will challenge Sen. Roger Wicker in the June 5 primary.
McDaniel lost a bitter Republican primary runoff in 2014 to the state's senior U.S. senator, Thad Cochran. Speculation persists about whether Cochran, who is now 80, might retire because he has been in frail health. If that were to happen, the Republican governor would appoint someone to fill Cochran's seat temporarily, and a special election would be held to fill the rest of the term, which ends in January 2021. Cochran's staff has said he intends to remain in office.
Asked Wednesday if he would drop out of the race against Wicker if Cochran were to retire, McDaniel said: "I'm not going to foreclose any options."
Wicker says in a statement that he will defend his own record of working to "reduce job-killing regulations, confirm conservative judges, enact historic tax cuts, rebuild our military and honor our veterans."
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12:45 p.m.
A Republican state lawmaker who came close to unseating one of Mississippi's U.S. senators during a bitter 2014 race says he will run against the state's other U.S. senator this year.
Chris McDaniel announced Wednesday that he will challenge Sen. Roger Wicker in the June 5 GOP primary.
Wicker has been in the Senate a decade, and President Donald Trump had tweeted his support for Wicker on Tuesday.
McDaniel was backed by tea party groups when he tried to defeat Mississippi's senior senator, Thad Cochran, in 2014. At the time, McDaniel positioned himself as the outsider trying to topple the political establishment. The same dynamic would be in play in any race against Wicker.
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8 a.m.
A state lawmaker who tried to unseat one of Mississippi's U.S. senators during a tough 2014 race is expected to announce whether he'll run against the other one this year.
Republican Chris McDaniel is holding an event Wednesday in his hometown of Ellisville. He strongly hinted during a live presentation Monday on Facebook that he might challenge Republican Sen. Roger Wicker in the June 5 Republican primary.
Wicker has been in the Senate a decade. President Donald Trump tweeted his support of Wicker on Tuesday.
McDaniel was backed by tea party groups when he came close to unseating Sen. Thad Cochran in 2014. At the time, McDaniel positioned himself as the outsider trying to topple the political establishment. The same dynamic would be in play in any race against Wicker.