Mississippi is not a state that was at the top of anyone’s list for a possible Democratic Senate pick-up. Republican Sen. Roger Wicker’s seat is up in the fall, but Wicker won his 2012 race by 17 percent, and Trump took the state by 18 percent. Even considering the recent Democratic upsets—including Doug Jones’ victory in Alabama—flipping a seat in Mississippi has to seem like an extreme long shot. But then Republican Thad Cochran announced he’s leaving his seat early, meaning that Mississippi Republicans have to defend not one, but two slots in November. Suddenly both parties have cause to take a fresh look at this traditionally deep-red state.
And when it comes to what Republicans are going to do about filling Cochran’s vacant seat in the meantime, there’s one step they could take that would make the race even more interesting. Republicans are deeply worried that tea party candidate Chris McDaniel, who almost took the GOP primary from Cochran the last time around, might jump into the race, putting Republicans in the position of defending McDaniel’s extreme statements in a year that looks to be anything from a modest blue wave to a sapphire tsunami. So they want someone safe. Someone with a proven record in the state. Someone like …
[Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant] has not said whether he would consider appointing himself to the Senate. He has told some in the GOP that Trump and McConnell have urged to appoint himself, according to one Republican who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss private conversations.
Putting a politician who has already won a state-wide race into the slot may seem like good thinking, but the history of governors who have used their appointment power to put themselves in the Senate is not a good one. For some reason, voters seem to view this as a self-serving power grab.
For the record, these governors did not actually appoint themselves; they resigned as governor and had their successors name them to the Senate. But for the most part it served as a self-appointment, and the voters nearly always let their resentment known at the first opportunity.
Of the governors who used their power to put themselves in the Senate, only one managed to make it through an actual election—and that one was in 1939.
Happy Chandler, former governor of Kentucky, boosted himself into a Senate slot and won the next two elections before leaving to become commissioner of baseball. Chandler was the commissioner who approved Jackie Robinson's contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers. He also supported the rights of the players over the owners and earned a reputation as a progressive, pro-labor commissioner … which is probably why owners did not renew his contract in 1951. Which was okay with Chandler. He went back to Kentucky and was elected governor again, 20 years after his first term.
But most governors are … not Happy Chandler, as NPR showed when they looked into this issue almost a decade ago:
Montana, 1933 — Sen. Thomas Walsh (D) died. Gov. John Erickson (D) appointed self, lost 1934 primary.
Kentucky, 1939 — Sen. Marvel Logan (D) died. Gov. Happy Chandler (D) appointed self, won elections in 1940 and 1942.
Nevada, 1945 — Sen. James Scrugham (D) died. Gov. Edward Carville (D) appointed self, lost 1946 primary.
Idaho, 1945 — Sen. John Thomas (R) died. Gov. Charles Gossett (D) appointed self, lost 1946 primary.
Wyoming, 1960 — Sen.-elect Keith Thomson (R) died. Gov. John J. Hickey (D) appointed self, lost 1962 election.
New Mexico, 1962 — Sen. Dennis Chavez (D) died. Gov. Edwin Mechem (R) appointed self, lost 1964 election.
Oklahoma, 1963 — Sen. Robert Kerr (D) died. Gov. J. Howard Edmondson (D) appointed self, lost 1964 primary.
South Carolina, 1965 — Sen. Olin Johnston (D) died. Gov. Donald Russell (D) appointed self, lost 1966 primary.
Minnesota, 1977 — Sen. Walter Mondale (D) elected vice president. Gov. Wendell Anderson (D) appointed self, lost 1978 election.
Note that most of these self-selected senators didn’t even make it past the primary. Which suggests that the best way for Republicans to ensure that the radical Chris McDaniel has that slot going into the 2018 general election is to put Phil Bryant there today.
And the best thing that could happen for Democrats in Mississippi would be if Republicans listen to Trump and McConnell.