Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum has endorsed state Sen. Chris McDaniel over Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS) in the Mississippi GOP primary next Tuesday.
The endorsement from Santorum–a 2012 GOP presidential candidate who almost beat Mitt Romney for the GOP nomination, and a potential 2016 presidential candidate–comes days before the election, and could help sway the conservative voters of Mississippi toward McDaniel from the dead heat the race is in now. In 2012, Santorum won Mississippi’s 2012 GOP primary for president. He is currently the chairman of conservative group Patriot Voices.
“I am pleased to be supporting Chris McDaniel for U.S. Senate,” Santorum wrote on his website. “He is a proven conservative who will be guided by the U.S. Constitution as he votes on issues before the U.S. Senate. He is particularly focused on finding ways to restore the American dream for blue collar Americans. Chris McDaniel will champion policies in the U.S. Senate that can provide economic opportunity and upward mobility for hard working families in Mississippi.”
Santorum denounced the “distractions of unfortunate political theater” that have happened here, and cited McDaniel’s record in the state Senate as a reason he’s a solid conservative.
“In the Mississippi legislature, Chris has been a champion to stop the aggressive overreach of the government. He has been a fighter for our 2nd Amendment rights, the right to life, a fiscally responsible government and stopping Obamacare,” Santorum said. “He has been a staunchly conservative leader in Mississippi, and I am confident he will bring that dedicated spirit to the U.S. Senate.”
McDaniel thanked Santorum for the endorsement in a press release, saying he is “deeply honored” to have Santorum’s support:
Mississippians know Rick as a champion of their conservative principles. Santorum won the Mississippi presidential primary in 2012 by connecting with our citizens — who came to trust his character, honesty and agenda for the country. Rick showed real leadership in the U.S. Senate and provided a voice for conservatives nationwide when he ran for President. I could not be more pleased to stand beside him as we continue to fight for families and workers in Mississippi and across America.