Associated Press: “He is one of the Republican Party’s most-prized recruits, a young U.S. Senate candidate with an outsider resume and a populist message designed to appeal equally to farmers, suburban moms and the national GOP’s moneyed elite.”

“But things get complicated when you ask Josh Hawley about President Trump. Hawley, who launched a Republican Senate bid in Missouri less than a year after being elected state attorney general, won’t say whether he considers the Republican president a role model.”

The Washington Post reports that Mississippi Senate appointee Cindy Hyde-Smith (R) sat down yesterday with White House officials, who weren’t too keen on her when Gov. Phil Bryant (R) named her for the seat last week.

First Read: “At issue, among other things, is Hyde-Smith’s past as a former Democrat, which some Republicans worry could hamper her run against conservative firebrand Chris McDaniel, who’s also seeking the seat. Keep in mind that, if no candidate between Hyde-Smith, McDaniel and Democratic candidate Mike Espy gets to 50% of the vote on Election Day, we’ll be in for a runoff.”

McDaniel tweets: “It sounds like the WH is on the right track in refusing to endorse Cindy Hyde-Smith but this should help them make a final decision.”

Author and attorney Andy Taggart (R) said he is “very seriously considering running” for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Thad Cochran, the Jackson Clarion Ledger reports.

“Taggart’s statement comes a day after Gov. Phil Bryant (R) announced he will appoint Agriculture Commissioner Cindy Hyde-Smith to Cochran’s seat temporarily and support her election to the post in November. It also comes amid Bryant facing some Republican backlash over his choice.”

“Many establishment GOP leaders in Mississippi and Washington, including Taggart and White House advisers, have questioned Bryant’s choice. They fear Hyde-Smith, who served for years as a Democratic state Senator, would be vulnerable to a challenge from the right or left.”

Earlier for members: How Democrats Could Pick Up a Senate Seat in Mississippi

“White House officials this week told Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant (R) that President Trump did not plan to campaign for or endorse Cindy Hyde-Smith (R) if she was appointed to the state’s open Senate seat, saying they were worried that the former Democrat would lose,” Politico reports.

“Bryant responded that he intended to go ahead and pick Hyde-Smith for the post, anyway. He’s expected to formally announce the selection Wednesday.”

“Republicans are deeply concerned that Chris McDaniel, an anti-establishment conservative state senator who is running for the seat, will use Hyde-Smith’s past party affiliation against her in the race.”

Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant (R) is expected to pick Agriculture Commissioner Cindy Hyde-Smith (R) to replace Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS), the Jackson Clarion-Ledger reports, “a move likely to gain approval from President Trump in lead-up to one of the most important midterm elections in the country.”

Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant (R) said that his pick for an interim replacement for Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS) would come “sooner rather than later,” the Jackson Clarion-Ledger reports.

“Most folks are taking that to mean sometime this week.”

“And the Republican governor’s short list — according to numerous sources — has gotten short indeed: Agriculture Commissioner Cindy Hyde-Smith and Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann. Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves — who had been Bryant’s top pick — doesn’t want the job largely because he has young children and doesn’t want to move his family to Washington, instead looking at a gubernatorial run in 2019.”

Chris McDaniel (R) announced that he will run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS), instead of pursuing his previously announced Republican primary challenge to Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), the Jackson Clarion Ledger reports.

For members: How Democrats Could Pick Up a Senate Seat in Mississippi

Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant (R) has told Republicans that President Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) have urged him to appoint himself to the Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Thad Cochran, who is retiring early due to health issues, the AP reports.

Bryant is limited to two terms as governor, and his time in that job ends in January 2020.

Former Rep. Mike Espy (D-MS) announced his “strong intention to run” for the U.S. Senate seat Thad Cochran announced he’ll leave April 1, the Jackson Clarion-Ledger reports.

“Espy served as a Democrat in the U.S. House representing the 2nd District from 1987 to 1993 — the first African-American to hold a Mississippi congressional seat since Reconstruction, then served as secretary of agriculture in the Clinton administration, the first African-American to hold that post.”

Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant (R) “is not interested in going to the U.S. Senate, despite urging from President Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell,” the Jackson Clarion-Ledger reports.

“The Washington Post reported Thursday night that McConnell met with Bryant this week and asked the governor to appoint himself in the event that Sen. Thad Cochran stepped down in the coming months. Sources close to Bryant told the Clarion Ledger after the Post report was published that Bryant is not interested in such a scenario. The sources did confirm the conversation with McConnell and also said the president had talked to Bryant about the same thing.”

“The same sources said Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves (R) would be the leading candidate if Cochran steps down.”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has asked Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant (R) to consider appointing himself to the Senate if ailing Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS) resigns from office, the Washington Post reports.

“President Trump, a supporter of Bryant, backs the plan, according to a person familiar with the situation, though there are several other options that both McConnell and Trump have discussed if Bryant declines.”