Chris McDaniel

This article is about the Mississippi politician. For the Kentucky politician, see Christian McDaniel.

Chris McDaniel
McDaniel in 2019
Member of the Mississippi Senate
from the 42nd district
In office
January 8, 2008 – January 2, 2024
Preceded byStacey Pickering
Succeeded byRobin Robinson
Personal details
Born
Christopher Brian McDaniel

(1971-06-28) June 28, 1971 (age 53)
Laurel, Mississippi, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseJill Tullos McDaniel
Children2
Parents
  • Carlos McDaniel
  • Charlotte McDaniel
EducationJones County Junior College (AA)
William Carey University (BS)
University of Mississippi (JD)

Christopher Brian McDaniel (born June 28, 1971) is an American attorney, talk radio host, perennial candidate for statewide office, and politician who served in the Mississippi State Senate from 2008 to 2024.[1][2] His politics have been widely described as far-right.[3][4][5] He has been described as the leader of that faction of the Mississippi Republican Party, believing "the government is the big, bad enemy of working people, and it should be completely stripped of its size and might so that citizens may take full control of their lives."[6]

A member of the Republican Party, McDaniel gained national attention for his Tea Party-backed 2014 Republican primary challenge to incumbent U.S. Senator Thad Cochran. After neither candidate received a majority in a hard-fought primary, Cochran narrowly defeated McDaniel in the runoff election.[7] McDaniel ran for the U.S. Senate again in 2018, winning 16.4% of the vote in the nonpartisan, four-candidate primary. McDaniel then ran for Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi, unsuccessfully challenging incumbent Delbert Hosemann.

  1. ^ "Attorney, Partner of Hortman, Harlow, Bassi, Robinson and McDaniel, PLLC". Billstatus.ls.state.ms.us. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
  2. ^ "Senator Chris McDaniel's Biography". Votesmart.org. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference :3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Scott, Dylan (March 21, 2018). "Democrats have a legitimate shot to win the Mississippi Senate race". Vox. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
  6. ^ Ganucheau, Adam (March 28, 2022). "Mississippi's three Republican parties and how they influenced the income tax debate". Mississippi Today. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
  7. ^ Weisman, Jonathan (June 24, 2014). "Cochran Holds Off Tea Party Challenger in Mississippi". The New York Times. Retrieved July 4, 2018.