Mississippi is positioned to benefit from Donald Trump's presidency, party leaders in the state said Wednesday as they savored the former president's victory, a new Republican majority in the U.S. Senate and a potential trifecta if the House majority holds.

"For Mississippi, it's really going to be big and important," former U.S. Sen. Trent Lott said. "This is a happy day for me. I'm excited with the results."

Lott, former Republican Gov. Haley Barbour and Mississippi Republican Party Chairman Mike Hurst each noted that U.S. Sens. Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith will gain prominent committee assignments under a Trump presidency.

With Republicans' return to power, Wicker is poised to become chairman of the Armed Services Committee, while Hyde-Smith could secure a subcommittee chairmanship on the Appropriations Committee. As appropriations chairman after Hurricane Katrina, Sen. Thad Cochran, known as "the quiet persuader," secured billions in disaster relief for Mississippi and the Gulf.

Mississippi's three Republican representatives, including Mike Ezell of Pascagoula, who handily won re-election, will also benefit, Lott said.

"All three of them will move up significantly in key leadership positions," he said.

Trump 'not my cup of tea'

Former Gov. Haley Barbour, who at one time chaired the national Republican party, said he expects Mississippi's economy will benefit from a Trump presidency, most notably in the oil and gas, and military sectors. Barbour has been campaigning hard for Trump and worked on a successful strategy to draw in Hispanic support, even though he wasn't that crazy about the candidate.

"He's not my cup of tea," Barbour said, "but I've supported him every time because he's so much better than the alternative." In the race between Trump and Kamala Harris, he said, "I'm going to be for Donald Trump and, if it's Kamala Harris vs. Donald Duck, I'm going to be for Donald Duck because she's so far left and tried to hide it during this election."

Barbour expects Trump to quickly roll back some executive orders issued by Biden, as Trump withdrew Obama orders when he started his first presidency.

"We produce fossil fuels in Mississippi, both onshore and offshore — oil and gas — but also we have some carbon sequestration in the state," Barbour said. "Those things have been hurt by the Biden administration's policies, including executive orders he signed the first day he was president that would harm and slow down the oil and gas industry."

The state's Republican leaders also expect Mississippi's military bases, Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula and other military suppliers to benefit from a Trump administration. They see a stronger military as part of Trump's plan to stay out of conflicts between other countries because the U.S. would be in a stronger position to broker cease fires or help end conflicts.

Republicans, Democrats can find compromise

They also say Mississippi leaders have built strong relationships with Trump, beginning with former Gov. Phil Bryant. While Bryant was governor, Trump visited the state's Civil Rights Museum when it opened in 2017, to the dismay of civil rights leaders who noted his divisive politics.

Hyde-Smith also has also developed a strong relationship with Trump, Lott and Hurst said. Hurst said she just spent a couple of weeks campaigning with the former president in Montana, Texas, Pennsylvania and North Carolina. Trump also campaigned in Mississippi for Hyde-Smith in 2018 after political blunders threatened her candidacy

Lott, known for his ability to work with Democrats on important legislation when he was in office, believes Republicans and Democrats can get along. He said it will take more communication. He also believes a few strong leaders could change the atmosphere for the better.

"People need to find a way to rise above the political problems to do what's right for the country," Lott said. "Whether that happens, we will see."

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(c)2024 The Sun Herald (Biloxi, Miss.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.