Longtime Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss., died Thursday at the age of 81, according to his successor’s office.
Cochran, who retired in April 2018 after representing the Magnolia State in Congress for more than 45 years, died Thursday morning in Oxford, Miss., Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith’s office said in a statement. His retirement came after a series of health concerns, including a urological procedure that required him to miss about a month of work last year.
“Cochran’s family extends its gratitude for the support shown to the Senator by Mississippians over the years,” a Hyde-Smith spokesperson said.
A Navy veteran, Cochran served as chairman of the Senate Appropriations and Agriculture committees during his tenure in the upper chamber.
“It has been a great honor to serve the people of Mississippi and our country,” Cochran said at the time of his retirement. “I’ve done my best to make decisions in the best interests of our nation, and my beloved state. My top concern has always been my constituents in Mississippi.”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., described Cochran as a “quiet persuader” and difference-maker rather than a lawmaker who made “a fuss” after his retirement announcement.
