I think in national security, the war in Iraq is troublesome and a difficult challenge, but our troops and the military leaders we have are managing that situation, although it continues to be very risky and very dangerous.

However Cochran has considerable influence behind the scenes especially in Mississippi. This made him the first Republican to win a statewide election in Mississippi in a century. As of 2010 he is the sixth-longest currently serving Senator and the third longest-serving Republican.

Cochran is the fourth most-senior Senator and the second most-senior Republican member. William Thad Cochran (born December 7 1937) is the senior United States Senator from Mississippi and a member of the Republican Party.