Port Gibson residents, from left, Bobby Greenlee, Mary Jane Greenlee, Janice Jones, Jane Montgomery and Malcolm Montgomery greet U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran at Port Gibson City Hall Wednesday. (The Vicksburg Post/Melanie Duncan)

[08/15/02]PORT GIBSON Sen. Thad Cochran said here Wednesday that Congress is working to put a new Department of Homeland Security into effect.

Cochran, a Republican and Mississippi’s senior senator, made the comments while on a campaign stop in one of the Mississippi counties that consistently favors Democrats.

After delivering brief remarks and answering some questions from about 35 local officials and supporters, Cochran headed for stops in Fayette and Natchez.

Re-election for Cochran has not been in doubt, but also on Wednesday, the Democratic nominee, Steven Turney of Bassfield, announced he was dropping out of the race for health reasons. If the Democrats do not pick a substitute candidate, Cochran will face independent and perennial candidate Shawn O’Hara on the Nov. 5 ballot.

Cochran, 64, will be seeking his fifth term in the Senate. He also served six years in the U.S. House starting in 1972.

Before asking Cochran about any money in the Homeland Security legislation for local law enforcement, Claiborne County Sheriff Frank Davis said his department already had a grant application in the senator’s office and asked for favorable action.

Claiborne is home to Grand Gulf Nuclear Station, Mississippi’s only nuclear plant, where security was increased following the terror attacks of Sept. 11.

Cochran said members of both houses have been adding things to the Homeland Security legislation that have nothing to do with making sure the United States and its citizens are safer and President Bush has promised to veto it.

“We’ve got to develop a better avenue on these things and we may get more done,” he said. “We need to focus attention quickly on this terrorism threat.”

Cochran said the nation needs to focus its intelligence-gathering strength on terrorists so American leaders will know what the terrorists are doing and when.

Cochran also mentioned the Natchez Trace and other tourism and economic matters. Also attracting his attention were projects to enhance Alcorn State University, located only a few miles southwest of Port Gibson, through the Department of Agriculture.

“It has been a pleasure to work with local officials over the years, and the citizens, to try to make sure we get as much help as we possibly can for this area of our state,” he said.

Cochran said that in his new term, seniority will put him in key positions, perhaps as chairman of the Agriculture Committee and later as chairman of the Appropriations Committee.