William Thad Cochran was an American attorney and politician who represented Mississippi in the U.S. Senate from 1978 to 2018. As a Republican, he served in the U.S. House of Representatives before his Senate tenure, from 1973 to 1978. He was a prominent figure in Mississippi politics for over four decades.
December 7, 1937: William Thad Cochran Born
On December 7, 1937, William Thad Cochran was born in Pontotoc, Mississippi. He later became a U.S. Senator.
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1946: Family Settled in Hinds County, Mississippi
In 1946, the Cochran family settled in Hinds County, Mississippi, where the state capital Jackson, is located.
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1947: John C. Stennis elected U.S. Senator
In 1947, John C. Stennis became Mississippi's U.S. senator.
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1959: Received B.A. degree from the University of Mississippi
In 1959, Thad Cochran received a B.A. degree from the University of Mississippi, majoring in psychology and minoring in political science.
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1959: Served in United States Navy
In 1959, Thad Cochran served in the United States Navy as an ensign.
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1959: Time in the United States Navy
In 1959, Thad Cochran served in the United States Navy where he was commissioned as an ensign.
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1961: End of Navy Service
In 1961, Thad Cochran concluded his service in the United States Navy.
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1961: End of Navy Service
In 1961, Thad Cochran ended his time in the United States Navy.
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1965: Received J.D. degree from the University of Mississippi School of Law
In 1965, Thad Cochran received a J.D. degree from the University of Mississippi School of Law.
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1968: Chairman of Citizens for Nixon-Agnew
In 1968, Thad Cochran was recruited by Lamar Alexander to serve as chairman of Citizens for Nixon-Agnew in Mississippi.
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1972: Elected to Congress
In 1972, Thad Cochran was elected to Congress as a Republican, representing Mississippi's 4th congressional district. He defeated Democratic state senator Ellis B. Bodron.
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1972: Elected to U.S. House of Representatives
In 1972, Thad Cochran was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Jackson and portions of southwest Mississippi.
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1973: Elected to U.S. House of Representatives
In 1973, Thad Cochran was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Mississippi.
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1974: Won Re-election to Congress
In the 1974 elections, Thad Cochran won in a landslide victory with 70.2 percent of the vote, winning every county besides black-majority Claiborne and Jefferson.
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1976: Won Reelection to Congress
In 1976, Thad Cochran won reelection to Congress with 76% of the vote.
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1978: Elected as Senator for Mississippi
In 1978, Thad Cochran was elected as a United States Senator for Mississippi, marking a significant milestone in his political career.
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1978: Elected to the U.S. Senate
In 1978, Thad Cochran was elected to the U.S. Senate, becoming the first Republican to win a statewide election in Mississippi in a century. He defeated Democrat Maurice Dantin and Independent Charles Evers.
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1978: Won U.S. Senate Election
In 1978, Thad Cochran won a three-way race for U.S. Senate, becoming the first Republican to win a U.S. Senate election in Mississippi since Reconstruction.
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March 1981: Reagan's Congressional Victory
In March 1981, after the Senate Agriculture Committee approved a proposal to enact a temporary freeze on the level of dairy price supports, Thad Cochran stated that the vote was "a great victory for" Reagan and "a very important first step in having his program adopted by Congress."
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April 1981: Cosponsored Bipartisan Experiment
In April 1981, Thad Cochran was one of eight senators to cosponsor a bipartisan six-year experiment in care at home for the elderly and disabled, as an alternative to expensive hospitals and nursing facilities.
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1983: Voted for Martin Luther King Jr. Day Holiday
In 1983, Cochran, a Republican senator, voted for the act to make the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. a legal public holiday.
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1984: Re-elected to the Senate
In 1984, Thad Cochran was re-elected to the Senate, defeating Democratic governor William Winter by a significant margin.
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1985: Vice Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference
In 1985, Thad Cochran became the Vice Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference.
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1990: Re-elected to the Senate Unopposed
In 1990, Thad Cochran was re-elected to the Senate completely unopposed, demonstrating his strong support in Mississippi.
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June 1991: Introduced Legislation for Indian Tribe Recognition
In June 1991, Thad Cochran introduced legislation to establish a commission to oversee recognition of Indian tribes and speed the tribal recognition process.
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1991: Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference
In 1991, Thad Cochran became the Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference.
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June 1996: Ran for Senate Majority Leader
In June 1996, Thad Cochran ran for the post of Senate Majority Leader but lost to Trent Lott.
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1996: Re-elected to the Senate
In 1996, Thad Cochran was re-elected to the Senate, garnering 71 percent of the vote against Democratic nominee Bootie Hunt.
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1996: End of Term as Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference
In 1996, Thad Cochran's term as Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference ended.
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2002: Re-elected to the Senate
In 2002, Thad Cochran was re-elected to the Senate, facing only Reform Party candidate Shawn O'Hara.
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2003: Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee
In 2003, Thad Cochran became the chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee.
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2003: Chaired the Senate Agriculture Committee
In 2003, Thad Cochran chaired the Senate Agriculture Committee.
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June 13, 2005: Senate Apology for Failure to Enact Anti-Lynching Law
On June 13, 2005, the U.S. Senate formally apologized for its failure to enact a federal anti-lynching law; however, Thad Cochran did not join as a cosponsor, stating he was "not in the business of apologizing for what someone else did or didn't do."
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2005: Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee
In 2005, Thad Cochran became the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
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2005: Appointed Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee
In 2005, Thad Cochran was appointed as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
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2005: Voted Against Detainee Treatment Act
In 2005, Thad Cochran was one of nine senators who voted against the Detainee Treatment Act of 2005, which aimed to prohibit "inhumane treatment of prisoners, including prisoners at Guantanamo Bay".
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April 2006: Named One of "America's 10 Best Senators"
In April 2006, Thad Cochran was selected by Time as one of "America's 10 Best Senators" and was dubbed "The Quiet Persuader" for his role in securing money for the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina.
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July 18, 2006: Voted for Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act
On July 18, 2006, Cochran, along with 19 other Republican senators, voted for the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, which sought to lift restrictions on federal funding for stem cell research.
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2007: Voted to Repeal Gun Regulation for Individuals with Mental Health Diagnosis
In 2007, Cochran voted to repeal a regulation that made it illegal for certain individuals with specific mental health diagnoses to purchase guns, arguing it infringed upon Second Amendment rights.
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2007: End of First Term as Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee
In 2007, Thad Cochran's first term as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee ended.
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2008: Re-elected to the Senate
In 2008, Thad Cochran was re-elected to the Senate, defeating State Representative Erik R. Fleming amidst widespread Democratic gains.
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December 2009: Voted Against Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
In December 2009, Cochran voted against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
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April 2010: Topped List of Congressional Earmarks
In April 2010, Thad Cochran reportedly topped the Citizens Against Government Waste's list of congressional earmarks, having requested $490 million in earmarks.
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2010: Voted Against Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act
In 2010, Cochran voted against the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act.
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2012: Encouraged Preparation for Tropical Storm Isaac
In 2012, Cochran encouraged Mississippians to prepare for the effects of Tropical Storm Isaac, emphasizing the importance of staying informed and following emergency orders to lessen potential losses.
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2012: Received Contributions From Oil, Gas, and Coal Interests
Since 2012, Cochran had received more than $290,000 from oil, gas and coal interests.
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April 2013: Voted Against Expanded Background Checks for Gun Buyers
In April 2013, Thad Cochran was among forty-six senators who voted against a bill that would have expanded background checks for gun buyers.
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May 2014: Nursing Home Scandal Emerged
In May 2014, a scandal emerged involving a McDaniel supporter who allegedly took pictures of Thad Cochran's bedridden wife in a nursing home, leading to arrests and controversy during the primary race.
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2014: Death of Rose Clayton Cochran
In 2014, Rose Clayton Cochran, Thad Cochran's wife, passed away.
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2014: Primary Challenge from Chris McDaniel
In 2014, Thad Cochran faced a primary challenge from Tea Party-supported candidate Chris McDaniel, making the election more competitive than initially expected.
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May 23, 2015: Married Kay Webber
On May 23, 2015, Thad Cochran married Kay Webber, a longtime aide, in a private ceremony in Gulfport, Mississippi.
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2015: Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee Again
In 2015, Thad Cochran became the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee for a second time.
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2017: Signed Letter Urging Withdrawal from Paris Agreement
In 2017, Cochran was among 22 senators who signed a letter to President Donald Trump, urging the United States to withdraw from the Paris Agreement.
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2017: Ideological Ranking
In 2017, The New York Times reported that Thad Cochran was the fourth most moderate Republican senator.
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2017: Questions About Cochran's Health
In 2017, questions began to arise over Thad Cochran's deteriorating health, leading to speculation about his possible retirement.
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January 2018: Signed Letter Requesting Preservation of NAFTA
In January 2018, Cochran was among thirty-six Republican senators who signed a letter to President Trump, requesting he preserve the North American Free Trade Agreement by modernizing it.
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March 5, 2018: Announced Retirement from the Senate
On March 5, 2018, Thad Cochran announced that he would retire from the Senate due to ongoing health challenges.
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March 23, 2018: Consolidated Appropriations Act Named Courthouse After Cochran
On March 23, 2018, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018, which was signed into law, named the federal courthouse in Jackson, Mississippi, after Thad Cochran.
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April 1, 2018: Cochran Left Office
On April 1, 2018, Thad Cochran officially left office, marking the end of his tenure in the Senate.
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April 2018: Resigned from the Senate
In April 2018, Thad Cochran resigned from the Senate due to health issues, marking the end of his long tenure.
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May 12, 2018: Received Mississippi Humanitarian Award
On May 12, 2018, Thad Cochran received the Mississippi Humanitarian Award from the University of Mississippi, which is given to exceptional figures who have shaped the state.
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August 9, 2018: Ceremony Held to Recognize Naming of Thad Cochran United States Courthouse
On August 9, 2018, a ceremony was held to recognize the naming of the Thad Cochran United States Courthouse in Jackson, Mississippi.
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2018: End of Second Term as Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee
In 2018, Thad Cochran's second term as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee ended.
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2018: End of Senate Term
In 2018, Thad Cochran's service as a U.S. Senator for Mississippi came to an end, concluding a lengthy and impactful career in the Senate.
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2018: Official Papers to be Housed at University of Mississippi
In 2018, a report indicated that Thad Cochran's official papers were to be housed in the Modern Political Archives at the University of Mississippi.
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May 30, 2019: Thad Cochran Death
On May 30, 2019, Thad Cochran passed away in Oxford, Mississippi, marking the end of his distinguished career in public service.
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2019: USS Thad Cochran (DDG-135) Named in Honor
In 2019, the US Navy posthumously named the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Thad Cochran (DDG-135) after him, in recognition of Cochran's military and civil service.
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