“Without belittling the courage with which men have died, we should not forget those acts of courage with which men have lived.” So wrote Senator John F. Kennedy in his 1956 Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Profiles in Courage.
Courage can be defined as strength in the face of fear, pain, or grief. Political courage is showing such strength while doing what is right, even as pressure mounts from constituents, well-funded political action committees, or one’s political opponents. Kennedy well understood that elected officials face pressure to be liked, to be re-elected, and from special interest groups to do their bidding.
Many politicians succumb to the pressure and simply go with the flow; but a statesman, as rare as they are, will stand like a rock on principle. Chris McDaniel is one such statesman and he has demonstrated this important virtue throughout his political career in the Mississippi Senate.
When the pressure came from the “woke” crowd to change Mississippi’s state flag, who stood the tallest in opposing a change and calling for a statewide vote to allow the people to choose their own flag? Chris McDaniel.
“Mississippi has changed its flag, but it cannot be said we moved forward together. Indeed, it’s impossible to move forward ‘together’ when Mississippians were not allowed to choose a flag from multiple options, including the 1894 design. No, it was pushed down our throats by a legislature that didn’t trust the people to decide. That’s not progress. Just more backroom deals.”
When the Biden administration called for mandates for the Covid vaccine, which would affect Ingalls and other state industries, and citizens were rallying against it, who stood with them? Chris McDaniel, who one paper called “the largest legislative champion” for their cause.
“It’s just so infuriating, I never thought I would see the day where any president, much less any federal government, would try to tell you what you must put in your body. That is the most anti-American approach I’ve ever seen in my life.”
When the legislature attempted to give themselves a hefty pay hike in 2022, amounting to $6,000 per year, who stood up to stop it in the Senate? Chris McDaniel, whose motion to kill the pay raise was successful.
“Politicians do not deserve pay raises. When we run for office, we know exactly how much money we’re going to be making. We assume that responsibility.”
When legislators wanted to give Mississippi taxpayers a modest tax cut, which would have amounted to just an average of $200 a year, who stood to eliminate the income tax altogether? Chris McDaniel. In fact, as the 2023 legislative session began, Senator McDaniel announced that his top priority would be eliminating the state income tax.
“We need to be economically aggressive in attracting jobs. If you want to see upward mobility with our people, then eliminate that punitive tax of success. In other words, where taxes exist, give the money back to Mississippians and let them spend it, and I think you’ll see jobs and creativity across our state improve.”
In a side note, while in the State Senate, McDaniel has fought against every single attempt to raise taxes on the people of Mississippi.
These are just three of the most recent major political fights that Senator Chris McDaniel has waged in recent years. There have been many others.
But, as the race for Lt. Governor takes off, we must ask ourselves several important questions: What major political fights has Delbert Hosemann waged? When has Hosemann ever shown the slightest bit of political courage? When has he fought on behalf of the interests of all Mississippians?
He hasn’t; he goes with the popular flow. Hosemann did not fight for the right of the people to choose their own flag. He did not raise his voice in opposition to vaccine mandates. And he did not fight to kill the state income tax; in fact, he stopped the bill that would have eliminated it.
No, Delbert Hosemann has not shown any political courage throughout his career; on the contrary, he has helped Democrats have successful legislative sessions, even though Republicans hold a super majority. He is Mississippi’s Mitch McConnell.
The only choice for conservatives in Mississippi is Chris McDaniel for Lt. Governor, the most courageous voice in Jackson.
Ryan S. Walters 
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