Before Gov. Phil Bryant appointed Mississippi Agriculture Commissioner Cindy Hyde-Smith to fill the spot of retiring U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran on Wednesday morning, Chris McDaniel’s Press Team sent out an Open Letter to President Donald J. Trump opposing the move.

More than 100 state Republican Party leaders, including eight Adams County GOP leaders, signed the letter.

Trump, however, had told Bryant earlier this week that he did not plan to campaign or endorse Hyde-Smith, ProPublica report-ed Wednesday.

The primary concern laid out by Mississippi Republicans, the letter says, is Hyde-Smith’s past as a Democrat. In 2010 while she was serving in the state Senate, Hyde-Smith changed parties from the Democrat to Republican.

Former Adams County GOP Chairwoman Sue Stedman said she does not believe the eight local GOP signees are indicative of Ad-ams County as a whole.

All eight of the GOP leaders signed on to the open letter are members of the current executive committee of the local Republican Party Stedman said. There are approximately 20 executive committee members, meaning those who signed do not make up the majority of local party executives.

“We are a county that went for Cochran,” Stedman said. “That the current Adams County GOP is just highly supportive of Chris McDaniel is my assumption. I think that is what this is all about.”

Stedman, who is no longer on the Adams County GOP executive committee, said she would not have signed the open letter in any case.

“Cindy Hyde-Smith, she has been in D.C.,” she said, referring to Hyde-Smith’s involvement in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s catfish inspection program. “She is just as qualified as Chris McDaniel is and ultimately, it’s the governor’s choice. They have a right to an opinion, but it’s the governor’s choice.”

“We do not want what happened in Alabama or Pennsylvania-18 to happen here in Mississippi,” the letter states.

“Both of those races were disastrous for the Republican Party.
“Today, in Mississippi, Governor Phil Bryant intends to nominate Ag Commissioner Cindy Hyde-Smith.

“We, the undersigned, oppose this nomination and urge you not to lend your endorsement to her campaign …”

The letter goes on to state that Hyde-Smith had been a Democrat and changed party affiliation when she ran for statewide office.

“She is very unlikely to make the run-off in November, which is why we are writing to you, asking that you not lend your name to a candidate that is likely to lose. . .”

Adams County GOP leaders who signed the letter are Paul Brown, chairman, Adams County GOP; Greg Smith, vice chairman, Ad-ams County GOP; Sarah Allen, secretary, Adams County GOP; Melanie Sojourner, executive committee member Adams County GOP; Mignon White, executive committee member Adams County GOP; Callon Harrison, executive committee member Adams County GOP; Roy David executive committee member Adams County GOP; Everard Baker, executive committee member Adams County GOP.

Several Mississippi Republicans, including Cochran, have voiced support for Bryant’s nomination.

“I congratulate Gov. Bryant on his historic selection of Cindy Hyde-Smith to represent Mississippi in the United States Senate,” Cochran said in a statement. “She is a very well-qualified person whose experiences and excellent character will benefit our state in Washington.”

U.S. Rep. Gregg Harper, R-Miss., also released a statement Wednesday saying he supported Hyde-Smith.

“I fully support Governor Bryant’s selection of Commissioner Cindy Hyde-Smith to be our next United States Senator,” Harper said in his statement. “Cindy Hyde-Smith is a solid conservative that will represent Mississippi well and with great integrity. The governor has made an excellent selection, and I look forward to serving with her in Washington, D.C.”

The Natchez Democrat Editor Scott Hawkins contributed to this report.