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Republican Roger Wicker, appointed to the Senate last year when Trent Lott resigned, has opened an 11-point lead over Democratic challenger Ronnie Musgrove in Mississippi. The latest Rasmussen Reports poll of the state finds Wicker leading his opponent 54% to 43% in the state's special Senate race. At the end of September, Wicker slipped to a two-point advantage over Musgrove. The race was also tight in May and June, but Wicker had begun pulling away over the summer. In August he led 47% to 42%.

There’s little change in the race between appointed U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R) and former Governor Ronnie Musgrove (D). The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in Mississippi found Wicker attracts 47% of the vote, while Musgrove earns support from 42%. Last month, Wicker had a six-point edge. When “leaners” are included, Wicker’s lead expands to nine percentage points, 52% to 43%. That’s the same as last month’s total.

It's a no good, very bad, horrible, terrible day for Musgrove WASHINGTON, DC -- Ronnie Musgrove is having arguably his worst day ever. First, he was named as the public official in the Mississippi Beef Processors Plant case. Then, the most recent defendant in the Beef case pleaded guilty to giving Musgrove a $25,000 "gratuity." News articles are even reporting there may be more action in the Beef case this week. And now, the news is reporting that former trial lawyer Paul Minor -- who gave more than $171,000 to Musgrove's campaigns -- is asking to be freed from jail....

Appointed U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R), seeking to win the job for a full term, has opened a modest lead over former Governor Ronnie Musgrove (D). The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in Mississippi found Wicker attracts 48% of the vote, while Musgrove earns support from 42%. When “leaners” are included, Wicker’s lead expands to nine percentage points, 52% to 43%. These latest numbers represent a significant in the race. A month ago, Wicker held a statistically insignificant one-percentage point lead. The month before, Musgrove held an equally insignificant one-point lead.

“I’m a strong opponent of illegal immigrants,” he said. “We’ve got to secure our borders.” Wicker, who has voted to increase funding to build a fence along the southern border and to add more border patrol agents to protect the border, said enforcement is a key. “We need to enforce the law and protect the border,” he said. “We should be able to tell businesses if someone is an illegal immigrant and then hold them accountable if they hire them after they have been informed.” Wicker said, however, he thinks one of the most important issues facing Americans is the...

Just one week after Democrats picked up Sen. Roger Wicker's (R-Miss.) former House seat in northeast Mississippi, the party's Senate campaign committee released a new poll showing Wicker trailing former Gov. Ronnie Musgrove (D) in November's special election Senate race. The poll shows Musgrove leading Wicker 48 to 40 percent in a head-to-head matchup. Musgrove holds a 57 percent favorability rating, while 30 percent of voters view him unfavorably. Wicker also sports high approval ratings, but is less known throughout the state - which is partially attributable for his polling deficit.

OXFORD, Miss. -- Former Mississippi Gov. Ronnie Musgrove confirmed to The Associated Press on Friday that he will run for the U.S. Senate. Musgrove plans to hold a series of news conferences Monday in Tupelo, Jackson, Hattiesburg and Gulfport. "I'll be announcing, yes," Musgrove told the AP in a telephone interview from his law office in Madison County. Musgrove, a Democrat, will run in a special election against Republican Roger Wicker, who was appointed this week to fill the job left vacant by the retirement of the GOP's Trent Lott. The date of the special election is in dispute. Republican...

JACKSON, Miss, - Gov. Haley Barbour on Monday announced his choice for Trent Lott's replacement in the Senate: Rep. Roger Wicker, a conservative congressman. Barbour said it was important to select a person with Lott's "conservative values" and who would be able to work with Mississippi Sen. Thad Cochran, also a Republican. "I am a mainstream conservative in the mold of Trent Lott, Thad Cochran, Haley Barbour and (U.S. Rep.) Chip Pickering and I believe the vast majority of Mississipians share this philosophy," Wicker said at a news conference. "At the same time, I hope my constituents and colleagues view...

BARBOUR PICKS WICKER 12/31/2007 11:16:36 AM Daily Journal JACKSON – It’s official: U.S. Rep. Roger Wicker, R-Tupelo, is Mississippi’s new junior senator. Gov. Haley Barbour announced his choice today at an 11 a.m. news conference in Jackson. The governor is authorized to appoint an interim senator until a special statewide election to fill the remaining five years on the term. Wicker, a Pontotoc native, has represented Mississippi’s 1st Congressional District since 1994. Before that, he was a two-term state senator. Barbour will introduce South Mississippians to Wicker at an afternoon news conference.

Miss. congressman to replace Sen. Lott By JACK ELLIOTT JR., Associated Press Writer 8 minutes ago Republican Haley Barbour's choice to succeed Sen. Trent Lott is Rep. Roger Wicker, a conservative congressman, congressional officials with knowledge of the selection process said Monday. Wicker, 56, will serve until a special election is held, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the announcement had not yet been made. Wicker is expected to be a candidate in the special election, which Barbour has scheduled for Nov. 4. Wicker had been mentioned as a possible successor since Lott's resignation this month...

There will be a New Year’s Eve Senate name-dropping in Mississippi, when Republican Gov. Haley Barbour is scheduled to announce his appointee as the interim replacement to resigned Republican Sen. Trent Lott. Republican Rep. Roger Wicker of the 1st District is widely regarded as a leading candidate to be Barbour’s choice, and other GOP figures are thought to be under consideration. While Barbour has not tipped his hand, one prominent Mississippi Republican — retiring 3rd District Rep. Charles W. “Chip” Pickering Jr. — took it upon himself Friday afternoon to remove himself from the running for the seat that Lott...

It’s not science, but a recent poll of 600 Mississippi voters shows U.S. Rep. Roger Wicker of Tupelo might do pretty well in a head-to-head Senate race against former Gov. Ronnie Musgrove. Conducted Dec. 10-12 by Research 2000 of Olney, Md., the telephone poll was conducted before former Attorney General Mike Moore took his name out of contention, but its results show Wicker would beat the charismatic Moore and Musgrove, if they were pitted for the Senate race. The margin of error is 4 percentage points, and black voters may have been under-surveyed. They make up 34 percent of the...

Wicker returns after brief trip to Iraq JACKSON, Miss. -- U.S. Rep. Roger Wicker returned to the United States on Tuesday from a visit to Iraq. Wicker, R-Tupelo, told the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal that movement toward long-term stability and sectarian reconciliation in a united government remains within grasp in the war torn country. After spending a day in Baghdad and two nights in Qatar, Wicker said he saw evidence of progress from the military "surge" strategy implemented by President Bush in February. The strategy involved ordering additional troops to Iraq and intensifying efforts to de-terrorize specific areas. Wicker, who...

REPORT FROM CONGRESS By Congressman Roger F. Wicker WICKER CALLS FOR U.S.-MEXICO BORDER FENCE A plan to construct a security barrier along the 2,000 mile boundary between the U. S. and Mexico is at the heart of the most sweeping legislation ever introduced to fight illegal immigration and protect America's borders. I have joined as a co-sponsor of this bill, which would strengthen immigration law and send a message to the world that the U.S. is serious about solving this critical problem. The TRUE Enforcement and Border Security Act includes provisions to increase border patrol agents, give law enforcement authorities...