Brett Favre Helps Sen. Thad Cochran Fight to Keep His Seat in Congress

How worried are longtime Senator Thad Cochran's supporters about his re-election chances? Enter Brett Favre.

How worried are longtime Senator Thad Cochran's supporters about his re-election chances? Well, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce released a fourth-quarter ad on Wednesday featuring an endorsement of the incumbent from Brett Favre, as Politico reported. Favre, a Mississippi native, tells viewers that he believes "Thad Cochran always delivers, just like he did during Katrina.”

Cochran came in second earlier this month in the first round of GOP primaries for his Senate seat. His Tea Party challenger Chris McDaniel will have a second chance to take the nomination from the incumbent on Tuesday, during a run-off election for the seat.

Although Mississippi has benefitted from Cochran's knack for bringing federal dollars into the state, McDaniel has been running a campaign that taps into generalized conservative outrage about the Obama presidency. The New York Times spoke to Mississippi voters this week who believed McDaniel would do a better job representing their values, something they prioritized above federal money for major projects. In other words, bad news for Cochran.

If voters select McDaniel over Cochran next week, it would be a big change for the state, which has a long history of electing officials who know how to take money from D.C. and funnel it back home. Favre's ad seems to be an attempt to remind voters of the benefits of that style of congressman: "I’ve learned through football that strong leadership makes the difference between winning and losing," the former Green Bay quarterback says, adding, "and when it comes to our state’s future, trust me: Mississippi can win and win big with Thad Cochran."