Jackson Free Press

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A Republican state senator who has twice run for higher office says he won't seek a statewide position in Mississippi's 2019 elections.

Chris McDaniel of Ellisville announced Thursday that he will "take a short break from statewide campaigns."

Instead, McDaniel says he'll seek re-election to his state Senate seat covering parts of Jones and Forrest counties.

McDaniel narrowly lost a challenge for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate to incumbent Thad Cochran in 2014. Last November, he finished third in a four-way special U.S. Senate election to complete Cochran's term. Eventual Republican winner Cindy Hyde-Smith and Democrat Mike Espy advanced to a runoff.

McDaniel says he wants to spend more time with his children. He says he'll focus on helping elect conservatives and "restoring the conscience of the Republican Party."