POLITICAL LEDGER

Cochran marries longtime aide Kay Webber

Sam R. Hall
Clarion Ledger
Senator Thad Cochran and Kay Webber Cochran on their wedding day in Gulfport, Mississippi, Saturday, May 23, 2015.  © 2015 James Edward Bates

U.S. Senator Thad Cochran married his longtime aide Kay Webber in a private family ceremony in Gulfport on Saturday, according to a one-sentence statement released by his office Monday.

Cochran's relationship with Webber became the topic of much speculation and intrigue during last year's Republican U.S. Senate primary. Supporters of challenger Chris McDaniel accused Cochran of carrying on an affair with Webber. Cochran's office denied any kind of affair.

Rumors of a possible marriage between Cochran and Webber surfaced earlier in May; however, multiple Cochran staffers denied any knowledge of a possible wedding as recently as last week.

"Interesting message," Cochran spokesman Chris Gallegos responded to Clarion-Ledger Political Editor Geoff Pender on May 13, when asked via e-mail about a potential wedding for Cochran. "I don't have any information on the subject and the senator hasn't discussed anything like this with me."

Senate and campaign staff defended the relationship between Cochran and Webber during last year's campaign in light of news detailing travel overseas and back to the district that included Cochran and Webber. A campaign spokesperson at the time said Webber "is a member of the staff and a trusted aide, and any other suggestion is silly gossip."

Gallegos said Monday that Webber would remain on the senator's staff.

Cochran was married to the former Rose Clayton for 50 years until her death Dec. 12, 2014. Rose Cochran spent more than a decade in a personal care facility, mostly bedridden and suffering from dementia.

During last year's election, a Pearl blogger took photographs of the bedridden Cochran in her nursing home and then posted them online in a video.

The blogger, Clayton Kelly, was one of four people arrested on felony charges in relation to the incident. Mark Mayfield, a Ridgeland attorney, committed suicide in July, nearly two months after being arrested. John Mary of Hattiesburg, a former radio host, pled guilty to conspiracy charges in August. Richard Sager, an educator from Laurel, still faces charges in the matter.

Political Editor Geoff Pender contributed to this report.