Former Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) — who remains one of the most influential figures in Magnolia State politics — has lent his support to Southaven Mayor Greg Davis in the tightly contested 1st district Republican runoff.

The Davis campaign on Wednesday released a letter of support from the former Senate Majority Leader reporting $8,000 in contributions from Lott.

Davis is facing former Tupelo Mayor Glenn McCullough (R) in the April 1 special election runoff to fill the open House seat of now-Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.). Neither was able to secure 50 percent of the vote in the Republican primary earlier this month.

Lott’s support of Davis in the runoff is particularly interesting because back in 2001 Lott was a key voice of support for McCullough when the former Tupelo mayor earned a presidential appointment to serve as chairman of the Tennessee Valley Authority.

But according to published reports, Lott soured on McCullough by the time his term as TVA chairman expired in 2005 and the Senator publicly opposed his renomination that year.

Lott said at the time that he believed the TVA’s board had not done enough to address the agency’s then-$25 billion debt during McCullough’s time on the board and told the Chattanooga Times Free Press, “I’d rather that he not stay on the board.”

In his letter of support to Davis, Lott said: “I am extremely proud to participate in your campaign through these contributions as I know you will work to preserve and defend the principles we both share.”

Davis said he was “honored and humbled” by Lott’s support.

— John McArdle