MS-Sen: McDaniel keeps trying to align with Trump, despite losing out on his endorsement

President Donald Trump didn't endorse Republican state Sen. Chris McDaniel in the Mississippi U.S. Senate special election, but that hasn't stopped McDaniel from continuing to try to align himself with the president, McClatchy reported.

Trump endorsed McDaniel's opponent, Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) in August, and will campaign for Hyde-Smith at a Make America Great Again rally in Southaven on Oct. 2.

So, McDaniel told his supporters to show up to the rally.

"Let's get every America First Conservative out to the rally in support of President Trump," an email from the McDaniel campaign read.

What does Hyde-Smith think about this?

Hyde-Smith's campaign slammed McDaniel for the tactic of trying to use an event meant for Hyde-Smith.

"This is a whole new level of pathetic, even for Chris McDaniel," Hyde-Smith campaign spokeswoman Melissa Scallan told McClatchy.

"The president endorsed Cindy Hyde-Smith, and Chris McDaniel can't seem to accept that," Scallan continued. "These emails are fooling on one. He does not have the president's support, and he won't ever.

The White House also distanced itself from McDaniel's actions, according to a source, and slapped down an allegation by McDaniel that Trump's decisions on who to endorse come from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

"The president makes his own decisions and it's insulting and unhelpful for anyone to claim otherwise," said a White House source, according to McClatchy. "Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith earned his trust and support, and the president is confident the people of Mississippi will make the right decision in November."

Why is McDaniel doing this?

McDaniel, earlier this month, explained to McClatchy that Trump has a history of endorsing people only due to pressure from Republican leadership, saying the president "endorsed John McCain and Paul Ryan for the same reasons. Our goal is to make sure that Donald Trump is his own man, and never has to cut these deals with Mitch McConnell again."