JACKSON (AP) — Mississippi’s new U.S. senator is keeping some top staff members who worked for her predecessor.

Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith is also filling other top staff jobs with people who worked for her when she was Mississippi commissioner of agriculture.

Hyde-Smith was sworn in Monday to succeed fellow Republican Thad Cochran, who retired from the Senate April 1.

She is keeping Brad White, a former state Republican Party chairman, as chief of staff.

John G. Campbell becomes deputy chief of staff for administration in the Senate office. The former state entomologist worked as deputy commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Agriculture.

Umesh Sanjanwala is the senator’s state director. He worked in information technology for several state agencies, including the agriculture department. He became special assistant to Hyde-Smith in 2012.