Bryant criticizes ad attacking McDaniel
Although he endorsed incumbent Sen. Thad Cochran in a Sunday op-ed in The Clarion-Ledger, Gov. Phil Bryant on Monday criticized an attack ad against Republican challenger Chris McDaniel.
“I’m disappointed in that – it’s just not something that’s necessary,” Bryant said on Monday of the recent “Whoever” ad against McDaniel from the Mississippi Conservatives super-PAC. “I would urge them to stop the Republican-on-Republican attack. I believe it was Ronald Reagan who talked about the 11th commandment – thou shalt not speak ill of a fellow Republican.”
Bryant has endorsed Cochran, and his former chief of staff recently left to help run Cochran’s re-election campaign. But Bryant, who has enjoyed wide tea party conservative support like McDaniel, has not criticized McDaniel or his decision to challenge a fellow Republican.
The new Mississippi Conservatives super PAC has a television ad that accuses McDaniel of being “whoever he needs to be” to get elected, and questions his conservative bona fides, saying he voted for measures that increased state debt by $1.2 billion. Campaigns are, by law, not supposed to be involved in ads by super PACs and other third-party groups.
Clarion Ledger
2/3/14
Magnolia Tribune
