Sen. Cochran’s Hail Mary Strategy: Tea Partier is Austerity-Crazed Rookie
In the last few days before the runoff election between incumbent Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS) and state Sen. Chris McDaniel (R-MS), Cochran and his supporters are not hyping the senator’s conservative bona fides or making clear plays to woo tea partiers who support McDaniel. Rather — the longtime senator who could very well lose in the runoff— is attacking McDaniel as a bit too ready to cut spending everywhere and unpolished to become a U.S. Senator representing Mississippi.
One recent ad by Cochran’s campaign, for instance, hits McDaniel over his days as a radio host where he ranted against libertarianism, a candidate who McDaniel said was using her “boobies” to get elected, and made fun of whiny minorities.
“It’s so interesting to see this woman, basically using her #%$^@&!…using her a breasts to run for office,” McDaniel is clipped saying in the ad.
Meanwhile the Chamber of Commerce, which supports Cochran, on Monday released a new ad following news that it would spend $308,000 to help Cochran survive the runoff. That ad describes how Cochran is a “tested leader” who has brought “honor and dignity to Mississippi.”
“He’s respected, a tested leader fighting for Mississippi. Bringing honor and dignity to our state,” the narrator in the new Chamber ad said. “Thad Cochran, conservative, dependable, one of us.”
TalkingPointsMemo
6/16/14
