Why do you have to replace your campaign manager if the SOS has already certified your win? He’ll be singing with the choir before he has to campaign again in years.
Campaign manager is the fall guy. Firing maybe provides insulation from criminal charges. Cochran will try and pin all the blame on him.
Cochran can be kicked out of Congress if he is charged with election crime and there is solid evidence which it looks like there is. And he need not be directly involved, he need only be in a position where he had a chance to act responsibly and stop the crime.
And if he’s kicked out of Congress he can lose his pension and the congressional perks that go with retirement.
So he’s possibly is a lot of trouble. He has two options, he can continue to fight or he can resign. If he resigns he may be able to cut a deal to avoid facing charges. If he continues to fight he risks dragging the whole GOPe down with him.
I would not want to be in Cochran’s position now.