Thad Cochran’s Senate friends are trying really hard to save him

washingtonpost.com ^ | 6/19/14 | James Fuller

[cotton1706]

There are only five days left until Mississippi Sen. Thad Cochran and Chris McDaniel face off one final time. The latest polls are close, and allies on both sides of the race are spending gobs of money in hopes that it could tilt the results, if only by tenths of a percentage point.

Sen. Thad Cochran (R- Miss.) talks to reporters while touring the Elizabeth Harkins Hall nursing building on the University of Southern Mississippi campus during a campaign stop in Hattiesburg, Miss., Tuesday, June 10, 2014. Cochran will face state Sen. Chris McDaniel in a primary runoff on June 24. (AP Photo/Hattiesburg American, Kelly Price)

One of the groups funneling money into the race? Cochran's fellow officemates, who gave just more than $100,000 to his campaign through their leadership committees between June 3 and 13, according to the Cochran campaign's 48-hour reports from that time period.

In the campaign's final moments, they have stepped in to save one of their own. Part of it is that he's their colleague, and that's just what you do. Another part is that they are allowed to give a maximum donation to Cochran again in the runoff.

But the other part is that the last thing incumbents in Congress want is for potential tea party challengers to be emboldened by McDaniel's success. And thus a fountain of funds rushes from leadership PACs everywhere to Cochran's bank account.

[cotton1706]

From the article:

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), said, "We have been in this situation before and all of us know well from experience, this is no time to sit on the sidelines."

There is McConnell, who threw the NRSC fundraiser and just defeated a tea party challenger himself. His leadership PAC, Bluegrass Committee, gave $5,000 to Cochran.

In 2010, Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski lost her Republican primary. She managed to beat her challenger in the general with a longshot write-in campaign. Her leadership PAC, Denali PAC, gave $5,000 to Cochran.

Murkowski, Texas Sen. John Cornyn and Maine Sen. Susan Collins celebrated with Wyoming Sen. Mike Enzi after he found out Liz Cheney was dropping out of his state's Republican Senate primary this year. All gave to Cochran, and all have faced primary challengers from the right.

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey O. Graham, who turned aside a tea party challenger last week, gave $2,500 to Cochran through his leadership PAC.

In 2012, Utah Sen. Orrin G. Hatch beat a tea party challenger. Orrin PAC gave $5,000 to Cochran during the run-off.

Georgia Sen. Saxby Chambliss decided to retire this year. If he had run, he likely would have faced a bruising primary. Retiring Nebraska Sen. Mike Johanns made a similar calculation. Their PACs donated money to Cochran.

This August, Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander will face a tea party challenger. Likely hoping to keep the establishment trend going before his primary arrives, his PAC gave $5,000 to Cochran.

North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr ($5,000), New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte ($10,000), Georgia Sen. Johnny Isakson ($5,000), Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran ($5,000), Mississippi Rep. Gregg Harper ($5,000), Iowa Sen. Charles E. Grassley ($5,000), Alabama Sen. Richard C. Shelby ($5,000). Indiana Sen. Dan Coats ($5,000) and Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso ($5,000) all gave money to Cochran in the past two weeks as well. Even Thad Cochran's own leadership PAC gave Thad Cochran a boost of $5,000.

[cotton1706]

McConnell, Murkowski, Cornyn, Collins, Enzi, Graham, Hatch Chambliss, Johannes, Alexander, Burr, Ayotte, Isakson, Moran, Grassley, Shelby, Coats, Barasso.

Quite the list.

[Texas Eagle]

C'mon, Thad.

Give everyone a list of all the great things you've accomplished in your 70 years in office.

That oughta do it.

[longtermmemmory]

The lesson here is ONE challenger ALONE can unseat an incumbent.

multiple challengers dilute the vote.

(BTW have the other primary challengers offered endorsements?)

[dead]

They envision their very own Lautenberg - he will vote exactly as the party tells him to vote, even if they have to move his hand for him when his turn comes. No backtalk, no arguing, no problems.

Plus, he'll fight not one whit for his state, leaving more spoils for the rest of them to split up between themselves.

He'll be a potted palm, but he'll be their potted palm.

[Servant of the Cross]

Quite the list.

Going forward, I like the chances of this list (only a few crossovers) ... the Nineteen ...

[spel_grammer_an_punct_polise]

“The latest polls are close,”

HA! They are trying to get the Cochran voters to the polls. ;-)

[Paine in the Neck]

RINO tipping. Like cow tipping, only better.

Support Chris McDaniel to oust Thad Cochran in MS

[JLAGRAYFOX]

Every registered voter in Mississippi should get out on Run-off Election Day, next Tuesday, June 24, 2014 and cast their votes for Chris McDaniel, for freedom, for Liberty, for Opporuntity!!! You will get nothing from Senator Thad cochran...except a most reliable Democrat, Obamabot loving, butt kissing, useless puppet Obama senator.

Citizens all of Mississippi.......VOTE FOR CHRIS McDANIEL for MS, USA Senator!!!

[Servant of the Cross]

“The latest polls are close,”

HA! They are trying to get the Cochran voters to the polls. ;-)

Indeed. Poll: McDaniel Opens 12-Point Lead Over Cochran

[Maine Mariner]

That poll was dated 6/16 any more recent polls?

[RIghtwardHo]

Lot of outside money coming in for Cochran. A LOT. Citizens United was approved by our pathetic SCOTUS for one reason ... to keep the elite in power. Buying a Nation with propaganda, a/k/a access to speech is NOT Free Speech. Corporations are NOT people. Been saying it for a few years now. The Koch brothers use us. IF (and it’s a big if) they succeed, they will turn on us in a heartbeat.

We MUST elect Conservatives not beholden to the children of Citizens United.

[Kenny]

Good article, calls it like it is. They’re all essentially out for themselves and screw the people.

[Kenny]

Any internal polls?

[vaudine]

Cochran ought to stay home and take care of family business. He would get his ENTIRE salary.

It is the restige and power of BEING senator from MS keeping him there, not a thought or working for the people.

Wake up MS and vote this dodo out. His species should BE EXTINCT.

I do not believe COCHRAN and his generation of politicians even know what is going on. THEIR WORLD VIEW HASN'T CHANGED FOR THE LAST 50 OR 60 YEARS.

VAUDINE

[ExNewsExSpook]

The key stat in that survey is the intensity level; McDaniel has it, Thad doesn’t. Intensity translates into supporters who will show up at the polls and vote, and McDaniel’s people will can’t wait to send Cochran into retirement.

All those RINOs better get ready to work with Senator McDaniel in January. Ted Cruz and Mike Lee will have a few more friends in the Senate next year, and hopefully, they will be a large enough bloc to dump Mitch McConnell (assuming he wins his re-election bid in Kentucky). Taking control of the Senate—and making McConnell a back-bencher—would be the best of all scenarios.

[zeugma]

 

The lesson here is ONE challenger ALONE can unseat an incumbent.

multiple challengers dilute the vote.

Depends on the state. Texas got Cruz in because a runoff is required if the candidate doesn't hit 50%. During the initial primary there were many candidates. The establishment is starting to hate these runoff elections. I fully expect attacks on our ability to force runoffs to start coming soon.

 

The lesson here is ONE challenger ALONE can unseat an incumbent.

multiple challengers dilute the vote.

Depends on the state. Texas got Cruz in because a runoff is required if the candidate doesn't hit 50%. During the initial primary there were many candidates. The establishment is starting to hate these runoff elections. I fully expect attacks on our ability to force runoffs to start coming soon.

[nickcarraway]

Weekend at Bernie's III