RUNOFF? MCDANIEL, COCHRAN BOTH UNDER 50 PERCENT AS FINAL VOTES COUNTED [McDaniel leads]

Breitbart ^ | June 3, 2014 | by MATTHEW BOYLE

[Jim Robinson]

HATTIESBURG, Mississippi —With final votes still being counted, Tea Party-backed state Sen. Chris McDaniel is poised to force a runoff against 42-year incumbent Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS) in the GOP primary here, likely prompting a three-week dash to the finish of an epic race between conservatives and the GOP Establishment.

"Whether it's tomorrow or whether it's three weeks from now we will be victorious,” McDaniel said during a speech to supporters here around 11:30 p.m. CT. Cochran did not plan to address his campaign rally, according to NBC reporter Kasie Hunt.

With 97.9 percent of precincts reporting, McDaniel was up nearly 3,000 votes at 49.6 percent to Cochran's 48.8 percent, according to the Associated Press.

The likely runoff follows an all-night nail-biter between Cochran and McDaniel that saw each candidate see-saw between winner and loser. McDaniel supporters at an event here were ecstatic, cheering loudly at the television whenever new results come in while a country rock band and bagpipe band take turns entertaining the crowd.

[CedarDave]

If Cockran grabs a very small lead, it’s unlikely to bring him over 50% and we may be glad to see a runoff.

[ken5050]

Absolutely...

BTW..have they counted the absentee ballots yet?

And is there now an automatic recount?

[Black Agnes]

There was an automatic recount already scheduled.

Now that they’re ahead, it will be like the Franken race. It’s only a question if they can ‘tactfully’ manufacture enough votes to get 50% +1 which the law requires.

There’s no reason ANY voting ballot boxes should EVER be held overnight. EVER. For ANY reason.

The ONLY reason is fraud. Every. Single. Time.

[clintonh8r]

Cochran is ahead now?

[Black Agnes]

I think the delay was to work out how much federal funding those particular precincts will get for their ‘cooperation’ in re-electing the incumbant.

I’m a terrible cynic though.

[Black Agnes]

According to their facebook page and a previous poster, yes.

It’s like the Al Franken race.

If they can manufacture enough votes in those ‘heldover’ ballot boxes there might not even be a run-off.

We’ll see.

[Black Agnes]

4 ballot boxes from Hinds county (Jackson MS) were ‘held over night’ to count today.

Do a google/ixquick/whatever search for ‘Hattiesburg mayor race fraud’ to see what happens to ballot boxes that are held over night.

[clintonh8r]

Well, damn. Last night it seemed like there was a chance McD could win outright.

[ken5050]

FYI..Rove just announced that his PAC won’t play in the run-off..

[Kenny]

We all need to start bombarding MS SOS as to why Cochran’s districts were allowed to told back votes until the next day.

[Black Agnes]

We need to figure out why the most urban and populous county in the state had problems getting their vote totals together. This is exactly what happens to the rural/urban vote counts in states like PA. The urban cities like Philly hold their vote totals until the rural counties are already in. Then they know how many votes to manufacture for the win.

There’s never a valid reason to hold any boxes overnight for any reason. Ever. Unless you’re trying to commit fraud.

[Black Agnes]

That’s just it. These aren’t ‘Cochran’s districts’. These are, in fact, largely Obama districts. The line to vote at the Republican table yesterday was full of Obama voters. Obama got 98% or so of the black vote in my county. I’m not convinced that the line of them yesterday was the remaining 2% who didn’t vote for him.

[Black Agnes]

I’m thinking Barbour is playing even nastier hardball here than even Rove is comfortable with...

[Kenny]

You’re right, it’s a blatant attempt to cheat and it’s breaking my heart because nothing is ever done about it.

If they recount, they just find the manufactured votes mixed in with real and it does no good. If a precinct can’t get their totals in that night, there should at least be monitors sent to those districts to oversee the count. At a minimum.

[House Atreides]

“FYI..Rove just announced that his PAC won’t play in the run-off..”
********************************************************************

Just goes to show that Rove isn’t stupid. It’s not smart to bet good money on a DEAD HORSE. And that is just what Cochran is in any runoff—dead meat.

[Black Agnes]

If Cochran is ahead, as another poster has indicated via cochran’s facebook page, then a continued ‘recount’ may put him at 50% +1 and there might not be any runoff.

Let’s see how this plays out.

I’m getting a groundhog day vibe from the Al Franken election.

[clintonh8r]

I infer from this that MS is an open primary state. That should not be allowed. Why should anybody be allowed to vote in an election of a party in which he is not a member? Where I am you can only vote in your own party’s primaries.

[longtermmemmory]

the race did the job. they don’t need to play.

[ExSoldier]

You are a terrible cynic. It is truly depressing to read your posts. I choose to put a little faith in the people of Mississippi that they will awaken from their slumber and rise up to vote. If I'm disappointed (and I may well be, this time) I still have my faith in the Lord that HE will see us through the darkness. But to rest in your words is to stare into darkness and wait for it to overcome us all. That's not the way I'm going to start my summer vacation in two days when I'm out of school for the 25th straight year.

[Black Agnes]

My cynicism is driven by two words.

Open Primaries.

As a poster in this or another thread said. It’s such a bad idea it has to be on purpose. I agree with that statement. It’s the reason Cochran was openly campaigning for dims and said the good things about Obamacare the other day. Among republican voters, McDaniel likely waxed the floor with Cochran. Sadly the dims will likely put Cochran over the top.