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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Mississippi primary: Thad Cochran wins in relief for GOP mainstream | Mississippi primary: Thad Cochran wins in relief for GOP mainstream |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Mississippi’s incumbent Republican senator | Mississippi’s incumbent Republican senator |
| Thad Cochran narrowly beat his Tea Party challenger on Tuesday night after a protracted primary campaign that left a bitter, racially charged debate in its wake. | Thad Cochran narrowly beat his Tea Party challenger on Tuesday night after a protracted primary campaign that left a bitter, racially charged debate in its wake. |
| Cochran’s victory over Chris McDaniel, a staunchly conservative state | Cochran’s victory over Chris McDaniel, a staunchly conservative state |
| senator, was far from decisive and appeared to rely on Democratic-leaning African American voters crossing over to vote in the Republican primary. | senator, was far from decisive and appeared to rely on Democratic-leaning African American voters crossing over to vote in the Republican primary. |
| McDaniel | McDaniel |
| reacted furiously to the result, refusing to concede the race, | reacted furiously to the result, refusing to concede the race, |
| questioning the legitimacy of Democrats voting in a Republican primary | questioning the legitimacy of Democrats voting in a Republican primary |
| and hinting at possible legal challenges in the days ahead. | and hinting at possible legal challenges in the days ahead. |
| “We | “We |
| are not prone to surrender,” McDaniel told his supporters shortly | are not prone to surrender,” McDaniel told his supporters shortly |
| before midnight in an animated, rambling speech in which he did not even | before midnight in an animated, rambling speech in which he did not even |
| mention Cochran’s name. | mention Cochran’s name. |
| “As | “As |
| you know folks there were literally dozens of irregularities reported | you know folks there were literally dozens of irregularities reported |
| across this state. You know why. You’ve read the stories. You’re | across this state. You know why. You’ve read the stories. You’re |
| familiar with the problems we’ve had. Now it is our job to ensure the | familiar with the problems we’ve had. Now it is our job to ensure the |
| sanctity of the vote is upheld.” | sanctity of the vote is upheld.” |
| He added: “Before this race ends we have to be absolutely certain that the Republican primary was won by Republican votes.” | He added: “Before this race ends we have to be absolutely certain that the Republican primary was won by Republican votes.” |
| Under | Under |
| Mississippi rules all voters, regardless of affiliation, are permitted | Mississippi rules all voters, regardless of affiliation, are permitted |
| to vote in the GOP primary, as long as they do not also cast a vote in | to vote in the GOP primary, as long as they do not also cast a vote in |
| the parallel Democratic primary. | the parallel Democratic primary. |
| Conservative | Conservative |
| groups and McDaniel supporters stationed monitors at polling stations | groups and McDaniel supporters stationed monitors at polling stations |
| across Mississippi, ostensibly to check that voters who voted in the | across Mississippi, ostensibly to check that voters who voted in the |
| Democratic primary earlier this month did not also participate in the | Democratic primary earlier this month did not also participate in the |
| second round of voting in the GOP primary. | second round of voting in the GOP primary. |
| The | The |
| move unnerved civil rights campaigners in the a deeply segregated | move unnerved civil rights campaigners in the a deeply segregated |
| stated with an ugly history of voter intimidation. The extent to which | stated with an ugly history of voter intimidation. The extent to which |
| the black vote swung the election in Cochran's favour has yet to be | the black vote swung the election in Cochran's favour has yet to be |
| established. | established. |
| What | What |
| is clear, however, is that the six-term white senator's path to | is clear, however, is that the six-term white senator's path to |
| victory was as slim as his campaign was unorthodox, leaving him less | victory was as slim as his campaign was unorthodox, leaving him less |
| than 5,000 votes ahead out of around 360,000 ballots cast. | than 5,000 votes ahead out of around 360,000 ballots cast. |
| Still, it will | Still, it will |
| come as a huge relief to the Republican establishment, which was shocked | come as a huge relief to the Republican establishment, which was shocked |
| a fortnight ago by the unexpected primary defeat of Eric Cantor, the | a fortnight ago by the unexpected primary defeat of Eric Cantor, the |
| Republican majority leader in the House of Representatives, by a Tea | Republican majority leader in the House of Representatives, by a Tea |
| Party challenger. | Party challenger. |
| Apart | Apart |
| from Cantor’s dramatic defeat, which led him to stand down as majority | |
| leader and triggered a contest for power, the Tea Party movement has | |
| struggled to secure prominent | |
| scalps during this primary season, having funded deeply conservative | scalps during this primary season, having funded deeply conservative |
| candidates who failed in Senate primaries in Kentucky, Georgia and North | candidates who failed in Senate primaries in Kentucky, Georgia and North |
| Carolina. | Carolina. |
| It is now unlikely the Tea Party will topple a single Republican Senate incumbent this year. | It is now unlikely the Tea Party will topple a single Republican Senate incumbent this year. |
| There was more bad news for Tea Party-aligned groups in Oklahoma on Tuesday after the Republican representative James Lankford – the candidate | There was more bad news for Tea Party-aligned groups in Oklahoma on Tuesday after the Republican representative James Lankford – the candidate |
| preferred by the establishment in the contest for an open seat in the | preferred by the establishment in the contest for an open seat in the |
| deep-red state – easily beat a more rightwing challenger, the former state | deep-red state – easily beat a more rightwing challenger, the former state |
| house speaker TW Shannon. | house speaker TW Shannon. |
| Conservative groups had channelled more than $1.7m to the Shannon campaign. | Conservative groups had channelled more than $1.7m to the Shannon campaign. |
| And | And |
| in Colorado the fiercely anti-immigration conservative and former | in Colorado the fiercely anti-immigration conservative and former |
| presidential candidate Ted Tancredo was comfortably overcome by a more | presidential candidate Ted Tancredo was comfortably overcome by a more |
| moderate former congressman, Bob Beauprez, in the primary to choose the | moderate former congressman, Bob Beauprez, in the primary to choose the |
| Republican candidate for the state's governor. | Republican candidate for the state's governor. |
| But | But |
| it was the Mississippi primary result that attracted most attention, | it was the Mississippi primary result that attracted most attention, |
| after the battle became the most closely fought and protracted of any | after the battle became the most closely fought and protracted of any |
| Republican Senate primary, sucking time, energy and money from both Tea | Republican Senate primary, sucking time, energy and money from both Tea |
| Party and establishment factions. | Party and establishment factions. |
| The party’s Washington-based hierarchy rallied behind 76-year-old Cochran, the | The party’s Washington-based hierarchy rallied behind 76-year-old Cochran, the |
| epitome of a southern Republican appropriator, after he was forced | epitome of a southern Republican appropriator, after he was forced |
| into a run-off by McDaniel, 41, a former talkshow host, earlier this | into a run-off by McDaniel, 41, a former talkshow host, earlier this |
| month. | month. |
| After | After |
| the embarrassing defeat in the first round of voting Cochran’s | the embarrassing defeat in the first round of voting Cochran’s |
| strategists calculated that their best option was to appeal to a broader | strategists calculated that their best option was to appeal to a broader |
| base of voters, including those who do not usually support the party. | base of voters, including those who do not usually support the party. |
| Cochran aired TV ads showing him interacting with black voters and also | Cochran aired TV ads showing him interacting with black voters and also |
| changed the messaging in his campaign, emphasising the benefits of | changed the messaging in his campaign, emphasising the benefits of |
| federal government spending in the impoverished state. | federal government spending in the impoverished state. |
| In the earlier round of voting, on 3 June, a third candidate prevented either Cochran or McDaniel securing | In the earlier round of voting, on 3 June, a third candidate prevented either Cochran or McDaniel securing |
| the 50% threshold required to win the nomination outright. Both Cochran and McDaniel finished on around 49% with the | the 50% threshold required to win the nomination outright. Both Cochran and McDaniel finished on around 49% with the |
| Tea Party insurgent ahead by a slim 1,500 votes. | Tea Party insurgent ahead by a slim 1,500 votes. |
| Tuesday’s | Tuesday’s |
| night’s result saw a reversal of fortunes for the two candidates, but | night’s result saw a reversal of fortunes for the two candidates, but |
| only after a similarly tight contest that once again came down to the | only after a similarly tight contest that once again came down to the |
| wire and had supporters of both men closely watching the tally late | wire and had supporters of both men closely watching the tally late |
| into the night. | into the night. |
| In | In |
| the end Cochran won by fewer than 5,000 votes, apparently gleaning the | the end Cochran won by fewer than 5,000 votes, apparently gleaning the |
| edge after increasing turnout in counties favourable to him – including | edge after increasing turnout in counties favourable to him – including |
| Democratic-leaning areas and those with large populations of black | Democratic-leaning areas and those with large populations of black |
| voters. | voters. |
| Shortly | Shortly |
| after 11.30pm, with 99.7% of precincts having reported, Associated | after 11.30pm, with 99.7% of precincts having reported, Associated |
| Press had called the race for incumbent, who had spent 42 years in | Press had called the race for incumbent, who had spent 42 years in |
| Congress. | Congress. |
| Cochran | Cochran |
| had 50.9% while McDaniel trailed closely behind on 49.1%. Cochran gave | had 50.9% while McDaniel trailed closely behind on 49.1%. Cochran gave |
| a brief acceptance speech in front of jubilant supporters. “It is a | a brief acceptance speech in front of jubilant supporters. “It is a |
| group effort, it is not a solo,” he told the crowd in Jackson. “We all | group effort, it is not a solo,” he told the crowd in Jackson. “We all |
| have a right to be proud of our state tonight.” | have a right to be proud of our state tonight.” |
| Democrats, | Democrats, |
| however, may regret having backed Cochran. The party’s strategists in | however, may regret having backed Cochran. The party’s strategists in |
| Washington had hoped for a McDaniel win, believing his nomination | Washington had hoped for a McDaniel win, believing his nomination |
| would alienate moderate voters and could bring Mississippi, usually a | would alienate moderate voters and could bring Mississippi, usually a |
| reliably Republican state, into play in the November midterm election. | reliably Republican state, into play in the November midterm election. |
| Few | Few |
| political analysts believe the Democratic nominee, Travis Childers, has | political analysts believe the Democratic nominee, Travis Childers, has |
| anything other than a long shot at winning in Mississippi despite his conservative credentials as a pro-NRA, anti-abortion former congressman from a red district. | anything other than a long shot at winning in Mississippi despite his conservative credentials as a pro-NRA, anti-abortion former congressman from a red district. |
| As | As |
| such Cochran’s victory was a significant boost to Republican hopes of | such Cochran’s victory was a significant boost to Republican hopes of |
| regaining control of the Senate come November by increasing their | regaining control of the Senate come November by increasing their |
| proportion of senators. | proportion of senators. |
| With | With |
| primaries also held in Utah, Maryland and New York on Tuesday another | primaries also held in Utah, Maryland and New York on Tuesday another |
| notable result included the victory of the flamboyant Democratic | notable result included the victory of the flamboyant Democratic |
| congressman from Harlem, Charlie Rangel, who overcome an ethics | congressman from Harlem, Charlie Rangel, who overcome an ethics |
| controversy to comfortably beat his challenger. | controversy to comfortably beat his challenger. |
| But | But |
| the night will be remembered for Cochran’s narrow victory on the back | the night will be remembered for Cochran’s narrow victory on the back |
| of an unlikely coalition that included some at least some black voters | of an unlikely coalition that included some at least some black voters |
| and Democrats – and the refusal of his staunchly conservative opponent | and Democrats – and the refusal of his staunchly conservative opponent |
| to accept a defeat of that nature. | to accept a defeat of that nature. |
| Shortly | Shortly |
| before McDaniel appeared on stage at his campaign event in Hattiesburg one of his campaign officials took to the microphone to recount an | before McDaniel appeared on stage at his campaign event in Hattiesburg one of his campaign officials took to the microphone to recount an |
| anecdote. McDaniel, he said, had once told him he was “a fighter”. | anecdote. McDaniel, he said, had once told him he was “a fighter”. |
| “And, | “And, |
| if you’re gonna fight, you walk in the room, you pick the biggest man | if you’re gonna fight, you walk in the room, you pick the biggest man |
| in there and you punch him in the nose,” he said. “And I’ll be darned | in there and you punch him in the nose,” he said. “And I’ll be darned |
| if that’s not what he did. Amongst conservative Mississippians Chris | if that’s not what he did. Amongst conservative Mississippians Chris |
| McDaniel won tonight. And it is not over." | McDaniel won tonight. And it is not over." |