Cochran, Childers stump; McDaniel still cries foul

U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran told Neshoba County Fair attendees Thursday "I accept your nomination," and asked those who didn't vote for him in the Republican primary or runoff to get behind him in November.

Tea party supporters of his GOP opponent Chris McDaniel, who hasn't conceded his June 24 runoff loss, didn't interrupt Cochran's speech as some had feared. But neither did they cheer him. They cheered when Cochran's Democratic challenger, former U.S. Rep. Travis Childers, spoke. A few McDaniel supporters held signs that said, "Betrayed," and wore tape over their mouths.

"I will continue to represent all Mississippians, in every part of this state, no matter your skin color or how much money you have," the six-term Republican Cochran said to a crowd of around 2,000 — including hundreds of his supporters waving signs and wearing T-shirts — who packed Founders Square.

Childers told the crowd he'd be the better choice. He even made a direct entreaty to the relatively small tea party/McDaniel crowd.

"Folks, this seat belongs to you, to the people of the state of Mississippi," Childers said. "It doesn't belong to one person, doesn't belong to one party or one political machine or one special interest group."

"The tea party says we cannot sustain $17 trillion in debt," Childers said. "They're right. I pledge to vote for a balanced budget amendment."

Some tea party leaders, angered over what McDaniel calls a "stolen" Republican primary in which many Democratic voters helped Cochran win a runoff, have said they might support Childers over Cochran.

Cochran said he shares people's frustration with Washington and he also vowed to help cut federal spending. But he said that would be easier to do as a senior member of a Republican Senate majority — one set to again be chairman of Appropriations if the GOP regains a majority.

Cochran didn't mention McDaniel and said little about the nasty GOP primary fight that's dragged on for seven months.

"If you've been near a television set, you might have heard or seen some things about me," Cochran said. "Some of the pictures I saw even made me look a little bit older than I thought I was. But I'm not bothered by it — not too much."

Cochran, 76, then referenced a former Neshoba County Fair speaker who once faced questions about his age — President Ronald Reagan, who spoke here in 1980. "I think Ronald Reagan turned out to be a pretty good president."

Cochran was criticized by McDaniel supporters during the primary of being mostly absent from his own campaign and a dearth of public speaking appearances. He faced questions of whether he was still up to the task.

Although not known for fiery stump speaking, Cochran delivered his Neshoba speech smoothly and was congratulated by throngs of well-wishers afterward.

But Childers did note the bitter primary and the rift between the tea party and establishment Republicans in the state.

"I'm just as ready to see this ugly primary behind us as you are," Childers said. "… This race should have always been about issues … It never should have been allowed to drag family members and friends into the election when they're not on the ballot, and it should never have hurt innocent people."

Childers said about $17 million was spent in the GOP U.S. Senate primary in Mississippi, "most of that out-of-state money" from special interests who don't care about the state.

Cochran said he "will continue to be accessible" to Mississippians — something his primary opponent charged he is not.

Cochran blasted "Obamacare," saying it has been "flawed from the very beginning" and vowing "it's time to stop it once and for all." And he vowed to continue working to help the state's military and agriculture industry.

Childers criticized Mississippi's Republican leadership's refusal to expand Medicaid under Obamacare to cover about 300,000 uninsured Mississippians. He also said the minimum wage should be raised and said he supports equal pay for women.

McDaniel has said for a month he plans a legal challenge of his loss to Cochran in the primary and claims it was "stolen" through voter fraud and other skullduggery. But he has not filed a challenge or presented documentation on his claims of fraud. On Thursday McDaniel issued a release saying the state Republican Party shouldn't recognize Cochran as its nominee because of national GOP rules he said would prevent Democrats from helping elect a GOP nominee.

Contact Geoff Pender at (601) 961-7266 or gpender@jackson. gannett.com. Follow @GeoffPender on Twitter.