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| Sen. Cochran and tea party challenger in dead heat in Mississippi GOP primary | Sen. Cochran and tea party challenger in dead heat in Mississippi GOP primary |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The intense struggle for control of the Republican Party came to a dramatic head in Mississippi on Tuesday when Sen. Thad Cochran faced a stiff challenge from the tea party-backed Chris McDaniel in a nasty and expensive primary contest that was too close to call with a majority of the ballots counted. | The intense struggle for control of the Republican Party came to a dramatic head in Mississippi on Tuesday when Sen. Thad Cochran faced a stiff challenge from the tea party-backed Chris McDaniel in a nasty and expensive primary contest that was too close to call with a majority of the ballots counted. |
| With more than 99 percent of the vote tallied, McDaniel was ahead by less than one percentage point and the possibility of runoff in three weeks looked increasingly real. | |
| Cochran went into the contest at risk of becoming the first U.S. senator to be toppled this year in an ongoing struggle between the GOP establishment and the conservative insurgency. With nearly all precincts reporting, McDaniel had 49.6 percent of the vote to Cochran’s 48.8 percent. If neither campaign can claim 50 percent of the vote, it would mean a second faceoff, on June 24. | |
| At 1:20 a.m., Cochran’s official campaign Twitter account tweeted, “Dead heat! Less than 500 votes separate the two candidates. New campaign starts tomorrow. Three weeks to victory!” | |
| The more than $12 million campaign tested the might of two starkly different Republicans split along generational and ideological lines. It came as tea party challengers elsewhere fizzled against more moderate GOP senators. The result, some Republicans said, was a coalition of national tea party groups desperate for a victory. | The more than $12 million campaign tested the might of two starkly different Republicans split along generational and ideological lines. It came as tea party challengers elsewhere fizzled against more moderate GOP senators. The result, some Republicans said, was a coalition of national tea party groups desperate for a victory. |
| “They really want a McDaniel win because they want a head on the mantel,” party strategist Ford O’Connell said. Tea party groups “need to be able to raise money” to stay afloat, he added, “and to raise money, you have to show results.” | “They really want a McDaniel win because they want a head on the mantel,” party strategist Ford O’Connell said. Tea party groups “need to be able to raise money” to stay afloat, he added, “and to raise money, you have to show results.” |
| Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) and his top lieutenant, Sen. John Cornyn (Tex.), cruised past conservative challengers earlier this year. The competition against Sen. Pat Roberts (Kan.), Lamar Alexander (Tenn.) and Lindsey O. Graham (S.C.) has stumbled ahead of upcoming elections. | Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) and his top lieutenant, Sen. John Cornyn (Tex.), cruised past conservative challengers earlier this year. The competition against Sen. Pat Roberts (Kan.), Lamar Alexander (Tenn.) and Lindsey O. Graham (S.C.) has stumbled ahead of upcoming elections. |
| Mississippi was one of eight states that held primaries Tuesday. Senate Republicans also were watching Iowa, where state Sen. Joni Ernst easily clinched the party’s nomination in a key open race. | Mississippi was one of eight states that held primaries Tuesday. Senate Republicans also were watching Iowa, where state Sen. Joni Ernst easily clinched the party’s nomination in a key open race. |
| Unlike in Mississippi, tea party and establishment forces were united behind Ernst, who was backed by former governors Sarah Palin of Alaska and Mitt Romney of Massachusetts. | Unlike in Mississippi, tea party and establishment forces were united behind Ernst, who was backed by former governors Sarah Palin of Alaska and Mitt Romney of Massachusetts. |
| In South Dakota, former governor Mike Rounds easily won the Republican Senate primary as expected and advanced to a showdown against Democrat Rick Weiland, who was an aide to former senator Thomas A. Daschle. | In South Dakota, former governor Mike Rounds easily won the Republican Senate primary as expected and advanced to a showdown against Democrat Rick Weiland, who was an aide to former senator Thomas A. Daschle. |
| In New Jersey, Sen. Cory Booker (D) will face Republican Jeff Bell in November. Bell lost the 1978 Senate race to Democrat Bill Bradley. In the swing district being vacated by retiring Rep. Jon Runyan (R), GOP establishment-backed businessman Tom MacArthur easily defeated tea-party-aligned Steve Lonegan. He will face Burlington County Freeholder Aimee Belgard, who won the Democratic nomination. | In New Jersey, Sen. Cory Booker (D) will face Republican Jeff Bell in November. Bell lost the 1978 Senate race to Democrat Bill Bradley. In the swing district being vacated by retiring Rep. Jon Runyan (R), GOP establishment-backed businessman Tom MacArthur easily defeated tea-party-aligned Steve Lonegan. He will face Burlington County Freeholder Aimee Belgard, who won the Democratic nomination. |
| Conservative groups, including the antitax Club for Growth and the Senate Conservatives Fund, together spent more than $5 million for McDaniel in Mississippi, according to a Sunlight Foundation tally, compared with $2.8 million from pro-Cochran forces. The heavy spending leveled the playing field for McDaniel, who was outspent 3 to 1 by Cochran. | Conservative groups, including the antitax Club for Growth and the Senate Conservatives Fund, together spent more than $5 million for McDaniel in Mississippi, according to a Sunlight Foundation tally, compared with $2.8 million from pro-Cochran forces. The heavy spending leveled the playing field for McDaniel, who was outspent 3 to 1 by Cochran. |
| Both sides faced the prospect of runoff as long-shot candidate Thomas Carey threatened to keep either one from winning a majority of the vote, even as he was pulling less than two percent of the vote. | Both sides faced the prospect of runoff as long-shot candidate Thomas Carey threatened to keep either one from winning a majority of the vote, even as he was pulling less than two percent of the vote. |
| Cochran, 76, is in his sixth term. In 1978, he became the first Republican elected to the chamber from Mississippi since Reconstruction. | Cochran, 76, is in his sixth term. In 1978, he became the first Republican elected to the chamber from Mississippi since Reconstruction. |
| His traditional Republican style drew the ire of tea party groups, which castigated the senator for voting to raise the federal debt ceiling and avidly earmarking federal money. | His traditional Republican style drew the ire of tea party groups, which castigated the senator for voting to raise the federal debt ceiling and avidly earmarking federal money. |
| Cochran defended his record. But despite calls from McDaniel for a face-to-face debate, he never agreed to one. | Cochran defended his record. But despite calls from McDaniel for a face-to-face debate, he never agreed to one. |
| McDaniel, 41, ran as a constitutional conservative committed to reining in spending and opposing the federal health-care law. But he has made controversial comments that have raised GOP fears that he could put a safely Republican seat at risk in the general election against former congressman Travis Childers, a capable Democratic recruit. | McDaniel, 41, ran as a constitutional conservative committed to reining in spending and opposing the federal health-care law. But he has made controversial comments that have raised GOP fears that he could put a safely Republican seat at risk in the general election against former congressman Travis Childers, a capable Democratic recruit. |
| McDaniel has wavered on Hurricane Katrina relief and blamed hip-hop culture for gun violence in Canada. Some Republican strategists fear such remarks could alienate centrists. | McDaniel has wavered on Hurricane Katrina relief and blamed hip-hop culture for gun violence in Canada. Some Republican strategists fear such remarks could alienate centrists. |
| “He’ll immediately have to figure out a way to appeal to mainstream voters and beat back the partisan attacks by the other side,” said Republican strategist Ron Bonjean, referring to conservative candidates who imploded in recent years. “Hopefully he will have learned the lessons of why Todd Akin, Richard Mourdock and Sharron Angle failed.” | “He’ll immediately have to figure out a way to appeal to mainstream voters and beat back the partisan attacks by the other side,” said Republican strategist Ron Bonjean, referring to conservative candidates who imploded in recent years. “Hopefully he will have learned the lessons of why Todd Akin, Richard Mourdock and Sharron Angle failed.” |
| McDaniel supporters say he would give the Senate GOP a much-needed shot in the arm. | McDaniel supporters say he would give the Senate GOP a much-needed shot in the arm. |
| “The reason Republicans lost the majority is because they had a do-nothing Senate. And Thad Cochran was one of those do-nothing senators,” said L. Brent Bozell III, whose group, ForAmerica, spent money on McDaniel. | “The reason Republicans lost the majority is because they had a do-nothing Senate. And Thad Cochran was one of those do-nothing senators,” said L. Brent Bozell III, whose group, ForAmerica, spent money on McDaniel. |
| The Cochran-McDaniel race grew deeply personal in the final weeks after a pro-McDaniel blogger was arrested for allegedly filming Cochran’s bedridden wife and posting at least one image in an online video. Cochran’s wife has dementia and lives in a nursing home. | The Cochran-McDaniel race grew deeply personal in the final weeks after a pro-McDaniel blogger was arrested for allegedly filming Cochran’s bedridden wife and posting at least one image in an online video. Cochran’s wife has dementia and lives in a nursing home. |
| McDaniel and his campaign insisted that they played no part in the episode. But Cochran’s campaign suggested that the challenger’s team knew more than it let on. | McDaniel and his campaign insisted that they played no part in the episode. But Cochran’s campaign suggested that the challenger’s team knew more than it let on. |
| Cochran relied on Mississippi Republicans such as Gov. Phil Bryant and Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves to campaign with him on the eve of the election. McDaniel campaigned with national conservative figures Palin and former senator Rick Santorum (Pa.) in the final days. | Cochran relied on Mississippi Republicans such as Gov. Phil Bryant and Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves to campaign with him on the eve of the election. McDaniel campaigned with national conservative figures Palin and former senator Rick Santorum (Pa.) in the final days. |
| Voters in Alabama, California, Montana and New Mexico also went to the polls Tuesday. California’s all-party primary, in which the top two candidates advance to the general election regardless of party affiliation, put Democrats at risk of being eliminated early in a left-leaning congressional district for the second straight election cycle. | Voters in Alabama, California, Montana and New Mexico also went to the polls Tuesday. California’s all-party primary, in which the top two candidates advance to the general election regardless of party affiliation, put Democrats at risk of being eliminated early in a left-leaning congressional district for the second straight election cycle. |
| The potential for a vote split in the 31st District between Redlands Mayor Pete Aguilar, lawyer Eloise Gomez Reyes and former congressman Joe Baca that would clear the way for two Republicans to advance to a November showdown was real, according to early returns. President Obama won 57 percent of vote there in 2012. | The potential for a vote split in the 31st District between Redlands Mayor Pete Aguilar, lawyer Eloise Gomez Reyes and former congressman Joe Baca that would clear the way for two Republicans to advance to a November showdown was real, according to early returns. President Obama won 57 percent of vote there in 2012. |
| At the top of the California ticket, former U.S. Treasury aide Neel Kashkari, a moderate Republican, was battling tea-party-aligned Assemblyman Tim Donnelly (R) for a chance to take on Gov. Jerry Brown (D). | At the top of the California ticket, former U.S. Treasury aide Neel Kashkari, a moderate Republican, was battling tea-party-aligned Assemblyman Tim Donnelly (R) for a chance to take on Gov. Jerry Brown (D). |