Politicking for Mississippi's U.S. Senate seat took Center Stage at this year's Neshoba County Fair. Incumbent Senator Thad Cochran and his Democratic challenger, Travis Childers, asked resident's for their support come November's General Election.
"I'm pleased and honored to accept your nomination, thank you."
Speaking to a crowd of nearly two thousand at the Neshoba County Fair, incumbent Senator Thad Cochran used most of his time on stage to outline an agenda that includes a desire to reign in federal spending and repeal the Affordable Care Act. Cochran also did his best to avoid any mention of the long, vicious G.O.P. primary against tea party backed state Senator Chris McDaniel; instead only saying he hopes to serve the entire state.
"Whether you voted for me or not in the primary, my purpose will be to continue to represent all Mississippians from every part of the state." says Cochran. "No matter your skin color, or how much money you have, it's my job to represent everyone."
Cochran's challenger, former Mississippi 1st District Congressman Travis Childers, also tried to garner support from fair-goers by outlining his plan to support a minimum wage increase, equal pay for women and men and an expansion of the state's Medicaid coverage. Childers even made a direct plea to those McDaniel supporters that felt alienated after the June 24th G-O-P runoff.
"I'm asking for your vote because, folks, this seat belongs to you." Childers says. "It belongs to the people of the state of Mississippi. It doesn't belong to one person, or one party, or one political machine or any other special interest group. It belongs to you."
However, most of those McDaniel supporters in attendance ignored the plea. Instead choosing to silently protest Cochran's speech by covering their mouths with red tape and waving signs with the word "Betrayed" emblazoned across the front. McDaniel supporter Jeremiah Boddy of Byram says he's holding out hope that a legal challenge will overturn the results of the runoff election.
"Thad Cochran can try to accept the nomination if he wants to, but he will not be the November nomminee if all these things work out themselves." says Boddy. "Through this legal challenge, I think Chris McDaniel is going to be our nominee, and I think the party is going to stand behind him. If Thad Cochran's the nominee in November he doesn't stand a chance.
McDaniel has claimed that voter fraud tainted the results of the June 24th election, and that legal challenge is pending.
