# Mississippi election for U.S. Senator **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 5, 2014, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-election-for-u-s-senator/690122 "2014-06-05T15:26:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-election-for-u-s-senator/690122/21 "2014-06-24T18:08:24Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Well…this isn’t really what most people would expect in a traditional Dem v GOP race. One candidate is a conservative who opposed Obamacare, is pro-life, pro-gun, and pro-Jesus. The other candidate will be the GOP nominee. So other than a vote for Harry Reid, is there any reason for a liberal Yankee like myself to root for the Democrat? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-election-for-u-s-senator/690122/22 "2014-06-24T18:14:57Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? Or, as Si Kahn used to sing, _And I wonder who’s watchin’ the man who’s watchin’ me? And I wonder who’s watchin’ the man who’s watchin’ the man who’s watchin’ me? Who’s watchin’ the man who’s watchin’ the man who’s watchin’ the man who’s watchin’ the man who’s watchin’ the man who’s watchin’ me?_ ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-election-for-u-s-senator/690122/23 "2014-06-24T18:45:22Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > So other than a vote for Harry Reid, is there any reason for a liberal Yankee like myself to root for the Democrat? Yes, if he wins it humiliates the Pubs. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-election-for-u-s-senator/690122/24 "2014-06-24T19:06:10Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Yes, if he wins it humiliates the Pubs. Not enough for me if we have to perpetually placate him. If we can’t count on his votes in the Senate why have him there? ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-election-for-u-s-senator/690122/25 "2014-06-24T19:06:12Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > So other than a vote for Harry Reid, is there any reason for a liberal Yankee like myself to root for the Democrat? Yes. If nothing else, picking up a seat in the Senate will help the Dems retain control. Beyond that, Childers is a practical guy. He will reach across the aisle to get things done, and he’s a lot more likely to support some things Dems like. Childers knows what it is to work hard, and he at least understands what it is like to be poor–he’s been there. McDaniel is branding Cochran as a liberal who is far too cooperative with “Obama and the liberal Democrats”. If Cochran wins the seat, it’s more of the same–and that hasn’t worked out so well lately. If McDaniel wins the seat, the partisan pissing contest in DC will get cranked up to 11, and you can go ahead and mark his vote as “no” to anything a Dem proposes, and as “yes” for anything that cuts taxes or hurts poor people. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-election-for-u-s-senator/690122/26 "2014-06-24T20:02:36Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Not enough for me if we have to perpetually placate him. If we can’t count on his votes in the Senate why have him there? If he votes with us 40% of the time, that’s a hell of a lot better than either of the Republicans, who will vote with us 0% of the time. It’s one thing to insist on someone from California or Connecticut who won’t undermine us: we can get real Dems to represent those states - and won’t someone please primary DiFi one of these years? But Travis Childers is the best we have even a remote chance of getting out of Mississippi. If we can count on him to vote to keep Harry Reid as Majority Leader, and can’t count on him for much else, that’s fine in the next Congress, where just keeping the Senate in Dem control is enough of a lift. It’s not like we’re going to get anything through the House anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-election-for-u-s-senator/690122/27 "2014-06-24T23:14:12Z")
I’m curious how, in the name of everything holy, did McDaniel’s campaign spin the break-in where they filmed Cochran’s demented wife as an anti-Cochran ad? How does that kind of thing not automatically communicate to voters “this guy is a vile trainwreck”? ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-election-for-u-s-senator/690122/28 "2014-06-24T23:19:27Z")
I’m not sure how much spin you have to do when your opponent gives speeches where he says “[We’d] get back [to the Pine Belt-Hattiesburg area of Mississippi] as often as we could because it was fun—it was an adventure to be out there in the country and see what goes on. Picking up pecans, from that to **all kind of indecent things with animals**.” ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2014, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-election-for-u-s-senator/690122/29 "2014-06-24T23:50:39Z")
Well, yea, I suppose it’s “vote for the guy that fucks animals” vs. “vote for the guy who has someone break into a nursing home and film a demented elderly person and use that film against her husband.” I’m honestly not sure why I think there’s something worse about the second than the first. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2014, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-election-for-u-s-senator/690122/30 "2014-06-25T00:58:00Z")
Cochran has an early lead, about 3100 votes, with 7.6% of the precincts reporting. I think [this link](http://www.clarionledger.com/longform/news/politics/2014/06/24/election-results-gop-runoff/11330947/) will update as results come in. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2014, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-election-for-u-s-senator/690122/31 "2014-06-25T01:53:44Z")
> [@Kolga](#): > > Well, yea, I suppose it’s “vote for the guy that fucks animals” vs. “vote for the guy who has someone break into a nursing home and film a demented elderly person and use that film against her husband.” I’m honestly not sure why I think there’s something worse about the second than the first. What was the point of that anyway? Did they think they were exposing a scandal? It can’t be any secret that Cochran’s wife is senile-demented and in a nursing home, and it’s nobody’s fault, that just happens sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2014, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-election-for-u-s-senator/690122/32 "2014-06-25T02:07:04Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > What was the point of that anyway? Did they think they were exposing a scandal? It can’t be any secret that Cochran’s wife is senile-demented and in a nursing home, and it’s nobody’s fault, that just happens sometimes. I think the intent may have been to get video of the poor woman, and then use it in an attack ad suggesting Cochran was somehow allowing her to be neglected/abused while he lives it up in DC. This election makes The Mountain vs The Red Viper look like a slap fight. Cochran is still in the lead but it is tight…50.9% to 49.1% with 82.6% of precincts reporting. I predict…Lawyers gonna get paid either way. Recounts, challenges, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2014, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-election-for-u-s-senator/690122/33 "2014-06-25T03:02:34Z")
Mississippi is the shit house of the United States regardless of who wins. People must be fuck’in ignorant as all hell. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2014, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-election-for-u-s-senator/690122/34 "2014-06-25T03:07:33Z")
CNN just called it for Cochran. 51/49 ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2014, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-election-for-u-s-senator/690122/35 "2014-06-25T04:30:28Z")
[Backed by business groups such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Cochran argued that McDaniel would not be able to secure as many resources for a state that relies on federal dollars for nearly half of its state budget.](http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-cochran-mcdaniel-mississippi-primary-20140624,0,784030.story) And McDaniel wanted to cut federal funding to his state? What a Dick. And he got 49.3 percent of the vote! Ignorance reigns in this Shit Hole of a state. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2014, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-election-for-u-s-senator/690122/36 "2014-06-25T04:43:08Z")
> [@Little\_Pig](#): > > Mississippi is the shit house of the United States regardless of who wins. People must be fuck’in ignorant as all hell. > [@Little\_Pig](#): > > And McDaniel wanted to cut federal funding to his state? What a Dick. And he got 49.3 percent of the vote! Ignorance reigns in this Shit Hole of a state. You’re being a jerk, **Little\_Pig**. Knock it off and don’t do it again. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2014, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-election-for-u-s-senator/690122/37 "2014-06-25T04:45:22Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > You’re being a jerk, **Little\_Pig**. Knock it off and don’t do it again. Understood. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2014, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-election-for-u-s-senator/690122/38 "2014-06-25T04:50:19Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > CNN just called it for Cochran. 51/49 51/49 would be recount and lawsuit territory even if it _weren’t_ this race. I don’t often say this, but I agree with **Oakminster**. I wonder how long it will be before the first “Cochran’s thugs intimidated voters” conspiracy theories start coming out. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2014, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-election-for-u-s-senator/690122/39 "2014-06-25T05:09:01Z")
LOL, McDaniel [refuses to concede](http://finance.yahoo.com/news/mississippi-tea-party-candidate-refuses-040900287.html) in a furious post election speech. What an asshole ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2014, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-election-for-u-s-senator/690122/40 "2014-06-25T05:16:09Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > 51/49 would be recount and lawsuit territory even if it _weren’t_ this race. I don’t often say this, but I agree with **Oakminster**. I wonder how long it will be before the first “Cochran’s thugs intimidated voters” conspiracy theories start coming out. McDaniel has already indicated he intends to challenge the results. [Clarion Ledger story here](http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/politics/2014/06/24/cochran-defeats-mcdaniel/11341509/). Things are going to get pretty interesting over the next couple of days. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-election-for-u-s-senator/690122.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mississippi-election-for-u-s-senator/690122.md?page=3)