Tea Party Goes All In For Mississippi Senate Candidate

U.S. Senate candidate Chris McDaniel (R-Ms), speaks to a gathering at FreePAC Kentucky, Saturday, April 5, 2014, at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)
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In Senate primary race after Senate primary race, the tea party had to walk away with a losing hand. They seem to be hoping to get one final victory out of 2014: State Sen. Chris McDaniel in Mississippi as he challenges incumbent Sen. Thad Cochran.

Even as McDaniel hunkers down in light of ongoing questions about his campaign’s connections to a blogger who was arrested for photographing the wife of his opponent in the primary, tea party groups are pouring a fresh load of cash into the race in hopes that McDaniel will come out on top.

The Washington Post reported on Thursday that ForAmerica and Citizens United plan to start advertising to support McDaniel in his bid against Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS). According to federal filings, tea party groups supporting McDaniel have already spent about $2.4 million in Mississippi while pro-Cochran groups have spent about $1.8 million.

Brent Bozell, the head of ForAmerica, told the Post that his group is making a six-figure ad buy to help McDaniel through digital advertising.

Similarly, David Bossie, who runs Citizens United, said that his group would be spending $175,000 on statewide broadcast and cable advertisements.

Other prominent groups, like the Senate Conservatives Fund are sticking by McDaniel as well. In a recent email Matt Hoskins, the executive director of that group, listed the Mississippi GOP primary on June 3 as one of the chances grass roots conservatives had to elect a preferred candidate. Hoskins wrote:

The next big opportunity for the grassroots comes on June 3rd when the following four SCF-endorsed candidates have their primary elections:

Chris McDaniel (R-MS) — U.S. Senate

The Mississippi primary will take place on June 3.

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