State Sen. Chris McDaniel’s (R) lawyers held a press conference on Wednesday to clarify that they are not yet formally challenging the results of the Mississippi primary runoff election between McDaniel and Sen. Thad Cochran (R).
“This is not a challenge right now,” said Mississippi state Sen. Michael Watson, one of McDaniel’s lawyers. “It’s a look under the hood of the election process.”
Watson said that the campaign’s lawyers are still reviewing poll books and will not file a formal challenge unless they have enough evidence.
Watson: If Chris doesn’t find enough evidence to mount a challenge, he won’t do it. #mssen
— The Clarion-Ledger (@clarionledger) July 16, 2014
After Watson spoke, Mitch Tyner, one of McDaniel’s lawyers, said that they expect to file a formal challenge within the next 10 days.
Tyner says they’ll file a challenge within the next 10 days, so there’s some news maybe.
— Clay Chandler (@claychand) July 16, 2014
He said that 60 clerks had cooperated and let them review election books, and that they have produced “tens of thousands of pages” during their review.
The campaign has yet to file substantial legal action. McDaniel’s lawyers have filed lawsuits to demand access to poll records.
Tyner addressed issues of race in the primary election — the McDaniel campaign has said that Cochran won the runoff with votes from African-Americans and Democrats.
Tyner also says Cochran ruined race relations in MS: “The Cochran campaign, through race-baiting, took us back 50 years.”
— daveweigel (@daveweigel) July 16, 2014
McDaniel’s attorney now saying that votes from black Dems “diluted the REAL vote.” #mssen
— daveweigel (@daveweigel) July 16, 2014
McDaniel did not appear at the press conference.
