GOP moderate lands black votes to seal victory in Mississippi By Robert Stanton ON ASSIGNMENT FOR HOUSTON BUSINESS CONNECTIONS MAGAZINE
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s his hotly contested primary run-off election fast approached, Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS) needed nothing short of a miracle to fend off Tea Party challenger State Sen. Chris McDaniel. McDaniel, a former conservative talk show host, was named a “Rising Star” in 2012 in the Republican Party by The ClarionLedger, centering his message on two big issues: federal spending and the conservative credentials of both candidates. The race was shaping up to be a tough fight for Cochran, who was elected in 1972 to represent the Mississippi’s Congressional Fourth District. He needed a magic wand – and fast. Cochran’s wish came true on June 24, with his victory over McDaniel, thanks to the unlikely support of black Democrats who didn’t want to see an extreme Tea Partier walking away with the Senate seat. When the dust settled from the closely watched primary race, Cochran had boosted his vote total by more than 38,000 votes, while McDaniel managed to pull off an additional 30,000. With the pivotal support from black voters, Cochran garnered enough votes to top McDaniel, 51 percent to 49 percent. The election sent shockwaves through the GOP, with conservative talk show host Laura Ingraham accusing Cochran of “race-baiting’ and Sarah Palin threatening to leave the Republican Party altogether. Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh added to the conservative disgust, with Beck going so far as to fire a rifle on his show and Limbaugh labeling the black supporters as “the black Uncle Tom voters.” While it’s unusual for black voters to come to the rescue of a conservative candidate, the election was not unprecedented, said former Houston Councilman and Mayor Pro Tem Jew Don Boney. “It was a rare political event but I don’t
Political Consultant & Form City of Mayor Pro-Tem
Jew Don Boney, Jr. and his wife Dorca
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