The super PAC, named Mississippi Conservatives to emphasize its homegrown roots, has bought three weeks of airtime on stations across the state for a commercial attacking State Senator Chris McDaniel, who is running against Mr. Cochran.
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‘Super PAC’ Is Formed in Mississippi to Protect 6-Term Senator in G.O.P. Primary - The New York Times By JONATHAN MARTIN Posted on JAN. 30, 2014
A super PAC supporting Mississippi Sen. Thad Cochran is trying to turn the tables on his tea-party-backed challenger in the GOP primary, accusing state Sen. Chris McDaniel of being (of all things) soft on public debt. But to do that, the PAC’s TV ad is twisting the facts.
Henry Barbour, a lobbyist and adviser to Mississippi Conservatives PAC, told the New York Times that the group’s backers are concerned that the Republicans could lose the seat if McDaniel beats Cochran in the primary.
Henry Barbour also told the Times that his uncle, former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, will help raise money for the group
In fact, of the 23 bills cited by the Mississippi Conservatives PAC as evidence of McDaniel’s lack of conviction, Barbour signed all 13 that went to his desk — increasing the state debt by $711.3 million. That includes one bill that McDaniel abstained from on the final vote (H.B. 1701 in 2010).
One could just as easily make the claim, using the Mississippi Conservatives’ own data, that Barbour increased the debt by more than McDaniel.
We take no position on the merits of the Common Core standards. We merely point out that the TV ad from the Barbour-backed group overstates its case by omission, not commission. Yes, McDaniel voted for Common Core funding, but it was a small amount in massive bills to fund the state’s public schools that were passed without objection. And the Common Core standards had the early support of the former governor who is reportedly raising money to help underwrite the ad that accuses McDaniel of being deficient in his opposition to the Common Core standards.
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Distortions in Mississippi GOP Primary - Factcheck.org by Eugene Kiely, with Madeleine Stevens Posted on February 12, 2014
A pro-Cochran super PAC associated with former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour is already on the airwaves to define upstart conservative state Senator and challenger Chris McDaniel five months before the primary.
And even Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant, who on Sunday endorsed Cochran, criticized the group on Monday.
“I’m disappointed in that – it’s just not something that’s necessary,” Bryant said on Monday, according to the Clarion-Ledger. “I would urge them to stop the Republican-on-Republican attack. I believe it was Ronald Reagan who talked about the 11th commandment – thou shalt not speak ill of a fellow Republican.”
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GOP ESTABLISHMENT RUSHES TO SAVE THAD COCHRAN - Breitbart by TONY LEE posted on 4 Feb 2014
