LobbyComply Blog

State Sen. Chris McDaniel is questioning the integrity of Mississippi’s GOP Senate primary runoff. McDaniel refuses to concede the election to U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran and claims some election activity was unfair, unethical, and illegal.

Evidence suggests hundreds, if not thousands, of voters crossed party lines between primary and runoff elections. Mississippians who voted in the Democratic primary illegally cast votes in the Republican primary runoff.

State election law experts speculate the election results will stand because it is impossible to assume all the irregular votes went to Cochran. Additionally, a strong public policy interest exists in accepting the finality of the runoff election; questioning the integrity of or redoing elections is a slippery slope.

Nevertheless, a conservative group known as True the Vote filed suit in federal court on Tuesday, July 1, against the Mississippi secretary of state and the Republican Party of Mississippi to challenge the results of the runoff.

In a tight race Tuesday, Mississippi Sen. Thad Cochran secured the GOP Senate nomination with 50.8 percent of the vote. Cochran battled tea party candidate Chris McDaniel in a federal runoff after neither candidate carried enough votes in the June 3 primary to capture the nomination.

Although McDaniel’s campaign has not made a decision whether to challenge the results, Cochran’s win ends a somewhat bizarre and expensive political battle between the two candidates.

In November, Cochran will face Democrat Travis Childers; if elected, Cochran will serve a seventh consecutive Senate term.

A June 24 federal runoff has been scheduled for the Mississippi Republican Senate primary. Incumbent Sen. Thad Cochran and state Sen. Chris McDaniel will battle again in a tea party vs. establishment showdown. With 49 and 49.5 percent respectively, neither candidate earned enough of the June 3 vote to secure the party nomination.

McDaniel, running on a platform of change, hopes to unseat the longtime incumbent. Cochran’s congressional tenure began in 1972; he then served three consecutive terms in the House and six consecutive terms in the Senate.

The U.S. Senate primary between incumbent Sen. Thad Cochran and tea party challenger Chris McDaniel remains too close to call after the June 3 election date.

If neither candidate receives 50 percent of the vote, a runoff election will be scheduled for June 24.

The race was considered one of the few remaining chances for a tea party victory after a string of primary challenges ended in defeat.

Gov. Phil Bryant has called a special session of the Mississippi Legislature to begin May 8, 2014, to make appropriations for the state’s share of disaster relief for tornado damage.

The National Weather Service reported 23 tornadoes touched down in Mississippi on April 28, killing 14 people and damaging hundreds of buildings.

State and local governments are required to match one-eighth of federal aid dollars.

U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock ruled a portion of Mississippi’s campaign finance law unconstitutional as applied to a group of five Oxford, Mississippi residents backing a ballot initiative. The group desired to pool funds to purchase posters and advertising supporting a 2011 initiative, but determined doing so would trigger political committee registration under state law.

The group filed suit, alleging Mississippi’s $200 threshold unduly burdened their First Amendment rights. Judge Aycock agreed, finding the $200 threshold was “simply too low” for the “significant and onerous burdens on persons attempting to join together to raise or expend in excess” of the threshold.

Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood indicated he may appeal the ruling, while Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann, whose office enforces the state’s campaign finance laws, did not immediately issue comment on the case.

Lawmakers will return to Jackson on Friday, April 26, for a special session.

The session will likely focus on economic incentives for an automobile manufacturer considering building a manufacturing plant in Clay County, but Governor Bryant would only say it relates to the state’s automobile corridor.

The state’s Medicaid reauthorization will be addressed in a separate special session.

A special session of the Legislature may convene at the end of April. Lawmakers have said they were told to report back on April 29, but a spokesperson for Governor Bryant would not confirm a special session or date.

It’s expected the session, if called, will involve economic incentives for an automotive supplier. It’s not clear if the Legislature will tackle Medicaid reauthorization in the same session, though lawmakers speculate a separate special session will be held.

The special election for House District 95 has been rescheduled from May 14, 2013 to May 28, 2013.

A runoff election will be held June 18, 2013, if needed.

The election date was changed because the original runoff date coincided with municipal elections, and election officials were concerned it could lead to voter confusion.

The Mississippi Legislature adjourned sine die on April 4, 2013.

Despite approving a budget for fiscal year 2014, lawmakers will need to return for a special session to reauthorize the Medicaid program. Reauthorization efforts stalled due to a dispute over whether to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.

A special session will be needed prior to the start of the fiscal year on July 1 to keep the program funded.

The seat for House District 95 will be filled by special election on May 14, 2013.

A runoff, if needed, will be held on June 4.

The seat was left vacant by the death of Representative Jessica Upshaw in March.

Photo of the Mississippi State House by Shawn Lea on Wikipedia.

Governor Phil Bryant has set the special election to fill the seat of the late Representative Joe Gardner.

The House District 11 election will be held March 26, 2013.

The candidate qualifying deadline is February 25.

Governor Phil Bryant has set a special election to fill the House District 36 seat on March 12, 2013.

A runoff will be held April 2, 2013, if no candidate receives a majority of the votes.

The seat was held by Representative David Gibbs until his death from cancer on January 13.

A special election for Senate District 28 has been scheduled for February 5, 2013.

The seat was left vacant by the death of Sen. Alice Harden on December 6.