Posted on 07/02/2014 6:13:19 AM PDT by koanhead
Conservatism in Mississippi faces a rocky and critically defining period ahead after the GOP Senate primary bloodbath.
There are many good people - red, yellow, black and white, tea party and establishment - in Mississippi who are concerned about better public policy that will involve, among other things, - and most importantly - smaller, limited government.
If anybody can bring us together, Thad can. He's spent his entire career building and tending relationships like a master rose gardener. But the party must step up, too.
The next six years will shape the future of America, and Mississippi needs to be a part, for the sake of our Republic.
We will not get into the train wreck of the Cochran campaign now, but some remarkable people did some remarkable things over the last two weeks to pull off a remarkable win.
Without marching orders, individual Mississippians just went to work for Thad, from Oxford to Madison to the Coast, and gradually the heavy artillery arrived with reinforcements.
Strong leadership from the top down matters now more than ever. There's no place for the cowardly because somebody is going to have to pick up the pieces and put the party back together with more diversity.
With an unusual assist from African-American voters and other Democrats who feared the extremes of his opponent, Sen. Thad Cochran beat back a spirited challenge from state Sen. Chris McDaniel, triumphing in a Republican run-off and defeating the tea party, where the movement's hopes were brightest.
McDaniel, speaking in Hattiesburg, was angry and it showed. "There is something a bit strange, there is something a bit unusual about a Republican primary that's decided by liberal Democrats," he said.
He accused Cochran of abandoning the conservative movement, as he and his supporters have all along.
"So much for principles," he said.
We wonder what makes Mr. McDaniel believe African-Americans and other Democrats can't be principled as well.
It was an extraordinary end to a wild campaign, with Republicans standing up for the rights of black Democrats, and with cash-rich national tea party groups crying foul in defeat.
The bitter gush of fury and vitriol from McDaniel supporters after the defeat was, no doubt, brought on by Mr. McDaniel himself with the combative post-election speech where he refused to concede.
The right thing was to concede and start working for the good of our state and our nation, given such a wide margin of loss.
Meanwhile, his supporters continue to alienate voters, as if a Democrat's vote is dirty or unacceptable, not good enough.
We are done with those days. A vote is a vote. Good for Sen. Cochran for reaching out to Democrats.
Mr. Cochran is more likely to bring about change in Washington with that tone than one advocating the establishment of a pure race or party with a litmus test. Stick to public policy and get the government out of our lives.
Last Tuesday, Democratic voters trickled out of the Court Street United Methodist Church in downtown Hattiesburg, saying they had voted for a Republican for the first time in their lives - Thad Cochran.
So we have some Mississippians who voted Republican for the first time in their lives. So they vote once. Then it's twice in November.
All of a sudden, they're comfortable in their new shoes and the GOP is growing. Pro-life, like-minded African Americans are flocking in droves, embracing smaller, limited government and focused on ending the destructive cycle of poverty.
McDaniel supporters could simply try being gracious in defeat - and some reasonable and moderate supporters like Madison's Russ Latino have.
"Be advised though that there is a growing sentiment among conservatives that there isn't much of a distinction between the moderate Republican and the Democrat and that considerations like majorities aren't as compelling as they once were where Republicans have squandered majorities in the past," wrote our sometime op-ed columnist Latino to his friends who supported Sen. Cochran. "This sentiment is compounded when you win an election with what is at least perceived of as Democrat messaging."
He goes on to close: "All of this leads to great consternation over the general election. If you don't want us to be a part of your party, why should we vote for you? Understand, this is not a threat on my part.
"I want you to 'get' the level of anger and frustration and seriously consider the impact of telling people like me to go fly a kite. It hasn't been everyone, but now is not the time for Cochran supporters to be glib.
"I said yesterday, and I meant it, that the winning candidate needed to exercise humility in victory. I also think the winning candidate needs to prove that he still has some fight left in him and wants to represent the conservative base of his party. It won't be an easy sell. I'm not trying to start a debate. Just a dialogue."
What if Mr. McDaniel would have used similar words election night? But instead, he spit in Thad Cochran's face, evoking equally angry responses from the "establishment."
Mr. Cochran can reach out to those reasonable voices like Latino who are willing to engage in dialogue, but Mr. McDaniel is going to have to be among the willing in order to budge the needle.
Chasing away traditional Democrats is wrong and morally corrupt. Liberty is about the freedom to choose.
We still can't get over the hypocrisy of the McDaniel camp. It's more like selective liberty and selective memory.
For example, Pat Bruce, chairman of the Madison County Conservative Coalition (formerly the Madison County Tea Party) is a former Democrat, having worked on the campaign of Democrat Sen. John C. Stennis in the 1970s.
She apparently saw the light. Why couldn't traditional Democrats Tuesday?
Mr. McDaniel can relate to seeing the light. He voted in the Democratic primary in 2003, presumably for Ronnie Musgrove and not for Haley Barbour.
Should McDaniel and Bruce be disqualified because they fail the purity test? Of course not.
Brighter days lie ahead for Mississippi and for our great Republic if we can all work together.
But, THE SHOUTING MUST STOP! Let the dialogue begin.
Yet more than a week after the election, nerves still haven't settled, Mr. McDaniel is nowhere near opening a dialogue and he's masquerading as the nominee when he lost the election by 7,000 votes in a continuing kook-fest that includes a write-in campaign.
Gov. Phil Bryant and Mississippi GOP Chairman Joe Nosef have the power to end this. The vacuum created by the party apparatus not closing ranks and enforcing very basic management rules is being filled by the insane, lunatic fringe spewing the most vile comments and bizarre conspiracy theories ever seen in modern Mississippi politics.
The situation is completely out of control. For the sake and dignity of our beloved Mississippi and our Republic, end this nightmare swiftly.
/johnny
See, having run on a platform of EBT, SNAP, Section 8 and other handouts, it’s going to be difficult to attract voters that think $17T in debt is unsustainable.
Having run all the way left in the primary, to win, don’t expect the votes of the right in the general.
Party Unity is PU.
Didn’t notice the date of your sign up. IS THAT YOU JOE NOSEF????
Thousands of votes were cast illegally, evidence that votes were bought, Cochran calls half of the Republican party Klansmen, and someone from Nebraska says it’s time for a ‘dialogue’.
How about Cochran starts one by disavowing any of the above. He hasn’t yet, which tells me plenty.
Smell that ozone?
Last Tuesday, Democratic voters trickled out of the Court Street United Methodist Church in downtown Hattiesburg, saying they had voted for a Republican for the first time in their lives - Thad Cochran. So we have some Mississippians who voted Republican for the first time in their lives. So they vote once. Then it's twice in November.
Yeah, right.
Oh I hear you. It’s political activism and/or deception like this is why I despise much of the media so much, both local and national. They are so arrogant, just because they put it in print or other media, everyone will buy their deceptions.
America is waking up to their BS seeing despite the LSM’s efforts to cover for and prop up this pResident, he has been polled to be the worst in 70 years.
Hey Lame Stream Media, America isn’t buying your BS anymore!
CGato
Lately I have seen some utterly stupid sXit posted on FR from some utterly mindless GOP sycophants.
Buy you? Your drool more than a participation trophy. You rank right up there with posting Yosemite Sam on a Dragon as intelligent political commentary.
And that is truly impressive.
Beginning with the June 3, 2014, Primary Election, all Mississippians voting at the polls will be required to show a photo ID card. Also, individuals voting in person by absentee ballot in person in the Circuit Clerk’s office prior to the June 3, 2014 Primary Election Day will be required to show a photo ID.
Eligible voters casting an absentee ballot by mail for the Primary Election on June 3, 2014, do NOT have to show a photo ID. Also, overseas and uniformed military voting by absentee ballot by email or fax do not have to show a photo ID.
The Cochran clean-up team has arrived.
I wonder how much the Cochran team is paying these trolls?
This follows a trend I’ve seen since the runoff. Calling McD supporters ‘kooks, nuts, nutjobs, wackos, extremists’ and the like. Unproductive. They already think you stole it via double votes from people who had no business voting in both primaries. Now you insult them. Because THAT will make them feel better about voting for your guy in November...
At this point I don’t expect McD to end up on the ballot in any meaningful way.
I DO want to know more about vote fraud in Hinds County though. And anyone with the stones big enough to wade into THAT cesspool is hardly a nut. More like medal of honor worthy. Far more long lasting far reaching in its effects to ferret out vote fraud. Sinatorial terms only last 6 years.
$15 a day? That's the going rate, from what I heard. lol
This troll is seeing what real unity is.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Win_Friends_and_Influence_People
I’m pretty sure insulting people you’ll ultimately need to vote for you isn’t a great idea.
Exactly. Hypocrite bastards.
YOu’re still here so one last appeal and chance to get your mind right. The FR Zotanator is warming up. Repent!
Laws that are obviously impossible to enforce (what, do they have Professor X on retainer to read the voters’ minds?) are silly.
They are useless if depended on to stop those without scruples, apparently someone didn’t think them useless but thought of them as rules for honest and honorable people. I don’t know why or how just that it’s ANOTHER OF THE LAWS of Mississippi that cochran, the cochran campaign, the barbours, the RNSC, the GOP, the Mississippi GOP, senato roger wicker and joe nosef, the chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party chose and chooses to ignore.
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