Miss. High Court Hears GOP Senate Primary Dispute

BY EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS
Associated Press

JACKSON, Miss. — Attorneys for a tea party-supported candidate are trying to persuade the Mississippi Supreme Court to revive a lawsuit that challenges his Republican primary loss to six-term Sen. Thad Cochran.

But Cochran’s attorneys say state Sen. Chris McDaniel waited too long to try to overturn Cochran’s June 24 victory.

Justices heard nearly two hours of arguments Thursday, but gave no indication of when they will rule.

McDaniel is asking the justices to reinstate a lawsuit a circuit judge dismissed in August. The judge agreed with Cochran’s attorneys, who cited a 1959 state Supreme Court ruling that a candidate must challenge within 20 days. McDaniel waited 41.

McDaniel’s attorneys say state law was rewritten in the 1980s and doesn’t specify a deadline.

McDaniel claims Cochran’s 7,667-vote victory was tainted by voting irregularities.