Pro-Cochran group to slam opponent for opposition to Education Department

Supporters of Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) plan to hammer his opponent over his opposition to the Department of Education ahead of their primary runoff election in two weeks.

{mosads}Mississippi Conservatives PAC plans to hit state Sen. Chris McDaniel, who narrowly beat Cochran in last week’s primary but failed to win 50 percent of the vote, with attacks focused on McDaniel’s claim that the Department of Education is unconstitutional, according to The Associated Press.

McDaniel has proclaimed on the campaign trail his belief that the government should stay out of education. But the AP reports Mississippi receives about $800 million in federal money for students in kindergarten through high school.

Former Gov. Haley Barbour (R), who is backing the super-PAC, told the AP that Cochran’s allies plan to make McDaniel’s position on that funding known.

“He’s talking about wiping out special education, for autism, physically disabled, mentally disabled, kids who are just slow,” Barbour said. “That will all be gone if McDaniel gets his way.”

McDaniel and Cochran are locked in a fierce three-week runoff after McDaniel came out slightly ahead of the incumbent in last week’s primary fight and a third GOP candidate kept both of them below the 50-percent threshold needed to avoid a runoff.