Cochran primary challenger gets Tea Party Express endorsement

The Tea Party Express has thrown its support behind Sen. Thad Cochran’s (R-Miss.) primary challenger, state Sen. Chris McDaniel, for its first endorsement of the cycle.

Tea Party Express Chairwoman Amy Kremer made a stop in Mississippi Tuesday to announce the endorsement, calling McDaniel “the kind of promising conservative leader that is desperately needed in Washington, D.C.”

{mosads}It’s the fifth endorsement McDaniel has received from a national conservative group since he announced his candidacy last month. The groups have largely praised McDaniel rather than attacked Cochran, who has still not yet decided whether to run for reelection in 2014.

The Tea Party Express struck that tone in a fundraising pitch sent to supporters, which praised Cochran as having “served Mississippi with honor” but emphasized the need to send “fresh blood” to Washington.

“Senator Cochran has served Mississippi with honor, but it has come time to send some fresh blood, energy, and ideas to D.C. Washington has become a basin of failed solutions to address the growing debt and anemic economic growth,” the email reads.

“McDaniel has the passion and zeal to get things done and fight for what is right.”

Earlier this week, McDaniel received a boost from the Madison Project, a conservative group that has endorsed him and launched a five-week statewide radio ad touting his work in the Mississippi state Senate.