McDaniel leads Cochran ahead of runoff

Mississippi state Sen. Chris McDaniel (R) leads Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) by 8 percentage points in a final poll before the runoff election on Tuesday.

McDaniel leads Cochran, backed by the Tea Party, 52 percent to 44 percent, according to a survey released Saturday by Democratic pollster Chism Strategies. Four percent of voters said they are undecided. 

The polling organization said, “unless Cochran expands the electorate with general election Republicans and crossover Democrats, McDaniel wins.” 

{mosads}The winner of the runoff secures the GOP nomination for the Mississippi Senate race and will go on to face former Rep. Travis Childers (D) in November’s general election. Democrats have said they could have a chance if McDaniel wins. 

In two polls earlier this month, one by Chism Strategies and another by Tea Party-centric pollster Strategic National, McDaniel led Cochran as well.

McDaniel came out on top in the June 3 primary leading Cochran by about 1,300 votes.

Cochran, 76, was first elected to the Senate in 1978. McDaniel, 41, has served in Mississippi’s state Senate since 2008. 

The latest Chism Strategies poll surveyed 697 voters statewide and it has a 3.8 percentage point margin of error.