Barbour-Backed Super Lobbyists Circle the Wagons to Protect Big Spender Thad Cochran

Washington, DC- A Politico story revealed the real efforts to keep Senator Thad Cochran in office are not coming from grassroots activists across Mississippi, but rather the offices of lobbyist and political operative brothers Henry and Austin Barbour. Additional fundraising and campaign support is coming from their uncle and former Governor Haley Barbour. In fact, the Cochran campaign headquarters is already stacked with former Barbour campaign and administration staff, including the pollster, TV ad maker, and finance chairman.

“The battle lines are clearly drawn in this race,” commented Matt Kibbe, President of FreedomWorks for America. “This is Cochran and his band of super lobbyists vs. Chris McDaniel and the people of Mississippi. The Barbours don’t represent Mississippians, they represent their lobbying client lists.”

Kibbe continued, “The Barbour family wants Cochran in Washington to keep the spending rolling, but the only thing that his 19 debt ceiling votes brought home for Mississippi families was over $10 trillion in debt, all to be passed on to children and grandchildren. It’s time for a new generation of representation that cares about families and small businesses in Mississippi, and Chris McDaniel is the principled leader who can get it done.”

Nearly 60% of the money raised for Thad Cochran’s campaign this cycle has been from DC and Virginia. Only about 6.6% came from Mississippi.

FreedomWorks for America is organizing sign-blitzing, phone banking and neighborhood canvassing efforts across the state leading up to the primary. Over 20,000 yard signs and 60,000 door hangers have been sent to support Chris McDaniel to-date.
FreedomWorks for America is a grassroots service center to a community of over 6 million activists supporting candidates who believe in individual liberty and constitutionally-limited government. For more information, please visit www.FreedomWorksForAmerica.org or contact Jackie Bodnar at JBodnar@FreedomWorks.org.

Originally posted on FreedomWorks for America on 3/19/14.