Sarah Palin threw her support behind state Sen. Chris McDaniel in his bid to oust Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) Friday, urging voters to ignore “ridiculous non-stories” that have disrupted the campaign.
The former vice presidential nominee appeared alongside McDaniel at a rally Friday, saying he was running for office with a “servant’s heart,” according to the Clarion-Ledger.
{mosads}McDaniel’s bid to defeat the long-serving Cochran has hit a snag in recent weeks, after four McDaniel supporters were arrested for allegedly sneaking into a nursing home to take videos of Cochran’s bed-ridden wife for a video hit piece. McDaniel has said he had nothing to do with the plot, as some local Tea Party leaders were arrested.
But Palin dismissed the matter as a distraction meant to slow the Tea Party candidate’s momentum heading towards Tuesday’s primary.
“The media will not succeed in getting you to pay attention to things on the periphery that don’t amount to a hill of beans,” she said.
McDaniel billed himself as much-needed disruption of the status quo, and Palin said he would be a stout opponent to President Obama and his policies.
Meanwhile, Cochran enlisted the help of state GOP leaders in his bid to keep his seat for a seventh term, campaigning alongside Gov. Phil Bryant in the state Friday.
The race remains tight. A poll released Friday found Cochran enjoyed just a five-point lead over the attorney McDaniel.