Mississippi state Sen. Chris McDaniel (R) posted big numbers in his bid to unseat six-term Sen. Thad Cochran (R) in yet another showdown between the Republican establishment and tea party insurgency, according to The Hill.
McDaniel, who is being supported in the Republican primary by the Club for Growth, FreedomWorks, the Madison Project and the Senate Conservatives Fund, announced Wednesday that his campaign has raised $500,000 since he declared his candidacy 10 weeks ago.
"All across Mississippi and all across the nation, we're seeing tremendous enthusiasm and excitement, as grassroots conservative activists are uniting behind our campaign," McDaniel said in a statement. "Conservatives are clamoring for new leaders in Washington who will fight to repeal Obamacare, rein in federal spending, and protect our traditional values. With such a groundswell of enthusiasm, I am confident we will succeed on June 3rd."
Supporters of McDaniel attacked Cochran for not being conservative enough, after the senator voted for the bipartisan budget deal that reopened the government and raised the debt ceiling in October. Cochran is the GOP's second-most senior member in the Senate.
McDaniel, a former radio host, has a history of making controversial comments about Islam, homosexuality and hip-hop's impact on gun violence.
Cochran has not yet released his fundraising numbers.