[1] Cochran's fundraising ability, powerful Senate committee assignments, and very high approval ratings meant that he was considered "unbeatable".

"[5] Had he chosen to retire, a "stampede" was predicted in the Republican primary[6] and Democrats believed that a "properly positioned" candidate could have been competitive in the general election.

Incumbent Republican Senator Thad Cochran, who had served in the position since 1978, ran for reelection to a seventh term.

[7][8] Controversially, Cochran's campaign invited Democrats to vote in the runoff, and Cochran-affiliated super PACs used racist themes in their primary ads, particularly the super-PAC All Citizens for Mississippi, which was funded (according to F.E.C.

"[13] Rather, McDaniel was believed to have declared his candidacy in the hope that Cochran wouldn't run, so that he could get "first crack" at the support of Tea Party groups and donors ahead of a competitive primary.

By contrast, the Republican establishment rallied around Cochran, who was endorsed by the NRA Political Victory Fund and National Right to Life.

[21][22] In May 2014, a scandal emerged when Clayton Thomas Kelly, a McDaniel supporter, allegedly entered a nursing home where Cochran's bedridden wife was living and took pictures of her.

[16] Kelly posted the images as part of a video on his blog, intending to advance the rumor that Cochran was having affairs while his wife was receiving care.

[28][failed verification] Charges first surfaced[29] that a small group of elderly Democratic women activists calling themselves Citizens for Progress were behind the controversy, but later facts as well as money trails show that money exchanged hands multiple times between Citizens for Progress[30] and Mississippi Conservatives PAC.

After the fallout of the primary election, Missouri Republican Party chairman Ed Martin wrote an op-ed calling for the censure of Henry Barbour for his role in the funding[31] of racist advertisements.

McDaniel once again won big in his native Pine Belt and in the heavily populated suburban Memphis DeSoto County, but Cochran got a surge in votes from African Americans who took advantage of the mixed primary.

[42] U.S. senators U.S. representatives U.S. governors Statewide officeholders Organizations U.S. senators U.S. representatives U.S. governors Mississippi state legislators Local officeholders Other individuals Organizations Media Former Congressman Travis Childers had stated that he was interested in running, particularly if Cochran retired.

Childers described himself as a "moderate to conservative" Democrat, highlighting his vote against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and his opposition to new gun-control measures, abortion and same-sex marriage.

[89] Cruz also told reporters that groups aligned with the Cochran campaign had run racially charged ads designed to persuade black voters to vote against McDaniel.